Drinks are over priced, place is absolutely PACKED, and they need more bartenders. There's only 2 bartenders and they can't even keep track of who was waiting there the longest. I waited 30 minutes for a drink while others were walking up to the bar and got their drink within 60 seconds. They have 0 awareness. DO NOT GO HERE!!!!!!!!!!! read more

If I could give a place a negative 5 stars it would be this place, I made an account because of how bad the experience was here, saw cops go to the bouncers multiple times because they kept taking real IDs and then yelling at the people to get out even after they were in the wrong and let multiple groups of girls cut in line which made everyone who was waiting in line wait even longer. This place sucks and the people who work here suck too. read more

My friend and I from Florida came at 10:00 PM to get a drink for our last night in San Diego. When we got in line, all three bouncers checked our IDs, suspecting them to be fake, then told us if we wanted them back that we would need to call the non-emergency police number. Obviously, we needed to get our IDs back (getting on a flight in the morning) so we called the non emergency number and two cops showed up. The cops verified they were real, they gave our IDs back, and we still weren't allowed to come in per management. Obviously, we would never cause any type of scene anywhere, so there was no reason to not finally just let us go in & buy a drink after this ridiculous ordeal. One takeaway from the experience: The "boss" of Shelter & Saloon is the most narcissistic, sexist man I've ever met. Ladies, try to stay away from this guy; short with the stupid clear earpiece & dark hair. Calls himself the boss, he will show zero respect to you & probably comment about what you're wearing while he's at it. Just an absolute creep. Great last night in San Diego as an of-age female! read more

Shelter - a sign on a building that reads shelter - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Encinitas, California

Bartenders added a tip to my tabs without my authorization. I specifically remember leaving cash tips the entire night I was at Shelter because as a service industry worker, I know cash is preferred, yet somehow when the charges were processed in my bank statement, there was a tip added to each transaction. Super shady. I tried emailing them and no response. If I happen to be in this area again I'll make sure to leave $0 tip and take a copy of my receipt with me and file a fraudulent charge with my bank if this were to happen again. That is not cool at all! read more

Love the ambiance of this place! We come here every couple of weeks. Drinks are great and the pours are very nice! read more

This bar has an open air removable roof! What you say? I say you go into a bar but can see the sky! I came here Saturday for EASTER weekend and boy was it packed! Now I remember why I never came in before, because you literally are shoulder to shoulder with someone everywhere around you! But after finding some friends with bottle service, this place sort of took on a similar feel to a friend's backyard! I loved it. The drinks were flowing, there was lots of beautiful People and the dj wasn't bad. Although, no one danced (not enough room I understand) it was still very "party like". I liked it and I'll have to be back. If not for the party, then at least for the cute bartenders ;-) read more

Shelter - It was a full moon! - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Encinitas, California

Wow I can't believe the pictures I'm seeing here on Yelp is the same place I went to. I came in at around 10pm on a Thursday and the place was almost pitch dark, with strobe lights, and blaring live bass house music playing. My experience would have been totally different during the day. My first impression when walking in is that it feels like an underground rave. I liked it at first, but after spending $12 on one vodka cranberry, and not being able to see cause of the darkness, or talk because of the loud music, or move because of overcrowding, it wasn't all I had hoped it to be. Ended up leaving after one drink to go bar-hop the street. I will give this place another go in the future, during the day. According to other reviews, I missed out on the couches, retractable ceiling, fireplace, and happy hour!!..Then I will adjust my review accordingly. read more

Bartenders charged us over $80 for 3 shots after doing their own shots right in front of us and said there's we're on the house. I'm certain they charged us for it. Got sexually assaulted multiple times by guys who bought tables and the bouncers did nothing to stop them only threatened to have me and my girlfriends removed read more

A guy threw ice at us and then complained to management because we asked him to stop. We got kicked out because he bought a table. I explained that he assaulted us and kept trying to touch us, but we were still kicked out. read more

Drew is the best bar back/bartender. Very quick with drinks and anything we need. Has good conversation and is always attentive.

