This is a new menu item and it's devine- Everything but the Bagel spices on creamy mashed potatoes. Wonderfully blackened and perfectly cooked. I will return for this meal! read more

The Craftsman - Super delicious Bagel Spices Salmon on creamy mashed potatoes. So seriously good! - New American Near Me - Encinitas, California

Went in for a quick bite and cocktail and it was great! We tried both of the scallop dishes because if the recommendations of the wait staff and bartenders...and they were right! Both were excellent. We so had a cucumber mojito and the bartender made a BlackBerry cucumber mojito....perfection. Well worth the stop. read more

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We love their weekend brunch! The food is great. I love the Huevos Rancheros, but everything is delicious. The service is fast and friendly, we come here often. read more

Alright $15 bottomless mimosas always makes me happy, no matter what. Plus the octopus appetizer was really really good. And the sweet potato tots are v yummy. read more

The Craftsman - Bottomless Mimosas - New American Near Me - Encinitas, California

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Always reliably good food, drink and atmosphere. We are neighborhood regulars and always have a good time there.

First time trying this place today and the food and atmosphere get 5 stars. My Aunt and I each ordered a burger which were delicious. They were simple and not over complicated and had great flavor. We had the fries and sweet potato tots as sides. Like the tots. You see sweet potato fries but never tots so that was nice. The service however was lacking. Seems like this is a common complaint here which is too bad because the food was great. When we arrived I stepped in the door and the hostess said hello and just went back to doing whatever she was doing. After a good minute I had to ask if we seat ourselves and she seemed caught off guard by that question. Our server was very unattentive. She never checked on us. We had to flag her down for drink refills and extra ketchup and each time it seemed like an inconvenience. I'll give this place another shot because the food was that good and hope that I just caught them on an off day. But there are plenty of other places who make a gourmet-ish burger who offer great service if this is a regular thing. read more

Had a most excellent meal here last night. The food and service were top notch. Great menu with something for everyone. I would highly recommend it. read more

We go fairly frequently to Craftsman. It is conveniently located to a lot of our evening events, so we seem to pop in there pretty regularly. We always ask for Cassidy to wait on us when she is there. We feel like she has become a "friend" of sorts, always asking how we are doing, sharing a few quick stories about her family with us. Perhaps she has earned a way into my heart because she always says how her mom and I would get along well. Who doesn't love a young woman who loves her mama? She always takes great care of us. We often get their steak there, and however they do the butter/herb thing on top......... YUMMMMM! I love it! My man and I typically share an entree, trying to keep off the extra pounds, and this is enough for us. We replace the "frites" with extra veggies, and it works out great! One complaint I have, if you can call it that, is that they took one of or favorite items off the menu. We LOVED their spinach salad- there is not other restaurant that has one as good as that. We are keeping our fingers crossed that they will bring it back. Soon. Please. I beg you. Please! SO delicious, with an egg on top, amazing dressing....... Again, we beg you.... I haven't had their dessert in a long time, (back to the trying to shed pounds saga), but I'll say, their butterscotch pudding..... to die for! Last night a group of young women were at the next table celebrating a birthday and had one. I was green with envy! If you are looking at a nice, casual place to go, check out Craftsman. And ask for Cassidy! read more

The restaurant vibe is really cute, but the food is average and should not be that expensive. They are also so stingy when you ask for extra things such as sauce or lemons. Also their water isn't that good. For the prices it's not worth it. They also add the tip themselves. read more

Always a great choice for a nice variety of Americana food. The brunch menu is awesome and the staff is wonderful. While I have enjoyed most everything on the menu, their homemade jelly is fantastic - it keeps me coming back for more! read more

Gavin the bartender is awesome!! He makes incredible margaritas and has the best recommendations for food. I had the shrimp and grits, jalapeño poppers, and poke. The food was delicious. Also, Gavin has great taste in music!! read more

We grabbed some lunch here earlier this week and I must say I like this place a lot. I thought the octopus was beautifully prepared and certainly good value for the price. The lobster bisque was personally too sweet for my taste, though, which is why I can't give them that 5th star. Also, while service was great we didn't see our waitress as often as I'd have liked. Essentially I wanted to order a glass of wine after my meal arrived but we didn't get a chance for the next 25 minutes. Granted, I'm sure we could have gotten her attention if we'd really wanted. All in all, the Craftsman is a very solid lunch choice in Encinitas. read more

