4 stars The Shoppes at Carlsbad is a solid indoor mall for North County. Good mix of stores like Macy's, H&M, Vans, and Sephora, plus a nice variety of food at the courtyard. The mini Bazaar on weekends is a cool touch with local vendors and collectibles. Parking is easy and it never feels too packed compared to UTC or Fashion Valley. Movie theater and Dave & Buster's make it good for more than just shopping. Only downside is a few empty storefronts and the food court could use an upgrade. Overall it's clean, family-friendly, and convenient if you're in Carlsbad. Worth a trip if you want to avoid the big mall crowds. read more

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It's been a few years since I've been to The Shoppes at Carlsbad. There's been a lot of changes, both good and bad that I've noticed. First the good: amazing renovations have improved the shopping experience. New flooring; sitting areas with power outlets and comfortable chairs; very comfortable outdoor living space with modern conveniences; a PAW-sitive environment for a 4 legged friends; a very clean and well maintained modern shopping area. The restaurants are all centrally located. Lots of parking areas with easy access. The bad: a sad commentary on the shopping climate/culture with an abundance of closed and empty restaurants and stores. The online shopping experience has resulted in brick and mortar businesses to experience more and more contraction of their customer base since the pandemic of COVID-19. At the time of my visit, there were a few number of shoppers in the mall. It saddens me to see the effects of the online shopping economy. I will try to support more businesses in physical stores and retail shops. It's difficult when you compete with the low price points and convenience of next day delivery from online retailers. read more

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This is our local mall and we have found some hot spots in here we enjoy. We appreciate having a free indoor space to go to and walk around sometimes. The vans store, alternative retail, H&M, JCPenney and cotton on. The regal, yard house, and Mongolian bbq. Candeeland and an awesome free little play are for kids as well as pretty regular free events for kids! We met the grinch around Christmas time and Alice in wonderland around Easter. The parking is great and it's not a huge mall if you need to walk from one end to the other. It's really only missing a family friendly restroom near the play area for diaper changes. read more

The Shoppes at Carlsbad - Shopping Centers Near Me - Carlsbad, California

I enjoyed shopping at The Shoppes at Carlsbad. There are ample parking spots in this mall. I went with my family mainly to Regal Cinema, but we did a lot of shopping in many stores around. There are many retail stores like Zara, Macy's, JC Penny, H&M, Victoria Secret and more. There are also many restaurants you can dine in. For example; Yard House, The Cheese Factory, Texas De Brazil, The Red Chickz, Dave and Buster, Ramen restaurant (I don't remember the exact name), Luna Grill and more. You can find Bath& Body Work, Miniso, Escape room, Toy stores, and Regal Cinema. You can spend great time there finding great variety of restaurants, and diverse stores to shop at, in addition to available parking spots. We had great experience there. I am looking forward to go back when I am in Carlsbad. read more

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Walking into this mall it gave me nostalgic early 2000s vibes...theres a regal movie theater attached to mall with a 24 hour fitness right next door plenty of stores to shop with 2 massage parlors (up and down stairs locations) My only gripe is a request to fix the kids play area alot the seating is torn to the cushion a nice little revamp will attract more parents to actually sit and watch their little ones play read more

This place is super quiet because in prior years it was pretty sketchy and there were gangs around. But theyve renovated it and added security, so the place is now very quiet, lots of families around, and the mall is clean and nice. It's actually pretty large but many of the storefronts are empty right now. But there are still some pretty good stores I like to go to here, like Sephora, American Eagle, and Zara. There are also a few restaurants that are great, like Tasty Noodle House and Beshock Ramen. My kids enjoy walking here because there is a little playground for kids lined with coffee shops for parents. And there are other fun little things like arcades and rides for toddlers. I love walking here, and it's great for families taking a stroll and going shopping. read more

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This place is going through renovations and there are lots of empty stores. It is surviving and people continue to visit. There are a few retailers and a couple eateries. I ended up here for the new paid play area and specialty shop next door. Parking was easy and the place was clean, bright and relaxing. Lots of room for improvement here for the right commercial company to acquire. I'll be back again since my kids seem to like the play area and shops. read more