This place was so fun. we got a table and had a great time - the dj's are awesome, some of the best house music I've heard in San Diego- The one thing I'd recommend is getting there early, after 10:30 or so there's a long line to get in read more

So this bouncer name Allen or Alex (heavy weight & beard) or whatever doesn't know how to talk to human beings and is rude and has a disgusting attitude. Any who, I am visiting from out of town and he did not know how to identify an I.D. ?? I would strongly suggest that the owner be very careful by having this guy as the face of his business! Not cool. read more

My friends and I were kicked out after being sexually assaulted. I wouldn't put it past them for kicking us out when we were all Mexican and the guy that assaulted us was a white boy that bought a table. We explained to the bouncer what happened and that they threw drinks on us because we wouldn't let them touch us but somehow we still got removed read more

Awful bar in Encinitas, do not recommended whatsoever. Ripoff as well as awful service. Bouncers are mean and objectify women. Me and my girlfriends stopped by to have some drinks after hearing shelter was good vibes but it is completely opposite. 3 dark haired male bouncers were rude asf, short and disrespectful. Felt so uncomfortable just by the bouncers and our first encounter and the bartenders were no better. Ended up feeling like a very dodgy and judgemental bar that I do not recommend stopping by especially if your a woman. read more

I'm not sure why this place has such bad reviews. I've been here multiple times and have had good experiences and good drinks. I've brought quite a few friends here and they've all liked it. The drinks are good and the bartenders are all really cool. The atmosphere here is similar to SF bay area lounges with just a lot more older people lol. The only thing that is unusual is that they have a DJ that only plays house music which is fine but nobody dances....Ever. He doesn't take any requests so don't bother asking. So it's almost like why even have a DJ? read more

three stars would be overly generous. their drink menu is a work in progress and "their" food is delivered from PIZZAIOLO and re-plated. pretty good GREY GOOSE DIRTY and passable MOSCOW MULE but the SMOKY POMELO needs some work. open roof is interesting and when we went (early on a wednesday evening) the place wasn't crowded. here's my main gripe (besides that their food's delivered) -- the seats are astoundingly uncomfortable. really hard to sit in and even when the place is mostly empty a difficult place to carry on a conversation. i'm afraid they're just too cool for school or for an old fuddy-duddy like me. read more

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Service was quick and the waitress was super nice I'm bummed I didn't catch her name but she was great! The ambiance was perfect for a night out with the girls or even a date night. Highly recommend the only downfall was just the parking situation but I guess that's expected in that area. read more

Need more professional workers, but inside was very nice and cozy to be in. I think the girls name was Kayla who works there, very unprofessional and can clearly tell she was drinking on site. read more

Came here early Saturday for some drinks after dinner. Loved the vibes here and the staff was extra friendly and helpful. I went back to the restroom and saw some flickering in the door I the back and went to check it out. There's a really cool fire pit and booth back there. It was still early so no one was back there. The staff was amazing and took a bunch of pictures for us since we had the space all to ourselves! Would definitely come back again! read more

Shelter - three women sitting in front of a fire pit - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Encinitas, California

Shelter is basically a big square room with a bar, and restrooms. The roof opens up when it's not raining...a nice feature. Drinks are a little pricey ($12) which might deter some folks, however they are quite tasty. I've come here with friends on a few occasions. On our last visit, the girls had "The Botanist" (Strawberry and cucumber infused Russian Standard vodka with St. Germain Liqueur, lemon juice, simple syrup and soda water. Man, what a great drink! I've had the Matador and Aristocrat - both passable drinks (and strong). I wouldn't eat here...though I haven't yet. Overall, it's a nice place to grab a drink and chill with friends. read more

Shelter - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Encinitas, California