On a Saturday night, we got a table right away. We were seated outside and it made for a great ambiance. It was quiet enough to have a conversation yet busy enough to know that this was a place to be. The service was a little slow. However the server was delightful and very attentive. We had the Vulcan and Villa flatbread. The food came out in about 15 minutes and we ate every last bite if it! Fantastic!!! We will be back again soon. read more

The Craftsman - New American Near Me - Encinitas, California

Well went there on manorial day , The bad asked for the wings well done -extra crispy , and they came out the regular way second ordered the meatloaf and when it came it was cold . Non the less the manager was good in taking off the wings . I ordered. Burger after that , by the time my food came my friends were done eating . I suppose this was because they might not have had the regular kitchen staff in . The bartender was super sweet and attentive and apologized for the food 100 times . Would go back and give it another try. I have been here a few other times and never had a bad experience. I would go back and give it another go. read more

Love this place so much! It has that "Cheers where everybody knows your name" vibe. The food is epic and if you are a foodie you will appreciate the little details that make even the simplest meals extraordinary. Their brussel sprouts as an appetizer are my favorite of any restaurant. The buttermilk fried chicken breast is my husbands favorite and I love the bolognese and flat breads. There's parking, outdoor tables if you want sunshine, a cute bar and a fun vibe when sports are on. Craftsman has become my family's new favorite local hang! read more

Outstanding breakfast! Our party of six all had excellent meals. The breakfast burrito and pancakes were standouts! We will be back again when we pass through Encinitas. read more

Food was really good, waitress cool, manager seemed all over the place, like on an upper... four of us dinning, had a Visa gift card using for a fraction of our dinning experience, manager said couldn't use... didn't even try to rectify the situation... read more

The Craftsman - Food & atmosphere nice, manager sucked - New American Near Me - Encinitas, California

So much has changed over the years! Mike who runs and manages this awesome establishment, is truly the heart behind the Craftsman. He totally revamped the wine list to make it super friendly and super tasty! Food is always great and always consistent. All the people who serve and work here are so fun and friendly! Always!! Craftsman has always been my go-to for great food and drink and still is after all these years. If you get a chance, go here and experience this amazing restaurant. read more

We joined some friends for dinner at the craftsman. It was our 1st time and we were pleasantly surprised by the ambiance of the restaurant. It is a cozy , welcoming spot with a nice bar area if you just want to have some drinks. The staff was very friendly and attentive always checking in to make sure that we had everything that we need. Last but not least is the food, the Prime Rib, Salmon and Fried Chicken were all tasty and enjoyed by our group. The only negative of this review is that my wife ordered the pork sliders and they came out stone cold so she really could not enjoy them. Overall it was a good experience and we will be going back. read more

My wife, kids and I stopped in here for an early dinner. We wanted a restaurant in this area and hadn't yet been to the Craftsman. The food looked great from the Yelp reviews. Prices listed are HAPPY HOUR (2:30-6:30pm) prices. What we ordered: * Pulled Pork Sliders ($6) Average. These were good but not like uh-mazing. * Deep Fried Brussels Sprouts ($8) UH-MAZEBALLS. Bacon, capers with bits of crispiness everywhere. So good! * Tequila Marinated Prawns ($10) I thought these were great. I wanted to drink the chipotle-butter and corn cake sauce. Comes with toasty bread. * Crispy Kalua Pork Belly ($6) The best six bucks you'll spend in this restaurant. Just awesome. * Two Kids Mini Burgers ($14) Very plain. No lettuce or tomatoe. Just meat and mini-buns. Still, our kids loved them so who cares what I think... * Lost & Found Lost Abbey Ale ($5) Great, darker-colored beer. Not too strong and a deal at five bucks. * Julian Cider ($5) A solid cider on any restaurant's menu. Though this is a "tavern", there were LOTS of kids and babies around. It's very kid-friendly which we liked a lot. It seemed like half of the restaurant were filled with adults and the other half, with families. Our server, Cassidy, was gracious and attentive even though she almost sliced her finger off cutting something in the back (her finger? lol). Bill came to $64.80 and we had leftovers and full stomachs. We most definitely will come back! Save us a seat. read more

