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    The Lookout

    4.3 (36 reviews)
    Open 6:00 am - 7:00 pm
    Updated 2 weeks ago

    The Lookout Photos

    THE LOOKOUT ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Dogs allowed
    Outdoor seating

    Recommended Reviews - The Lookout

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    Daniella M.

    What a cool little spot at Poway lake .. It was my first time visiting the lake with my toddler and I have to say that I absolutely loved it here we were able to buy some duck feed for a whole dollar a bag, which was such a steal. I had coffee here we had burgers, a corn dog and a soft serve, which was so delicious and the coffee was really good as well! I loved that they literally grilled the burgers outside. I didn't expect that and the burgers come with homemade chips . This whole place is really cool. I did go on a weekday and it was pretty chill. Definitely a cool spot for the Littles and they do have some playgrounds there as well. Check it out. Service was really good. I forgot the girls name who helped me. She was super sweet.

    Lattes and waffles
    Priscella P.

    Came here on a Friday late morning, it was quite busy. There is plenty of seating in the cafe area which was our first and main stop. Coffee was flavorful and just right. The waffles were also very tasty and filling. Would return just for the cafe, we also enjoyed the trail after our breakfast. Lots of people here fishing and relaxing. My best friend and I both brought our large dogs and had no issues with the cafe area and trail. The trail was almost 3miles "lake poway loop trail", definitely bring proper shoes and water if you plan to walk it. Staff in the cafe are very friendly and attentive to you, they brought out water and treats for our pups, very sweet. Looking forward to coming back.

    Tasty garden bagel!
    Kate W.

    Loved this hidden gem, quality food and beautiful view. The staff were so great getting us what we needed and even assisted a mom with a hurt child from the playground. The playground here is amazing and now that I know of the coffee and brunch options I'll be back soon!

    Sallie R.

    Came across this cafe through social media. I didn't knew this existed in Lake Poway Park. The incredible view of the lake while having brunch or sipping on coffee caught my attention. Had to make it out there one day. So I decided to take a trip to Ramona and lucky for me it was on the way going back home. Made a stop here with my kids and they enjoyed their bag of chips while I ordered a pesto egg sandwich for brunch. It was a little dry, but some mayonnaise made it better. My daughter tried matcha latte for the first time and she didn't like it. She mentioned it tasted like fish. I was laughing, but when I took a sip she was absolutely correct. One of the weirdest tastes of matcha I've tried. Won't be ordering that again. This cafe did have some good options on their menu with reasonably prices. Think I might just had ordered the wrong items. When I saw the server bring out other customers' orders, my mouth was salivating because it looked yummy. I was also excited about having an alcoholic drink relaxing while intaking the lake view. We did visited at brunch rush hour, but we were able to snag a table for three. It was first come first served based. Service was good and anything we needed they were kind to bring it to us. I forgot to mention, there is a $10 park entry fee for non Poway resident. Absolutely will return in the future because I really enjoyed it that much. Thanks to social media for sharing this spot, otherwise I would miss out on this hidden gem.

    Burgers, salted caramel ice latte
    Izabela S.

    We love bringing our dogs to lake poway. Grass areas all over along with trails. We decided to get coffee before leaving. We got a salted Carmel latte with oat milk and a vanilla affagotto both were delicious while waiting for my drinks someone's burgers came out and they look delicious! Definitely have to come back and order something to eat and enjoy the view. Great service here as well.

    siri g.

    What a cute cafe amongst the trailheads of multiple hiking trails!!! Plenty of tables available, both indoor and outdoor. While we didn't try any food, my latte tasted delicious and we had such a lovely time at our outdoor table with a beautiful view of the lake. We saw a lot of hikers grab food and coffee before and after they hiked. The only drawback of the place was the $10 parking fees which is valid for the entire day. We avoided this by parking on the street less than a mile away since we weren't going to hike. Will definitely recommend and come back to enjoy the view

    Zain N.

    @lookoutlakepoway is the perfect stop to enjoy the beautiful view of Poway lake after a hike of one of the trails around, is located in a recreational area where you can enjoy other services and is very suitable for a fun family day.

    Menu

    What's not to enjoy. Nice place to hang out on a Sunday afternoon. Elevated shaded patio with lake views. Got a Carmel macchiato. Not in the menu, but the experienced barista made me one. Good selection of canned beers and the food we saw served looked great.

    The view is nice
    Breanne B.