The mall itself is maintained well and has a select number of stores on the inside and variety of food options on the outside. But the main reason for the low rating is because of the lack of visible signage about being pet friendly, which might lead to some possible misunderstanding. According to the website, the mall is dog friendly. However, while walking, another customer approached us and made biting comments about being allergic to dogs. I was so shocked since this has never happened before in all my years of visiting dog friendly places. I'd like to think that lady just didn't know the mall is dog friendly. Honestly, the mall is empty enough. You don't need people putting off others... read more

The Shoppes at Carlsbad - Shopping Centers Near Me - Carlsbad, California

Walking around this place honestly makes me a little sad. I remember coming here in the 1990s, and it really highlights the decline of American shopping centers. In many ways, it feels like a quiet testimony to the fading era of American retail dominance. You can still clearly see the classic Westfield-style mall layout, which brings back a lot of nostalgia. That said, I'm genuinely happy to see that some businesses here are still thriving. I especially love the Ninja Corner, and it's refreshing to see people still walking around and spending time in the mall. Parking has never been an issue mostly because it's rarely crowded. Interestingly enough, Christmas week of 2025 was the busiest I've ever seen it. This is truly the kind of place you come to when you need to intentionally shop whether you're looking for gift ideas or something specific. Overall, it's a solid and welcome addition to the Tri-City read more

The mall was originally named Plaza Camino Real. Kinda a dead mall. The restaurants and movie theaters, D&B's is where the most traffic is but I feel like the inside space is definitely underutilized. They have a little kid area inside which is nice but sooooo much empty space. Very nice mall. Clean, but felt empty. Parking is rough unless u are okay with doing a little cardio before you get inside. Can't wait to see what changes come next year! read more

Parking stinks. Crazy how it's a ghost town in the mall but there's never any parking near the doors. Good place to walk, escalators are always fun. They now have a human claw machine lol, seriously. Seemed fun. Expensive but it's more for the experience. Plenty of dining options. More shops inside than I remember but hard to find workers and big stores are completely empty. Like all malls. Lots of stuff no one needs. Pretty clean. Bathrooms as creepy as ever. Malls always put women's bathroom at the end of a super long creepy hallway near an exit. I've heard excuses of women's bathroom need more space saying that's why, but that's not good enough. No woman wants to walk down a long hallway alone the furthest from everything and everyone, this is why I took off 3 stars. It's creepy and dangerous and needs to stop. Ladies go before you hit up the malls. read more

The Shoppes at Carlsbad - Pretty - Shopping Centers Near Me - Carlsbad, California

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I love this mall , I grew up in the 90s keep malls alive ! It's our mall in north county , yes the shops aren't the most high end fancy places , I can't afford those high end shops anyway . The movie theatre is awesome , the Dave and busters is great for sports and games , the ninja expo is a nerd culture hevan. I don't have air conditioning so I come here when it's hot . It's not overly crowded which is one thing I love and it's like my personal mall , the coffee spots are good , there is no food court but there are good places to eat around the mall or attached to the mall . Theres a gym attached to the mall . It has most of the typical 90s mall shops foot locker hot topic etc . The comic book shop is nice as well. read more

This mall has improved significantly over what it was within the last 10 years but I can't help but feel sad over what it used to be like (I'm talking pre-2010). I am a North County native and I used to go to this mall when I was a kid. Back then it was bustling and full of great stores and places to eat. There used to be a sushi buffet that was really good; I still remember coming here to eat with my family one evening when they picked me up from college in Orange County. I remember eating my first Pad Thai with my bestie here. I also remember buying my first designer wristlet (a Dooney and Bourke) at the Macy's here when I got my first big girl job. Now it's just a relic of what it used to be, like most malls these days. It was never a high end mall, but it was a great mall for me! Anyway, back to the actual review of the current mall. It has some of the basic mall stores you usually find like Victoria's Secret, Hot Topic, Spencer's, etc, but it no longer has its anchor department stores like Macys or Sears. JC Penney is still there, but who knows how long they'll last. There are also a bunch of niche stores in here that sell random knick knacks. For some reason the food places don't do very well here. My husband and I went to two different fast food joints on two different visits, but both of them closed at different times! Very sad. We came here on a Saturday recently and it was not crowded at all. We'll try to go here again because there is a Bandai Gashipon store that I like going to, lol. read more