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The Craftsman is pretty freaking delicious and is brought to you by the creators of Blue Ribbon Pizza, also in Encinitas. This joint is very nicely decorated and has a pretty good location. The food here is actually very good, my go to is their burger and fries, very tasty and cooked to perfection nearly every time. Pair the burger with an ice cold beer and finish the meal off with their famous butterscotch pudding and you have yourself a happy tummy. Pros- Menu Location Taste Butterscotch Pudding Service Friendliness Ambiance Decor Cons- Menu changes Kind of an odd entry, host sometimes isn't present Crowded read more

Just paid $17 for one of the worst flatbreads I've ever ordered. I picked it up to go- it's freezing cold and the "bread" is rock hard, essentially a giant over baked cracker. The cheese and fig spread have absolutely no consistency, some pieces have nothing except for in a tiny corner, several have huge gobs fig only with no cheese. $17. For an over baked, inedible, sloppily prepared meal. Will not be going back. read more

The Craftsman - Notice the giant area of rock hard bread to the left with nothing on it? - New American Near Me - Encinitas, California

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my GREY GOOSE dirty with BLUE CHEESE OLIVES -- yeah, it was that kinda day -- arrived perfectly chilled, shaken not stirred. a second followed close behind the first. a couple drinks are not enough to make me believe i'm handsome and bulletproof but sufficient to guarantee i'll be tolerably pleasant company ... the ALBACORE CRUDO (short stacks of albacore, thinly sliced radish and avocado, lemon juice and EVOO) was perfect or perhaps it was just the warm afterglow of that second martini. the BABY BEET SALAD (with goat cheese, toasted hazelnuts and orange-sherry vinaigrette) and BABY GREENS SALAD (with strawberries, pt. reyes blue cheese and golden balsamic vinaigrette) were both lightly dressed, visually appealing and plenty tasty. the PORK BELLY appetizer (crispy pork belly with manila clam chowder and shishito peppers) was easily the best dish of the evening. pig and clams -- i mean you'd really have to work at it to go far wrong when you were off to such a great start. i thought the CHARCUTERIE PLATE was fun and imaginative with an interesting array of things to nibble but the server set the plate in front of my six-year old, he looked a bit overwhelmed. fortunately there was plenty WADE's MAC N CHEESE ordered by his eight-year old sister (CRAFTSMAN doesn't have a kid's menu) to go around -- creamy, rich and delish !!! the DUCK FAT FRIES were good but not particularly unique though i guess it would be tough to live up to the hype. i'm a sucker for just about anything braised and the RIBS (merlot braised short ribs, horseradish potato puree, red onion marmalade with beef jus) were truly amazing. the spuds were a nice sidekick -- great comfort food. the FETTUCCINE (house-made fettuccine, local corn velouté, goat cheese and chives) arrived well after the other entrees and the pasta was way, way, way short of al dente. it was pretty obvious somebody dropped the ball and then rushed it out before the fettuccine had a chance to cook properly and i mean not even close -- every bite had that raw flour taste. the corn was an odd but interesting addition. sauce had lots of rich flavor and a nice mouth feel. i'm not much of a desert eater (except for those rare genius moments when some wily chef has the vision to work in a little bacon) so i left the TART (bittersweet chocolate tart with salted caramel) and ROOT BEER CAKE (with vanilla ice cream) for everybody else to fight over but they both got excellent reviews except nobody seemed to be able to taste the root beer. service was attentive and engaging without hovering but the bus boy seemed fairly obsessive about clearing the table -- they were pretty busy and i guess they're short plates ... read more

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Happy hour is a sweet deal. Truffle popcorn? OMG. Grandma's deviled eggs OMG Blood Orange Cosmo OMG. Brussel Sprouts OMG I also had a tasty bite of my friend's cheesburger OMG. It's a shame that Craftsman wasn't on my radar. I just recently went here for the first time and I was mighty impressed. Our poor server was run ragged by my non decisive table. Nobody could make up their damn mind because there was just so many wonderful options to choose from. Craftsman seems like an upscale comfort food place with gastropub style and craft cocktails. In other words OMG!!! read more

