Susan D.

Been a few more times since my first review and still a great spot for great food and great service! We came on Friday right when they opened. Love the vibe of this place. I'm always amazed how they can continue to give great customer service with a super small staff especially when it gets busy. They have great meal deals and their food is served at the right temperature, has great texture and so flavorful! They also have many different types of dipping sauces which we love. We've brought and recommended this place to friends and family and no one's been disappointed. If you're craving popcorn chicken, this place can't be beat!

Leo P.

Crispy, juicy chicken, love all the sauces to choose from. Broccoli was seasoned nicely and the price was nice! Also love that it has some religious roots to them. Quick service and welcoming atmosphere. Will definitely come here again!

Yadi E.

5/5 chicken, service, and experience. The best fried chicken I have had in a while! Plus the variety of sauces really made the experience even more enjoyable. Seating & hours are limited as of now. Hopefully they can expand in the future!

Klariza F.

I came here as soon as they opened! I was pretty hungry. I ordered crispy chicken and shrimp with grass jelly. They changed their menu. I miss the tacos and salad. I need to try the wrap next time. Their sauces are the best! I liked the green one for the chicken and the Nashville hot for the shrimp. I've never had the jelly before and it was pretty great dessert! It was so fun to jiggle it and eat it. It was so soft. I like the cream/milk that comes with it. It's a very light taste and it's not super sweet. The service is always good and it was pretty empty when I came so it was comfortable. It does get pretty busy during lunch.

Don B.

Surf Up Chicken in Carlsbad is a great lunch spot offering Fried Chicken in nugget or patty form. Very reasonable prices for combos and a la carte items. Seasoning on the crispy chicken is akin to pepper salt or chinese five spice. Great flavor on the crispy chicken but was a little salty for my taste. Fries were a great side item as well as the texas toast. The sauces are great with my favorite being the yum yum sauce for the chicken. Service was great and the wait was minimal. A great tiny shop located in a business park, all the tables inside and outsite were full during this lunch time visit. Would definitely love to visit again and try their other menu items.

Richard T.

"I gave my love a cherry that has no stone. I gave my love a chicken that has no bone..." Bonus points if you know which classic film that line is from (no googling allowed). Now, where do I begin with Surf Up Chicken in Carlsbad? This place has quietly become one of my go-to spots for a weekly meal that hits all the right notes: comforting, flavorful, fresh, and fast. Let's start with their newest menu item: the pan-seared cilantro butter shrimp. Holy moly. This dish is a total game changer. Juicy, perfectly cooked shrimp served over a bed of vibrant Asian coleslaw that's crisp, tangy, and just the right touch of sweet. I love to order a side of their salad greens and combine it all for a light, healthy shrimp salad that's low in carbs, high in flavor, and (I'm guessing) pretty easy on the fat content. It's quickly become my guilt-free favorite. But don't worry, I still embrace the sinful side from time to time. Their fried chicken? Sublime. Always tender, juicy cuts of dark meat and none of that dry, day old overcooked nonsense you get elsewhere. And if I'm feeling wild, I go for the cheese dip. I mean, if you're going to do it, do it right. And now, let's talk fries. Hands down, the best french fries in North County. Maybe all of San Diego. Crispy, light, perfectly cooked, and they'll leave off the salt if you ask. I limit myself to fries only once or twice a week because of my training schedule, but if I could eat these daily, I would. Service is consistently sweet, fast, and friendly. They've extended their hours, which means I can swing by for dinner after a long day and still enjoy a great meal without compromising quality. Surf Up Chicken nails it every single time. Great food, great service, fair prices. What more can you ask for? Answer to what film that song is from- Animal House fans, this one's for you!

Shay C.

While deciding what to order through door dash for Friday night dinner, there it was... Surf Up Chicken. Like where did this place even come from??? Mmmm...chiiiicken..... They have an interesting mix of items on the menu that at times seem to not be connected, but once you put it all together, it makes sense. I ordered the chicken sandwich along with French fries for myself, Japanese chicken curry for my daughter and shrimp tacos for my husband. For sides we also ordered the veggie eggrolls and Texas toast, which seemed a little strange for the menu, but it was so delicious. The corn tortillas for the shrimp tacos were a little tough, and really the only negative I have. Other than that, everything else was perfect and delicious! The chicken sandwich was perfection. We'll be back for sure!

Crystal F.

The food here is really good, we stopped in before closing time and we're able to get out order in. Very chill inside, the owner was very nice and explained the what was popular on the menu. We started with nacho cheese chicken, fries, Thai ice tea and a shrimp taco. Everything was delicious, very crispy and flavorful. We got some sauces on the side, the green cilantro sauce was a favorite of mine and so was the chipotle. The owner offered us a free cookie when we finished dinner which was very nice. I will definitely be coming back here, hopefully they will extend their hours soon, they close at 6pm. Parking is easy here which is a plus and there is a brewery in the same complex.

Josh B.

This was my first time here at Surf Up Chicken. Some of my colleagues in the surrounding business plaza told me that I should try it the first thing you noticed when you walk in, Is that a very small place. The girl who took my order was very nice. I only waited a few minutes before the food was out and they had lots of sauce options and I really liked the zesty green sauce. The most the fries were really crispy and good and the chicken was genuinely the best fried chicken I've personally ever had. It was a light crisp on the outside, but not too much and the meat inside was super soft and moist, even though I was eating fried chicken it almost felt healthy because of how good quality I could tell the chicken is haha. I will definitely be returning this place is awesome and it's definitely a hidden gem of Carlsbad.

Jason N.

This place is great! Endeavour is seriously THE nicest guy. While the location is a bit hidden and not where you would expect a restaurant to be, once you find it you will go back and back. If they were open a bit later, I would frequent them much more often. Their chicken is perfectly cooked, the fries are amazing, and their Shrimp Taco is just absolutely perfect. Don't forget to taste the sauces, they are made in house and delicious! They are super clean, super friendly, and super tasty! Do yourself a favor and go here!

Henry's T.

You ever have one of those days at work when you're so busy that allocating a few minutes for lunch seems like an unlikely aspiration? On those days mere survival appears to be the most reasonable goal and time to eat is a cute luxury afforded to others. When I was still working I recall on more than one occasion ordering something (typically at a drive thru) based upon some glam shot on the window. This form of deceptive advertising always left me wanting when I opened the bag and unwrapped something doing a very poor imitation of the item championed on their ginormous color poster. It always felt like I was another losing participant at one of those street shell games only to find out that the meal I thought I had ordered was actually under the cup on the right. That exasperated destination is exactly where I figured I was headed when I visited "Surf Up Chicken." I was intrigued by the featured picture of their "Crispy Chicken Sandwich" and wondered if there was any way it could taste nearly as good as portrayed. I figured no way, but was curious enough to find out. Given my previously disclosed pessimism I decided to hedge my bets and also sample their "Crispy Chicken Taco", "Chicken & Waffles", "Thai Tea Boba", and "Grass Jelly". Surely something had to hit for me, right? When my sandwich arrived it not only looked just as good as advertised, but it also tasted as good as it looked! The food quality here, and their fast-casual format, makes this a formidable opponent to their mega chain adversaries! While there are several options for the sauce enthusiasts out there, it's all about the "Yum Yum" sauce for me! During my visit I noticed a Biblical reference printed on their bag (and given their commitment to truth in advertising) I'd recommend that they add another: "Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free." John 8:32 And that's...Henry's Take. #truthinadvertising #yumyumsauce #megachainlunchalternatives Hand model credit @danavoros