Do not shop at EPC TOYS, they have cheap plastic high priced knock off toys and have no signs to not touch their display toy guns or any signs that say that if it breaks you need to pay full price for a display item that is used and has wear and tear . My toddler accidentally dropped it trying to pick it up to try it and they had me purchase it at full price(the item wasn't even in good condition, the strap to hold the toy gun is broken as it is the tester display). I understand that it broke and it was not done on purpose nor was it a brand new item. maybe they shouldn't have them on display to test when the plastic is so cheap. read more

The Shoppes at Carlsbad - Shopping Centers Near Me - Carlsbad, California

Large roach in the kids play area. Unsure if they keep this place clean anymore lol . read more

the saddest most ghetto mall ive been to. 80% of the stores are empty. the miniso was tiny. the bath and body works and victoria secret are like the only decent stores. place has movie theater and outside restaurants. read more

The Shoppes is definitely improving! Compared to its state of condition several years ago, things are moving in the right direction. It's more lively as a result! Great to see folks out and about, enjoying on a weekend--yet not overly crowded. There are some nice anchor/flagship stores like Texas de Brazil steakhouse, Dave & Busters, Yard House, Regal movie theater and more interesting additions on the way like Tasty Noodle House. Random side note: Massive shout out to the stranger who picked up and returned an item that I hadn't realized fell out of my pocket. Made my day. While not the most amazing, exciting place to visit, a welcome point of interest in the area that's sure to continue improving. read more

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Pleasantly surprised today stopping by this shopping center. My family and I came by here about 4 months ago and we were so sad to think that this mall was dying off like some of the others we have seen lately. But not today, you could tell by the parking lot that there was going to be a lot of people shopping inside. And there sure was! It was great to see some new businesses pop up, and there was a crowd in just about every store. Even the ninja anime swap meet are was all decked out and almost every store lot was open. We had a cool time drifting the remote cars, not bad for $10 for ten minutes, though the owner really gave us about 15. Thanks to him, he was a cool dude. Happy to see this place alive and well. Not to mention the newly opened Mas Fuego restaurant. We were too full to try it today, but it's now on my list to try next time. If you've been, leave a comment below and tell me about your experience. Thanks read more

The place has improved very, very nicely! Now that Sears is gone maybe a Bloomingdales or Neiman Marcus will grace us! A lot of great food choices and a nice Theater read more

Very nice mall with lots of light coming in through the ceiling and nice architecture. The mall is relatively small but still has all typical shops like Hot Topic, Victoria's Secret, H&M, and Torrid, etc., however they have a great selection of restaurants there as well which makes this mall very attractive and worth checking out. I actually wasn't even aware they had a mall in Carlsbad and went there because they have a Luna Grill. I was visiting my mom, so I was not familiar with the area. They also have Cheesecake Factory, Yardhouse, Islands, and others as well. The mall also has a Dave and Busters and a Regal movie theatre. So pretty much, they have just about everything at this mall. Nice area, easy parking, and not very crowded. read more

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There are literally only 4 single-use bathrooms in this mall. Department stores have inoperable restrooms as well. Not sure how this is legal given the size of this shopping center. You will have to wait at least 30 minutes to use the restroom. Oh, and good luck finding toilet paper or a sink that has water pressure. read more

This is probably the most frequent mall that I go to... But it's just because it's close. I'm always disappointed with the mall and my experience. I always get frustrated with the parking. I feel as if the mall staff are not friendly, and it does not feel super clean to me. They do have a decent selection of stores here, such as Macys, Sephora, Victoria Secret, Bath and Body Works, Forever 21, American Eagle, etc. however, I feel like the merchandise in the store is always lacking. I have so much luck when I am shopping at the same stores in other locations, but these ones are just not up to par. I do have to say that they do have a large variety of food places like the cheesecake factory, the Yard House, Luna Grill, and some other newer place is going in. Dave n Busters is always really fun too! I do look forward to trying the spots, but not looking forward to the parking situation. read more

Why are the public restrooms always closed now and every bathroom inside the mall is the same excuse that they are broken .. Like every single one come on now. read more

This mall is really nice! It was a fun place for us to walk this last winter on the days we were getting a lot of rain. They have a lot of nice stores, restaurants, and things to do at the mall. We love being able to go to Yard House for Happy Hour and Dave & Busters for something fun to do as well. read more

This shopping mall is pretty big but really dead. We went on a Thursday morning. The perks of this place is only the Dave Buster, The Cheesecake Factory and Texas De Brazil. Not much stores here. I would not go back again; I wanted to explore this mall and I did lol read more

