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    The Lookout

    4.2 (37 reviews)
    Open 6:00 am - 7:00 pm
    Updated 2 months ago

    The Lookout Photos

    THE LOOKOUT ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Outdoor seating
    Dogs allowed

    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.

    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.

    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.

    Maple bacon breakfast sandwich

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    4 months ago

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    6 months ago

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    10 months ago

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    2 months ago

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

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    7 months ago

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    6 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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    1 year ago

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    5 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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    11 months ago

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

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    1 year ago

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    7 months ago

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    7 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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    Trinity B.

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

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    7 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

    The Cork and Craft

    4.0
    (1.4k reviews)
    4.4 mi
    $$

    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 really wanted to give this place five stars for the food alone, but unfortunately the service…read moreheld me back. The sushi was genuinely delicious. Our server recommended a special habanero roll, and my friend ordered the Hawaii rolls--both were excellent. Another friend ordered a burger and really enjoyed it as well, so the kitchen is definitely doing something right. Where things fell short was the service. Our server started off great--friendly and with a good vibe--but as the evening went on, things slowed down noticeably. The host was not very attentive; we had to ask multiple times for items, and drinks were delayed until our server eventually followed up. It felt like no one else was stepping in to help. There were also a few mix-ups. We ordered crème brûlée and cheesecake, but were mistakenly given bread pudding that belonged to another table. It took about 20 minutes for the server to return and let us know about the error. While it wasn't added to our bill, there wasn't much effort made to make up for the inconvenience. I also ordered another glass of wine that never arrived--though, to be fair, I wasn't charged for it. Toward the end of the night, service became even more inconsistent. We were ready to pay, but the server disappeared for a while, and when he finally took our card, he seemed distracted and took extra time chatting with another table. Overall, it's a nice spot--especially for a summer dinner--and the food is definitely worth trying. However, the service needs improvement before I'd consider coming back.

    Photos
    The Cork and Craft
    Logo
    Logo
    Garlic Noodles

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    Garlic Noodles
    The Golf Bar

    The Golf Bar

    4.7
    (60 reviews)
    3.6 mi

    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.

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    The Golf Bar
    The Turn
    The Turn
    The Golf Bar

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    The Shop

    The Shop

    4.3
    (577 reviews)
    3.6 mi
    $$

    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

    After purchasing barongs and Filipinianas, my wife, brother, SIL, and I continued our double date…read moreday by grubbing at The Shop. Prior to our outing, I sent my family several recommendations for lunch with two burger joints in Escondido and one restaurant in our neck of the woods. The Shop was the last rec and I knew my brother and SIL would probably pick this spot because it serves cocktails and I was right. We enjoyed the food, my family enjoyed their adult beverages, the ambience was really good, and I thought the customer service had some opportunities. The Shop is located in Rancho Bernardo, specifically on Bernardo Center Drive. The restaurant can be found within the Rancho Bernardo Town Center shopping center amongst a group of eateries. Vons is the anchor store and some of the other tenants are the following: The Kebab Shop, China Fun, San Diego Gymnastics & Parkour, BHC Chicken, SDNY'S, and Casa Lahori. There is plenty of free parking at this shopping center. The Shop has plenty of outdoor umbrella covered seating and a spacious indoor eating area. Inside, there is bartop seating overlooking an assortment of adult beverages, there is a good amount of wooden tables and wooden chairs, and there is a long wooden fixed bench with a white brick wall where you'll lean your back onto as you dine. The Shop has decorative light fixtures, a character and boom box decal on one wall, framed black and white pics on another wall, and there's a television above the bar where we watched World Cup soccer. Our waitress and the staff we interacted with were friendly, but I wished our waitress checked up on us more often. I asked one of the staff, a smaller young lady, for a refill of my Shirley Temple and for a box for our leftovers, but it took awhile for those requests to be taken care of. One of my gym friends asked me whether I had dined at The Shop and after telling him I had not, he recommended this restaurant and mentioned that it served memorable cocktails. My brother and SIL are bourbon aficionados, so I knew they'd select The Shop to eat lunch at after they checked out the Yelp business link I had sent them as one of the three recommendations. I don't indulge in adult beverages, but my family ordered Old Fashioned drinks and they appeared to enjoy their drinks. Prior to grubbing at The Shop, I couldn't tell what type of cuisine it serves, but I now know that they specialize in Italian cuisine. They serve starters, cheese + charcuterie, salads, sandwiches, housemade pastas, signature pizzas, desserts, and sides. We decided to share appetizers, so we ordered two orders of freshly baked garlic rolls and my family ordered the spinach artichoke dip. We got to The Shop around 12:30pm and a few minutes after we ordered our starters, we were told the spinach artichoke dip was sold out. We were bummed that after opening at 11am, they were sold out of that dip. The garlic rolls were made with garlic, herb butter, and parmesan. They were fresh and tasty. Instead of the artichoke dip, my brother ordered the burrata bruschetta. That bruschetta was fresh tasting and yummy. For our entree, the wife and I ordered one of their deep dish pizzas, which is considered one of their specialties. We selected the Old Town, which comes with pepperoni, mushrooms, white onions, green bell peppers, fresh garlic, and black olives. The Shop needs to be visited for its deep dish pizzas. We ordered the 9" small and it was big enough to share. It was cheesy, fresh, had an abundant amount of ingredients, and I thought the crust was delicious. That pizza was appetizing and filling. My family and I had a wonderful date day outing experiencing The Shop for the first time. I definitely want to try out their pastas, sandwiches, and their meat pizza. Hopefully they won't run out of their spinach artichoke dip the next time we visit.

    Photos
    Inside bar
    Inside bar
    Where's the meat pizza and Malbec wine
    Where's the meat pizza and Malbec wine
    Fettuccine & Meatballs

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    Fettuccine & Meatballs
    Karl Strauss Brewing Company

    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.

    Stopped here for lunch after spending the night at the San Diego Safari Park…read more The beer, the food, and the staff were all amazing. Fast service, knowledgeable, and even brought us beer samples to complement the food we ordered. We sat outside on the patio which was nice on a warm summer day. Haven't had this nice of a dining experience in a lot time. 5 Stars!

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    Karl Strauss Brewing Company
    Sweet Potato Fries
    Sweet Potato Fries
    Tower 10 IPA

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    Tower 10 IPA
    Phil's BBQ

    Phil's BBQ

    4.1
    (2.2k reviews)
    4.1 mi
    $$

    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.

    The North County Phil's BBQ is my preferred Phil's location due to its shorter lines compared to…read morethe original Midway location near Point Loma. Service is efficient and it's a lively busy atmosphere inside. We needed food to last us a few days and I was very pleased at the catering take out from Phil's. We got beefy ribs, baby back ribs, chicken, sausages and an assorted box of sides which included macaroni salad, coleslaw, cookies, cornbread, and salad. It was an absolute feast. Typically when I go to Phil's I get a baby back rib tickler, down it and call it a day. I think my new strategy moving forward might honestly be more catering orders like this because boy was it fun to try such a variety of meats. There's something about a bite of beefy ribs then moving on to some bbq chicken and sausages then finishing with some baby back ribs all slathered in that wonderful BBQ sauce. Is this real authentic BBQ? Definitely not. I've been to Texas- specifically Austin and Houston. But it's really good value and in my humble opinion tastes really solid and the variety which is the spice of life really has given new life to my Phils BBQ experience. I'll be getting a catering box again very soon I hope!

    Photos
    Next!
    Next!
    Big sister
    Big sister
    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 July 2026

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