This place is a complete Joke and an insult to Encinitas. I'm actually doing them a favor by giving them a 1 . I took some friends of mine whom we all grew up here but they recently moved to O'side. I was born and raised here, my children as well... My friend ordered us a round of drinks, there were 5 of us, then the bartender says, " you mind if I close you out"? Who does that??? He payed with a Platinum AmEx!!! The bartenders were as unfriendly as they were unattractive! Save your money folks and Go to the Saloon or better yet, for a stiff ass, Good drink Captain Kenos... read more

A go to spot if you're in the area from Encinitas to Vista and PB/Gaslamp is too far. Can be a fun area with friends, but the music is a hit or miss. I came by last Friday with some ladies and I was honestly bored by the music. Hopefully they can blast some hip hop or EDM another time. read more

was not allowed in for "not being in mens dresscode" as a nonbinary person...bouncer said to me "well maybe if you changed it on your license we could let you in." As they let in many other people wearing less nice clothes and smaller tank tops. They may not realize that their behavior is homophobic and dangerous but that's their fault and should know/do better. read more

After dropping 750 bucks on bottle service for a bday party. They came and told us that our table had been purchased by someone else with more money. We hada reservation and up to that point were having a good time. Sadly the employees treated us like cattle and forced us out of our seats with the reasoning they could make "more money" Not the brightest service people but the treatment was sub standard and the smell of vomit on the dance floor really make this place only fun if your are 18 and snuck in. With so many better places in town this pllace isnt worth your time. Go elsewhere!! read more

NEVER IN MY LIFE have I been so INSULTED, DISRESPECTED, and DISGUSTED by an establishment. I wish I could give negative stars. My friends and I decided to go to shelter last night, biggest mistake. I am a local and have been coming to this part of town for 20+ years. It is despicable to know that this is the reputation of Encinitas, which is meant to be a relaxing, safe, friendly, beach area. The staff of shelter is the exact opposite of these characteristics, and apparently think they work at a top club in Vegas with their attitude. After my friends and I waited in line for over an hour, we were waiting at the very front for 10-15 minutes. I noticed groups of people leaving the bar, and politely addressed the bouncer by acknowledging people were leaving, and inquiring when we would be let inside. He rudely turns to me and responds "if you want to pay $750 for a table, you can be let in" and turns away. A few minutes pass, finally he looks to check our IDs. He checks mine no problem, mine is a California ID. Then, he moves on to my friends who have out of state IDs, one from Florida one from Oregon. He immediately confiscates the IDs, claiming they are fake. Clearly he is unable to properly do his job by identifying a REAL ID. Of course, the bar does not have a scanner machine either. He kicks us all out of line, and yells, refusing to give back the IDs. CONFISCATES AND REFUSES TO RETURN REAL, GOVERNMENT ISSUED IDs. I tell him he's getting fired, in which he replies he won't get fired by doing his job. He is clearly illiterate and unable to determine a REAL ID, so he is NOT doing his job. We are left with no choice other than to call the cops and retrieve the IDs. I approach a police car who already happens to be in the area, and ask him to speak with the bouncer and get the IDs back. The cop runs the IDs through his scanner, verifies my friends' social security numbers and determines the validity of the IDs. The cop tells the bouncer the IDs are real, and then leaves. Instead of profusely apologizing, the bouncer proceeds to yell at us and says do not return to this bar, or any bar in Encinitas. The humor in this, with his assumption that I would EVER WANT TO RETURN!!!!! I tell him to get a real job, as he continues to yell and harass my friends as we walk away. Real professional!!!! When I asked for his name, he said it was John, obviously giving me a fake name. I will be contacting management directly to report this incident, which I am sure they will do nothing to remedy situations like this from happening in the future. This guy should be immediately fired. STAY AS FAR AWAY AS YOU CAN from shelter, unless you want to wait in line for over an hour, have your real ID taken, have to get cops to retrieve it, and be yelled at and harassed by the employees. Great look for Encinitas! read more