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Hanging out with friends until security comes up to us kicking us out saying we were smoking in the bathroom when we were all clearly sober and had nothing on us and threatened to call the police on us, they said they had video evidence of us smoking but when asked with it we were denied, overall horrible experience this has never happened before to me. read more

That's a great place to go to just feel like a resort all day. Going from food to entertainment then a little window shopping or actual shopping. When I feel stressed out and need to unwind and a change of decor but don't want to travel far, that's where I go. I takes me away from my daily routine. read more

I like this mall for the exact reason why people hate this mall lol. I come here to buy the stuff I need in the shops I want to go, so whether the outside or inside is nice is quite irrelevant. Actually it's great that fewer people come here so I don't have to fight with crowds at the checkout or for the changing rooms! As long as you know where the stuff you need are located at, and whether they still stay open, then you'll get what you need. In fact, because the employees aren't swarmed by customers, they all had been very helpful and welcoming, unlike stores at UTC. I'm a very practical shopper so the facelift progress doesn't really bother me. However, it is tricky to find the entrance. It's the pathway to the left of Regal. Also right now I don't smell anything chemical so it's OK. Most of the renovation is done now. The shops just need to finish their renovation to be ready for reopening. Also it's hard to find bathrooms... where are they!? We had to go to Macy's to pee. So far not bad! read more

The Shoppes at Carlsbad - Shopping Centers Near Me - Carlsbad, California

When I moved to the area 2 1/2 years ago this was a dead mall. Someone has poured, what seems to be, a ridiculous amount of money into renovations. Now, instead of 70% of the storefronts being dark and empty, about 80% are open for business again! The mall interior is bright and open and clean. There is even a dynamic restaurant row on the back side of the The Shoppes that has something for any and every taste. It's definitely worth visiting, or revisiting if you been here for a while. read more

It was my first time going to the Shoppes at Carlsbad over the weekend. I've lived in SD for a decade and I had never even heard of this mall which I'm surprised because prior to COVID I was a frequent mall-goer. I had passed by this mall over the summer with my friend and I made a mental note to check it out in the future. The mall is pretty simple. It has basic stores like Zara, Sephora, Spencer's, Victoria's Secret, Francesa's, Forever 21 etc. I was shocked to see that they even had an FYE store! I thought all those had closed down! haha They have decent dining options too like Cheesecake Factory, Beshock Ramen, Island's, Panera Bread, and Texas de Brazil. It's kinda sad to see the effects of COVID in additional to the downfall of retail due to online shopping. A pretty big number of stores look like they're closed down for good and there were a lot of vacancies. Nonetheless, I'm still a support of brick and mortar stores and hopefully after COVID settles down we'll see a resurgence in support of retail stores. It would be sad to see this mall shut down. read more

This mall is pretty for the most part but VERY HOT. It's muggy and then when you go into some stores it's worse. That made me not want to shop as I was uncomfortable. On my way out I stopped at Sephora and it was refreshing. Also the mall has a weird stench to it. Not going out of my way to come back. read more

About Me: Growing up, I would go with my grandpa to his job sites. He was an architect and designer (he was on the team that built the New Union Station in Downtown LA and I remember when it was just a hole in the ground). That said, I love coming here. Not to shop, but to watch the magic happening. I stop in every few weeks or so, and there's always big noticeable changes to the infrastructure. They are even cracking into the concrete. This is my 2-star mall, but extra stars for getting to witness the facelift. No hard hat required! read more

The Shoppes at Carlsbad - Desolate and creepy. :) - Shopping Centers Near Me - Carlsbad, California

Well right now this mall is being remodeled so it looks a mess. I'm sure once everything is done this place will look wonderful. Hopefully there will be some nice stores for men like Jack Black and The Art of Shaving. So right now I have to give them 3.5 because I know they have a lot of work to do. Some of my favorite stores are Cinnabun and Macy's but hopefully I'll be able to add more to my list. The stores that are here now are just plain Jane in my opinion. I can't wait to see what the new mall looks like because there needs to be some nice options for shopping here in this area. read more