    This is a new little deli like place in lake poway. The set up is a little crammed for busy days, like today. There is one way in and one way out so the design is a little off and not functional with the line out the door. They were out of a lot of things today by 1pm like tomatoes bread, buns, etc.. I get it's new but to run out of so many things was kind of disappointing especially when you have to party $10 to park there. I'm a little disappointed and hope things improve. The staff was kind and friendly and the place was clean.

    Maple bacon breakfast sandwich

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    2 months ago

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    9 months ago

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    29 days ago

    Such a great upgrade and having food for the family and beverages for everyone is awesome!

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    5 months ago

    This is such a rad hidden lil' spot. It's my favorite. Calming in nature or sit on the deck or even inside.

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    3 months ago

    Staff and service were great. There were a lot of people but there are plenty of space to enjoy. Coffee + walk is always awesome.

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    9 months ago

    Cute for causal breakfast/brunch... They have wine and beer too! Great view and outdoor seating

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    10 months ago

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    11 months ago

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    5 months ago

    Cozy place to come and hang out either solo to study or with a buddy to hang!! Tasty food and coffee too. Impeccable service!

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    Thank you so much Bek B.!!! Hope to see you back soon!

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    6 months ago

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    Ask the Community - The Lookout

    Where is this located if went into the main gate?

    In the old bait shop, in front of the boat dock, by the mountain lion statue.

    Don’t See Your Question? Ask Away!

    Review Highlights - The Lookout

    The incredible view of the lake while having brunch or sipping on coffee caught my attention.

    Mentioned in 12 reviews

    Read more highlights

    The Cork and Craft - Tomato and beet salad

    The Cork and Craft

    4.0(1.4k reviews)
    4.4 miRancho Bernardo
    $$

    Visited Cork and Craft with my mama tribe the Saturday before Mother's Day around 7pm and were…read morehonestly surprised we were able to snag reservations so easily last minute. The staff was very warm and welcoming, though throughout the evening it definitely felt like they may have been short staffed and stretched a bit thin. Since we were headed to a movie after dinner, we decided to keep things light and share appetizers plus dessert. We tried the Fried Shishito Peppers, Veggie Potstickers, Grilled Broccolini, Rosemary Garlic Fries, Whipped Burrata, Garlic Noodles, Salmon Poke Tacos, and Lamb Chops. Overall, the food was decent but nothing especially memorable. The lamb chops were cooked nicely but could have used more seasoning, and the poke tacos were tasty but tiny -- literally about the size of my pinky for each taco. We were disappointed they had sold out of both the Crème Brûlée Bread Pudding and the Budino, which were the desserts we originally wanted to try. Thankfully, the Butter Toffee Cake completely saved dessert for us -- absolutely delicious and easily the highlight of the meal. Overall, a cute spot with good vibes for a girls night, but the food itself didn't quite live up to the hype for us.

    I arrived to pick up the order and waited 20 minutes, only to be told you don't have it. Turn off…read moredelivery if you're not handling it! Terrible place. I came for the second time--one employee says the order will be prepared, another says you don't have such an order. Why are you wasting people's time?! And you mark the order as ready when it's not. Awful place...

    Photos
    The Cork and Craft - Dining area, brewery off to the left.

    Dining area, brewery off to the left.

    The Cork and Craft - 6 piece wings & side order of fries

    6 piece wings & side order of fries

    The Cork and Craft - Barrel Aged Stout

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    Barrel Aged Stout

    The Golf Bar - Taters were meh.

    The Golf Bar

    4.7(58 reviews)
    3.6 miRancho Bernardo

    Always a fun time at The Golf Bar! Drinks are great and the food is way better than expected…read more Employees are always helpful if we ever need anything.