I don't' know why I still come here on weekends. The notion that's it's upscale is becoming less true. Aside from being packed like everywhere else on Fridays and Saturdays it's getting run down and it's major flaws are showing. Honestly I'd rather pay a cover to clean up the joint. It's not the ladies, they are always dressed well and I still see beach gear here. It's basically everything else about Shelter is now shining through. The surprisingly narrow walkway near the bar outlet, the hole in the middle of the floor, the poor selection of DJ's which I knew would happen because that's really why everyone was standing around bored, the fact that half the guys in here linger at the bar. If you want to people watch, do it from the sidewalk and don't take up space. Bathrooms need more attention as the place gets packed. When you get service is good cocktails. I think they could probably cover their fresh ingredients while there are dozens of people hovering at the front waiting for their turn to order. I understand it taking guys a little longer to order, but watching women wait 30 minutes for a drink it ridic. The narrow walkways are a design flaw, the undersized bar space should really have and house 4 systems for 4 bartenders. The bouncers are cool, but what does it really take to lock down a booth or just find space to post up at. M&K's are $9 and beers are $8, that's twice what BP sells them for. Bartenders are not minted. Things are not overly strong like Saloon, not using poor base ingredients like 1st street, but also not as crafty as I thought they once were. Solace does a better job of that. Weeknights only or come early and get a booth. It's only loud with the roof closed, I prefer it open. If you've got something that separates you from everyone else, use it or people will forget about it. read more

Shelter is a pretty significant step up for the nightlife in north county. This place is pretty small but tastefully decorated with a rather functional layout. The ambiance and crowd here is somewhat of a cross between downtown SD and the laid back Encinitas beach vibe. The bar is central but located near the back which makes it difficult to get to when crowded on a Friday/Saturday night. The DJ usually spins some pretty hip stuff, often pop but still gets the crowd into it. Would recommend Shelter to anyone looking to meet up with buddies as part of bar hopping or just to have a decent night out drinking, people watching and feeling the vibe... Pros- Location Ambiance Layout Music Stiff drinks Casual Cons- Gets REALLY crowded Small Parking Pricey drinks read more

I had a reservation for 730pm through the website. When we arrived to The Shelter it was closed. We know it was meant to be open because we walked past it the night before and asked about reservations. The phone numbers online don't work so we never were able to talk to anyone to figure it out. read more

Staff is total eye candy but since most of them are around my son's age saying that makes me feel dirty. Love the vibe and atmosphere here. I would say this bar is definitely geared towards the young club crowd but I enjoy it for an afternoon or early evening stop. This bar actually has a sunroof. Pretty groovy eh? Ok now I know I'm pushing the age limit for this place. read more

Who knew that Encinitas had a club scene?!?! not me! We were out celebrating Valerie M.'s birthday. The evening started at Cucina in Del Mar...familiar scene...i know what to expect We UBERed to Red Tracton ....piano bar...Samoan bouncers (whoa! are we in PB?) oh no...we weren't...old people galore! what a hoot! didn't even matter one way or the other...we were a large group of peeps...not sure who was part of our group and who wasn't...we talked to everyone... we thought we were moving the party to Syrah downtown...but someone suggested Encinitas and because is so much closer we Ubered to Shelter. it was a downtown style club on a much smaller scale. we headed to the back of the room to meet up with our party...this was the polar opposite of Tracton...young...like 22-27 young....beach town surfer style...like my days at UCSD. no cover charge, attractive staff, friendly staff, attractive patrons, good music, good drink selection. My only suggestions...no dance floor?!?! probably good that i didn't get out and dance (even though i'm a fabulous dancer.....after a few drinks)...i would have so been Elaine (remember that Seinfeld episode..ha!) but seriously ..some of those tables need to be moved to create a dance floor. People were trying to dance in any corner they could find. So here's the funny part of the night...this young man approached me...and said hello...he knew my name. i was so confused! i was like "how the hell do you know me?"...he told me his name...oh goodness...i used to babysit this child...i have seen his bare booty and now i'm at a club with him...holy moly...i feel old. we closed the place out and headed home...or at least i thought we were (the 20 some year old attitude somehow caused us to end up at Denny's) would like to return a bit earlier in the night and have a more coherent experience here read more