The Shoppes at Carlsbad - Shopping Centers Near Me - Carlsbad, California

I'm super excited that this mall has a face lift. It's been sad over the years to watch malls closing and shops going under. Now, the shoppes is thriving with new restaurants, a movie theatre, clothing shops for the young and old and a play center in the middle of the mall for the little tikes. I've only had a chance to visit Macy's, Nordstrom's Windsor and a few other cute stores. I am making it my mission to visit as many as I possibly can as well as eat at each and everyone of the restaurants. And the movie theatre is on my date night list. More to come peeps!! Look out, Lisa is on a mission! read more

The Shoppes at Carlsbad - Love this new mall! - Shopping Centers Near Me - Carlsbad, California

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This review is based on my visit to the The Shoppes of Carlsbad administrative office. I never noticed the office which is located next to the Sweet Shop downstairs. The reason for my visit was that I had won a GC to one of the restaurants located in the mall. I went last week during the hours mentioned to pick up the card and was informed that the card wasn't available for pick up. Alandra apologized and asked if I could return in a hour for the GC which didn't work for my schedule. The same day I received a voicemail as well as an e-mail from Ken, apologizing for the GC not being ready. He too admitted it was his mistake and once again apologized. Ken mentioned that the card was ready and that if there were any concerns to call his direct number that he left. There is nothing like excellent customer service! Thank you Alandra and Ken for that exact customer service, EXCELLENT! Yes, I screamed it ;) read more

Well, this has been my least favorite mall of all of North County. The good news is they are doing some remodeling so hopefully that will clean out many of the outdated shops and restore it to a modern day look. What I do like about the mall is the movie theatre. They have a really nice Regal movie theatre with assigned seating and reclining seats. I can also appreciate the adjacent restaurants such as Panera, Peet's Coffee and Luna Grill. As far as shopping goes. Macy's is always a classic but many of their other shops are,"meh." I'm hoping the new remodel brings in some more desirable venues to shop at. read more

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Decent mall which decent selections. Unfortunately, 80% of the shops do not apply to me as they are more tailored to women's fashion. Never the less, they have a great play place for my son which he loves and ample food selections outside of the mall... I do have a concern though... Why didn't they make entrances to these restaurants inside the mall???.... Again, good mall to go visit read more

The Shoppes at Carlsbad - Indoor playground - Shopping Centers Near Me - Carlsbad, California

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Hey wait a second, wasn't this a Westfield mall? This is a pretty sad mall, but you know what? It's a mall located in Carlsbad! So anytime Carlsbad gets knocked down a peg or two it's worth at least a few stars. I'm trying to think of a mall that's similar to this one, perhaps something in San Bernadino or Riverside. There's a bunch of empty retail spaces here but what they do have in abundance are mall jewelry stores. Fun thing to do - In Macy's take the elevator to the 3rd floor. It's the bathroom and business offices. Weird! Nice seats in the lounge up there. Anything positive? They do have a Luna Grill and a Peet's coffee. Dave and Busters opening soon ( which I don't care for anyway ). read more

The Shoppes at Carlsbad - The only thing interesting here. - Shopping Centers Near Me - Carlsbad, California

It is still under construction but the new owners have done a great job turning this mass around. It used to be a dirty eye sore that people tended to avoid. Now they converted the drab exterior white walls to vibrant store fronts, eateries and hang out areas. They brought in 24hr fitness and even a movie theater. They also have done a great job attracting a number of popular restaurants including Dave n Busters, Cheesecake Factory and Yard House. They don't have quite the canvas as UTC, but they are definitely trying to improve the open/hangout space and the esthetics of the mall. So far I would say it is a dramatic improvement. read more

The Shoppes at Carlsbad - I think they are doing a nice job cleaning up this mall - Shopping Centers Near Me - Carlsbad, California

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"Wow", is all I can say at the renovations going on here. Slowly, this transformation is unveiling beautifully! I'm really happy. I've avoided this mall for years and years, it didn't seem safe and was old and dumpy. Now, I'm finding myself there more often than not. It's also nice to go to the restaurants without having to walk inside, wondering if you parked in a strategic enough place. One thing I don't like: Today I went to H&M with my son - huge store by the way! When I walked to the bathroom just outside the store entrance it seemed a little scary. Maybe because it was a Monday and not many were there. There's a long hallway you walk down, then you go in a door which closes behind you. Although the bathroom itself is clean and pretty, I thought, 'if someone were to follow me in here and the door closed, no-one would hear if I screamed'. It was a little unsettling. Hopefully they'll change this. Otherwise, I'm happy with the changes so far. Can't wait to see what the next year brings. read more