    4.5/5 Overview:…read morefirst time at a golf simulator bar, really cool experience, kinda pricey, food was okay, but we had a fun time ---- Pricing: - $35 for 30 minutes (walk-in only) - $65 for 60 minutes - $100 for 90 minutes - $135 for 120 minutes - $10 for club set rentals ---- The simulator areas are in an open area, not private rooms, and behind the hitting area is a couch and a table with some chairs for people in your party to sit and rest. Sometimes the golf ball isn't sensed so make sure you see that it says the ball is sensed on the screen. Otherwise if you hit it, it will not register it. There are different game modes available like driving range, trying to aim into a bucket, or playing an actual game of golf. They also have an instant replay of the hitting area so that you can review your stroke and where you hit the ball. I see the appeal in if you are wanting to try out or work on different areas of golf. Like you can play an entire game without having to be in the hot sun, or see from a top-down view of your club placement when you strike the ball. ---- Food was alright, minus half a star. We ordered the pepperoni pizza ($14) which was steaming hot when it came out and had a crispy bottom. Just a standard pepperoni pizza, nothing amazing. Ambiance wasn't "bar-like" which I liked bc while there was music playing you could still hear your own conversations. Service was great we somehow managed to hit 2 tees on top of the hitting area and they gave us another one each time. Lots of parking bc it shares it with other businesses in the plaza. ---- Overall: whether you are a golf fanatic or just want to try something out, this is a pretty great place to experience. Pricing is basically a dollar a minute you're here, but they have a wide variety of game modes available and the comfort of being indoors.

    Photos
    The Golf Bar
    The Golf Bar - The Turn

    The Turn

    The Golf Bar

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    The Shop - Where's the meat deep dish pizza

    The Shop

    4.3(571 reviews)
    3.6 miRancho Bernardo
    $$

    First time here on friday lunch time celebratinv my homies b day…read more Ordered the half old town half whrres the meat Best f pizza ever!!!! The cheese is super gourmet The sauce is delicious natural tasting The veggies were super fresh and taste like Real Veggies The meats were well seasoned but not overpowering Super chill atmosphere Service was friendly and chill

    WORTH THE HYPE! Our group of 7 came in on early Friday…read moreevening after our Friday evening yoga session at Be Yoga and Wellness (with Lili, instructor) down the street and we were so glad we ended the night at The Shop. One of our friends came here before, had Gavin as her server and SWORE the best pizza ever was a mushroom and roasted garlic pizza. We quickly got in but I don't recall if my friend made reservations. I'd suggest making them just in case because this place was booked and busy, justifiably. FOOD: We shared 2 salads and 3 pizzas. It was a perfect amount of food for us. We also got a charcuterie board that we devoured before I could snag photos DRINKS: Both co their mocktail options (passion fruit and cucumber) were amazing. A few in our group got beers as well as a gin & juice which they loved. We didn't feel rushed and Gavin, our server was incredibly attentive. I had asked for the bacon/meat on the side for the pizza and when we asked to get the best salad, he already knew to put the bacon bits on the side for the salad too. He even snagged us more roasted garlic when our group needed a clove for each bite. He was so great! We'll be back for mor! Ask for Gavin, he's one of the best!

    Photos
    The Shop - Inside bar

    Inside bar

    The Shop - Where's the meat pizza and Malbec wine

    Where's the meat pizza and Malbec wine

    The Shop - Fettuccine & Meatballs

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    Fettuccine & Meatballs

    Abnormal Beer - nashville chicken

    Abnormal Beer

    4.2(181 reviews)
    4.4 miRancho Bernardo
    $$

    Woah!!!! Banger alert!!!…read more Got a flight and partook in the food too. Its a menu and sort of fine-dining feel (and pricing) to it. Luckily, the mussels were absolutely aces and the beer I tried was JAWDROPPING. Their lighter selections were so well done and unique. Alter Reality and Abnormally German are a MUST!!! Balanced sweetness, pilsner goodness. Their Hazy, American IPA were very reminiscent of old Burgeon, like a supercitrus but still good. Its close to my house and I should come more often, I had tried their beers before but never been to the location. If you still go to Stone, then its time to step it up and go here. The ambiance is legit. Customer service was good too.

    I just went to Abnormal today with my Beer buddies, a group of about a dozen of us that hit a local…read morebrewery every Thursday. The good: The staff was great, pleasant, professional and helpful. The offering of beers wasn't great, but was adequate. The outdoor seating area was OK, but the shade cloth was so worn as to provide little to no shade at all. The bad: The seats are incredibly uncomfortable, we hated them. BUT, saving the worst until last, today there was 11 of us. To avoid any ongoing hassles we always run and pay our own tab. On each of our bills there was a 20% charge for "Large Group" plus another 4% just labelled "Surcharge". We have collectively visited at least 20 breweries in the San Diego area and have never been hit with this kind of a charge. In paying my bill I noted to my server that I saw the "Large Group" charge on the tab. The server told me that particular charge "goes to the house" and if I wanted to tip the server I had to put an additional tip on the line provided on the receipt. So, if you want to tip your server at this place you're going to be getting close to a total of 50% tip on your bill. We have several breweries that we visit repeatedly, Abnormal will not be one of those. We all agreed that we are done with Abnormal brewery.