Adam we will miss you for ever! We need more bartenders like you!!! The candy shots were your best shots ever! read more

Shelter - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Encinitas, California

here's my HONEST review, it's a nice place if you go early before the young adult rush. after that, it's a literal sh*t show, super packed overwhelmed, rude, need I go on? the bouncers, servers and workers were SUPER professional and super nice it's just the young adult crowd that makes it terrible. again, I only stayed for maybe 10-15 minutes because it was so packed I could barely breathe. The drinks were a little $$$ but honestly they were pretty good and well mixed. If I were to recommend this place I would before 10 PM. read more

Soooooo it's called "Shelter". First time here & pretty cool look but chances are it will fade into the past in about 5 years. Not sure if it's an oxymoron given the fact that there is no roof (no shelter) but hey, if you can see through the pollution you might catch a glimpse of the bigger dipper. The music is fitting but I think the clientele is confused. I look around & see some people dressed like they belong in ocean beach playing a shitty guitar with three strings trying to gather enough money to go get more crack. I also see people dressed like they are at a VIP venue in Vegas after hitting a big win on roulette. Crazy! Anyway, not too bad. But, if you order a Moscow Mule after 9pm they will Serve it in a mason jar... A fucking mason jar. That's because they are worried people may steal the copper cups.... Between you & I, I think it may be the Ocean Beach crack heads. Happy trails mofos read more

I love this place. Retractable roof. Delicious mojitos. Comfy cushioned booths. Mirrored walls. Forest hallway. DJ. Better during the day than night. read more

I was there about a month ago lost my wallet there. Because I'm not a resident of that county I went on the Internet to look for numbers and email addresses to use to call them. Nothing on their site for the past month has gotten through. The number does not work. The email comes back. read more

Shelter - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Encinitas, California

All though the concept and interior are amazing... I had some of the worst service of my life here. It was a busy night, but I had an elbow at the bar for 25 minutes and watched over 50 people get drinks in front of me. I get that bartenders want to help regulars, but this was ridiculous. I had 3 bartenders make eye contact with me multiple times but never came over to ask me what I wanted to drink. At least acknowledge my existence in the 1st 15 minutes and say "I'll be with you shortly, were slammed right now." I hate writing bad yelp reviews, but I can't believe I was ignored for 25 minutes with my elbow on the bar. Go here if you like a trendy interior and horrible service. read more

I'm so distraught over what I witnessed tonight. Five bouncers swarmed a 110lb girl and grabbed her violently for zero reason. It was evident that several of the bouncers were under the influence of drugs and that most likely contributed to the violent behavior. I really wouldn't recommend this place. I've never felt so unsafe in a bar before. read more

What a swanky spot and a lovely addition to the Encinitas nightlife! I loved their drink selections and the seating is very accommodating for big groups, which we had. It looks like there is a club scene here, too, because I spotted a DJ booth and, once they remove the tables in the middle of the room, there is ample space for dancing. I didn't stay late enough to find out, unfortunately. Our service was very good! We had a friend who was unsure about what she wanted and ended up not liking one of her drinks. The waitress was quick to make another suggestion and offer up substitutions to make it better for her and was not yucky about it at all. Sweet! I can't wait to come back in the summer when they retract the roof. It'll feel like an outdoor patio and make his place all that more cool! read more

fuck shelter. i've been here many times before but i'll NEVER come here again. we came on a friday night 6/10 and waited 30 minutes in line. once we got to the front the big blonde security guy kept letting people in front of us. i politely asked why and he said they were his friends and he cussed us out and then said we should go to another bar. i will never go to shelter again. this guy has no business being a security guard and we and everyone around us were so turned off we left. i barhop in encinitas all the time and i'll never come back to shelter. read more

The service from the bartenders is slow. The staff is extremely rude. I've been there at night a few times to give them benefit of the doubt but every visit has been a terrible experience. The dive bars down the street treat their guests with better service and you'll have a way better time, trust me. read more