Any place that serves popcorn on the menu as an appetizer is automatically in my good graces. SO good. I tried to eat it all but with an audience (versus my eating habits at home) I felt the need to restrain myself for some reason. Never fear, I got the rest of it to go - I must say I might find myself ordering this popcorn to go though! Must figure out recipe. Last night was only their 3rd night open but they were PACKED. Clearly our area is starved for new (read: good) restaurants. I loved the decor and feeling of the place overall, but the acoustics of it make it almost hard to have a conversation with those at your own table. There's definitely nothing light about this menu which was a bit disheartening, but then again being a "tavern" I shouldn't have expected otherwise. There's only one vegetarian dish but lots of veggie side dishes, although a lot of those seem to have bacon and duck fat...someone please tell me that duck fat isn't ACTUALLY duck fat - because, ick. Husband had the burger - but he struggled to get more than halfway through it because it was too rich for him. I brought home the other half and will give it a whirl later. I had the Fettuccine which was oddly enough more sweet than rich which kind of bummed me out. I couldn't leave without trying a dessert (hello gym!) so I went for the root beer cake - it was...interesting and good...once get you past the "this cake tastes like root beer" thing. Service was decent but not overly friendly. I'm curious to know if they switch up their menu or if that's just what it is - I'm sure we'll be back after they've had more time to try some other things - I'll definitely be back for the popcorn. read more

The Craftsman - This is what MY dreams are made of. - New American Near Me - Encinitas, California

Through thick and thin, a consistently solid experience. Nice , varied menu with something for most. Pleasant staff.

This place is within walking distance from our house so we go frequently. The drink menu, beer and wine selection are great, along with the apps so just for that reason it's worth going just to hang for a bit. Dinner-wise, the menu is eclectic and interesting. We ate here last night and I must say the food was good, but not great, and the service a bit slow, but four stars because of all the other positives, and a lot of the dishes are great. I had the meatloaf but tasted the peppercorn steak which was awesome. Overall a great place, vibe, and ambiance. Would recommend. read more

This place is great. Awesome wine selection, hand crafted cocktails, craft beer and the food is good. The bartenders are super friendly as are the regulars. I always have a fun time here. read more

First time here and will definitely be back. Staff was very friendly. Got the house cabernet during happy hour. I was with a friend and we ordered the bottle as it was cheaper than getting 2 glasses each. I'm kind of a wine snob but have to say their Cab was decent and we enjoyed it. We just had appetizers and while the garlic toast was tasty (yet they didn't bring a fork and napkin to get the garlic out at first so my friend ended up with sticky gooey garlic fingers... lol) and the bacon wrapped dates were great - our main beef is they each came in threes which really sucks when you are sharing appetizers with friends. Why can't they just be four?! Management: Consider This! Last point: the grilled octopus is AMAZING. Get it. I don't care if it sounds gross. It's awesome. Try it. You'll like it. read more

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We have been very happy with the service, food, and attentive, courteous staff at the Craftsman. We love to see the owners looking over the room to be sure every customer has what they need, We like to walk there when we are not being lazy. We are usually happy with the appetizer-sized dishes. Great to have The Craftsman in our 'Hood. read more

Decided to finally make it over for Sunday brunch. Bottomless mimosas until 2:30 for $9, 2 thumbs up. They also have bottomless bloody Mary's, but that's not my jam. Only tried the buffalo fries, which were good. Service wasn't great. It took a good amount of time for anyone to even come greet us. Sunday brunch and only 2 servers seemed to be working. We were also sat next to the host stand so could hear all the employee conversations. I'll definitely go back for mimosas and to try more of the menu, but will probably sit at the bar for faster refills. read more

The Craftsman - "Buffalo" fries - New American Near Me - Encinitas, California

Great spot. Always great food, excellent drinks, and great service. A favorite local spot that never disappoints. (P.s. get the butterscotch pudding, you deserve it!) read more

The quality and flavors are great. Been in for dinner and brunch and we always leave happy. My husband orders the octopus starter every time and loves it. The burgers are good. The fried chicken dinner is delicious! Recommend butternut squash too soup in fall. read more