    Photos
    Abnormal Beer - Cool steampunk lights

    Cool steampunk lights

    Abnormal Beer - Beet and goat cheese app, seafood sandwich, poutine tater tots, brussel sprouts and beeeer!

    Beet and goat cheese app, seafood sandwich, poutine tater tots, brussel sprouts and beeeer!

    Abnormal Beer - Great lagers!

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    Great lagers!

    Karl Strauss Brewing Company - Smoke BBQ Chicken Quesadilla

    Karl Strauss Brewing Company

    4.1(1.1k reviews)
    5.9 mi
    $$

    Hello again, Karl! We have been long time loyal Karl fans, and this place used to be our favorite…read morebrewery. They had the best servers who would stop by at the tables, give samples of their beers and chat a while about the beers and other things. Then, things got changed, and the vibe of the place became too corporate, the service became minimum, and we stopped going. Long story short, we went back last Friday night the first time in a long time. The vibe was back just like the old time with friendly severs and flowing beer samples. It was good to be back. They have a good selection of burgers. We had turkey burger and Ahi Tuna Sando. Ahi Tuna Sando was a gourmet burger with a good combination of flavors. Bitchin sauce was mild, not spicy, which I liked since everything these days became too spicy. The food was delicious. We were excited to see O.G. Amber Lagar on the beer menu as it seemed like an honest effort to re-visit Karl's lagar roots by re-making its original amber lager or Columbia Street Lagar which sadly was discontinued. Lagar is back these days, and Karl should bring Amber Lagar back as a regular beer. (Please!) More nuttiness, less hoppiness, and less carbonation.

    Came here when I was in town for comic con! I've been to…read moremany other locations and I love Karl's So I knew I'd eat well and also drink very well I think this is the original location I think...? Either way Good times Great service And always. Good vibe!

    Photos
    Karl Strauss Brewing Company
    Karl Strauss Brewing Company - Sweet Potato Fries

    Sweet Potato Fries

    Karl Strauss Brewing Company - Tower 10 IPA

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    Tower 10 IPA

    Phil's BBQ - Full order beef ribs (5) meal with Mac salad and Cole slaw. 2 links on the side

    Phil's BBQ

    4.1(2.2k reviews)
    4.1 miRancho Bernardo
    $$

    Food: 5/5 Service: 4/5…read moreAmbiance: 4/5 Visited Phil's for a work lunch with colleagues after having ordered their catering trays for meetings many times before. This was my first dine-in experience at this location. Had the beef ribs tickler with sausage, coleslaw, and fries. The ribs were straight-up bomb! they were super meaty, tender, flavorful, and nicely charred. The sauce has a nice sweet, tangy, and spicy balance. The link was a good portion with a good smoky flavor, and the coleslaw and fries rounded out the meal nicely. Service was efficient despite a busy lunch rush and the staff were really nice and welcoming. The catering trays we've ordered have always been solid, and that same consistency carries over to the dine-in experience. It's a little pricier than your average lunch spot, but the food actually tastes good and consistent every time, which is why Phil's gets 5 stars.

    Went to Phil's BBQ with some friends and my daughter and left seriously disappointed…read more We ordered a full rack of ribs with mac salad, fries, and a fully loaded baked potato, a Caesar salad, a kids cheeseburger, a tri-tip sandwich, and two sausage sandwiches. Honestly, everything lacked flavor, seasoning, and any sense of care. The sausage sandwiches came with pepper jack cheese that wasn't even melted, just thrown on top. The kids cheeseburger had absolutely no flavor whatsoever. At that point, I could've gone to Burger King and gotten something more satisfying. The ribs and tri-tip were both mediocre at best. Nothing stood out, nothing was memorable. We all agreed we'd rather just make this kind of food at home moving forward. For a place known for BBQ, this was a huge letdown. Definitely not worth the price, and we will not be returning. I'd honestly expect a refund after an experience like this. Also, went as soon as it opened so you cant even say they were really busy.

    Photos
    Phil's BBQ - Next!

    Next!

    Phil's BBQ - Big sister

    Big sister

    Phil's BBQ - We met THE ONE & ONLY PHIL HIMSELF!!! And he was really nice!!!

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    We met THE ONE & ONLY PHIL HIMSELF!!! And he was really nice!!!

    The Lookout - coffee - Updated May 2026

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