My wife and I have been to Craftsman a couple times in the last month, first alone on a date night and then this past Saturday with another couple. Generally, I'd say the food is good to great but the seating stinks - lots of bad tables. For our first visit to Craftsman we were seated in bar stools facing a window to the parking lot. At first we thought it was ok, but as dinner wore on my wife and I both wished we had a more traditional table. The screen in front of us was at an awkward height, and seeing the cars drive constantly by was sort of nausiating. The crazy thing is that there didn't seem to be many good tables in the restaurant. A couple communal tables, lots of bar chairs, tables facing the front door. I don't recall Savory having the same interior design deficiencies. I don't recall what my wife started with, but I had the local sweet corn soup, which was excellent - tons of flavor with a little chili oil on top for a delightful kick. My wife ordered the hangar steak for her entree which we thought was great. I had the porchetta, which our server insisted was "the most popular item on the menu" and was "always selling out." I didn't know what porchetta was until it arrived at the table. If you're thinking of ordering it, google it first. It was delicious at first but I tired of it and couldn't get past all the pork fat. For dessert we had the wonderful butterscotch pudding, which the restaurant brought over from Blue Ribbon - always a fave. This past weekend, with our friends, we had another bad table, this time right at the front door. Forget seating, let's talk about the food. We started with the bone marrow, which was one of the great culinary treats my wife and I have had in a long time. You gotta know what you're ordering, but the flavors popped. Truly exceptional. We also had the shushito peppers, which we were told are usually mild but this time were mouth-on-fire hot. My wife only had one, while I had maybe a dozen before even I had to give up. Our friends had a salad with burrata, which was very good too. For entrees, my wife had the burger (delicious, if you like blue cheese) while I had the house-made fettucine, which was simple but delicious. Our friends split the fettucine and the cod. For dessert we had the butterscotch pudding AGAIN, and a wonderful s'mores dish in a jar. Great meal. read more

Pretty good service and nice food (although the gluten-free pizza did come burnt the 1st time around). But what a-holes for not running my credit card correctly. The total was like, nothing, $40 total or whatever, and the waiter couldn't run it through, making me look like I have no money in my account. The magnetic strip is old, but I had just used the card earlier in the day for a haircut. He insisted "I also tried punching the numbers in." Either he didn't really punch the card numbers in manually, or doesn't know the correct procedure to do so. I just checked with my bank: 1. There were sufficient funds 2. They had not implemented any fraud alert. read more

Craftsman is such a hidden gem! I love this place! The food, the atmosphere, the drinks.. all good. It's my favorite spot to meet my girls for wine and POPCORN! read more

The Craftsman - New American Near Me - Encinitas, California

The food here is very interesting. My big beef is no porter beer. Almost all IPA. This area filled with local breweries... change your venue... get a porter in there.. The butternut squash soup the best I've ever had. Restaurant is worth a try for casual dining... but I won't be back til they get a more diverse beer menu. read more

Bartender is bucking fantastic she's friendly I onl y had one BEER IPA PUPIL it's ok a little soft but okay 1 star overall. read more

The Craftsman - Bar area - New American Near Me - Encinitas, California

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We came here for my dad's birthday after driving by it numerous times. It's a lively place but perhaps a bit too loud for my parents ages (70's) but they enjoyed it nonetheless. We arrived slightly before 630 pm on a Saturday so we were able to take advantage off some happy hour pricing (ends at 630). We got the Encinitas flat bread as a starter. The crust wasn't crisp enough and the pepperoni was a tad spicy as they make it themselves. We then got a Caesar salad that was so big we split it among the 6 of us and it was enough to give everyone a good sized amount. Our server, Paola, was super friendly, knowledgeable and patient with us. She made great suggestions and was courteous and prompt. We ordered the pan seared salmon, scallops, the short ribs, the steak, a hamburger, and chicken tenders off the kids menu and the food was really well prepared. My short rib was a tad dry and could have used a bit more jus but the seasoning was spot on and the drinks we ordered were great (a few craft beers and a pomegranate martini for me). Since it was my dads birthday they brought out the butterscotch pudding which was really, really good! Good way to end the meal. With tax and tip we paid $207 for 6 of us so it's not cheap but it's a great local spot for a great dinner with good ambiance. We will be back! read more

Just enjoyed an amazing evening! The Cadillac Margarita & Chicken Chile Relleno were delicious! Service was on point... friendly & attentive! We also had the seared Ahi special and it was hands down the best I've ever had... complete perfection! read more