Cancel

    Open app

    Search

    The Switchboard

    4.3 (506 reviews)

    The Switchboard Photos

    Business Info

    THE SWITCHBOARD ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Moderate noise
    Hipster
    Casual
    Intimate

    You might also consider

    More like The Switchboard

    Recommended Reviews - The Switchboard

    Your trust is our priority, so businesses can't pay to alter or remove their reviews. Learn more about reviews.
    Yelp app icon
    Browse more easily on the app
    Review Feed Illustration

    Reviews With Photos

    Hawaiian Plate - tofu and fried rice (+ $2 extra)
    Allyson D.

    This has taken me a couple of days to think about because I wanted this to be a hit. We just finished watching Lilo & Stitch so what perfect way to follow up the movie, but a Hawaiian lunch that wasn't fast food. However, due to a few things, I think there's potential to improve. 1. The space - its awkwardly small. The bar takes half the space and I'm really unsure how they handle a busy Friday night. The Fin hotel had a lobby, the switchboard restaurant, and then a coffee shop. The restaurant has 3 tables, plus bar seating. 2. Entrance - no one greeted us. We didn't know where to go to get seated. One couple was eating at a table, and another pair of guys were at the bar. My partner eventually walked to the coffee shop to check where to get seated and someone came out to help us. 3. Seating arrangement - at first, my party of 3 was going to be seated in the corner, awkwardly next to the old couple who was already taking up the table snuggly right next to it. We asked if we can sit at the table by the window. A third chair was pulled up and I sat partly in the walkway space. 4. Brunch menu - great selection of food, but limited in vegetarian options. I was excited to see that tofu was an option for the Hawaiian plate. In fact, my whole party of 3 ordered the Hawaiian plate, but we each chose different proteins - tofu, Kahlua pork, and bulgogi beef. I eat tofu A LOT. I cook tofu A LOT. This tofu was WEAK and I was UNimpressed. It was literally cooked on a flat top with maybe a tsp of soy sauce? I couldn't taste it, if thats what made it brown (although it could've been oil). How could you serve 3 slabs of tofu with a touch of furikake and call it $23? It needed more flavor (like teriyaki) or it also could have been made crispy with some cornstarch and panko and turn it into tofu katsu. So much potential! I had a taste of the bulgogi and kahlua (i had hope for this spot), and they actually had flavor. The Hawaiian mac was the best part of my plate. The fried rice was fine; I added the hot sauce they provided. 5. Service - was OK at first, but he didn't ask any one of us if we wanted white rice or fried rice with our Hawaiian plates. For some reason, all three of us got the fried rice. We didn't think anything of it because maybe we misread the menu, but here comes the bill and a $2 extra charge times 3. I didn't say anything because we ate it all, but I warn you to double check the menu options. $25 each Hawaiian plate for us.

    Scott M.

    I'm not surprised to see this place closed. Years ago it was one of my favorites. At our last visit it was actually inedible, not good food at all. The service was also horrendous. We ended up leaving and walking across the street to eat elsewhere.

    Island Breakfast w fried eggs
    Hanaah F.

    First time here for breakfast, and the main restaurant area was full. There was bar seating for 5, but not an actual table. So they seated us outside in the lobby next door, which was shared with the Fin Hotel. It was quiet. Service was pretty quick. Food was pretty good. We ordered the kalua pork fries (pretty good) and coconut shrimp (6 pieces) as appetizers. Coconut shrimp wasn't worth it though. You only get 6 pieces. The Island Breakfast was decent- can choose how you'd like your eggs. Spam was pretty salty. The Hawaiian plate with teriyaki was good. The mac salad was good and so was the teriyaki chicken (tender and not salty). The Loco Moco was good too. For the chicken and waffles, the chicken was good but the waffles were really sweet. Felt more like a dessert waffle rather than entreé. Parking was on the street.

    Megan C.

    Came here on a Saturday around 3:50pm- was happily surprised they still have happy hour on the weekends but it ends at 4pm! The server was nice and gave us the heads up to put in our orders asap to get the deal. We ordered the crispy dumplings, the kalua pork fries, and the switchboard burger. Everything was super tasty but the appetizers were my favorite. I think the burger was just okay- I wish there was a sauce on there that made it tastier. The dumplings and fries though were soo good! It wasn't busy at this time, the servers were really friendly, and service was quick too. I'd recommend coming during happy hour because the food is more reasonably priced.

    Valeri S.

    Been here twice. Correction came here two days in a row. Brunch was amazing both visit with bottomless mimosas. I had a sandwich was was delightful. They had comfy seating and out table was right by the window for people watching. I was I rush in my first visit so I had to go back the next day. Service was in point. Love the theme of the place and right below the hotel. This will be a regular spot to visit. What's. Discovery.

    Lemon caper salmon (special)
    Haley L.

    A small restaurant attached to the countries smallest Hilton! Love the vibes. My husband and I sat at the bar. Service was friendly and the food was delicious. The bulgogi lettuce wraps was my fav, the flavor was super good and meat was tender.

    SPAM Musubi (Great with sauce super savory with a hint of salty)
    Nancy L.

    This Fusion restaurant is easily one of the best places I've ever been to.With quaint and relaxing music, it is an overall calming experience.Additionally, you can work or play a game of theirs (I forgot name of game).The service is great with great servers who are very friendly and try to do their job at the greatest.Finally the food is so good with various options that are infused with both Korean and American Heritage!

    Loco Moco and Mexican Mocha
    Arjay U.

    Memorial Day brunch here today and we enjoyed our meal here The loco moco was on point it was delish, my Mexican mocha is so good Service was friendly and fast and efficient, shout out to our Berber bartender with dreads he was very nice to us Ambiance is a hotel restaurant. Clean and vibey, def coming back again when I'm in OSide

    Hawaiian Plate with Teriyaki Chicken
    Shirley S.

    Searched for a restaurant in Oceanside to have lunch with a friend driving from Torrance. I went by Yelp reviews and a bit nervous about picking a restaurant I never heard of without a recommendation. It didn't look like what I expected but was greeted by a sweet server who was expecting us, The menu lacked items that were on their Yelp page but it did have what I was most interested in. We started with the #BulgogLettuceWraps. It did not disappoint #KaluaPorkFries Amazing with #KimchiAioli #GarlicAioli #CrispyOnions and a perfectly #FriedEggs definitely one of the best #FrenchFriesFusion The only miss was the #HawaiianPlate We picked chicken as the protein but we did ask for it to be fried and it was a bit dry and overcooked. Good slices of breast meat though. The macaroni salad seemed on the healthier side - light on the mayo but not bad. For dessert we had #Turon aka #BananaLumpia. Having turon many times this was the BEST Very crispy because it wasn't wrapped like an egg roll and the banana filling was very delicious it didn't need a side of caramel sauce but I love caramel so nice addition. Accompanied with #AmericanoCoffee a perfect ending, It does have a coffee shop vibe with switchboard decor in honor of the women who worked at this historical site. Service was fast and our server made great recommendations and was a delight throughout our meal.

    Kalua pork fries, Hawaiian plate with bulgogi
    Irene N.

    We swung by here sometime in February on our way from LA to SD. Kiddo was getting hangry and couldn't wait to get to SD to eat. Interesting spot, small and located inside a hotel. There's only a couple tables in the restaurant but they were open to seating us in the hotel lobby, which worked out better for kiddo to sit and eat. We ended up ordering Kalua Pork Fries, Hawaiian Plate with bulgogi. Everything was tasty! The bulgogi was a little salty and the fries were fried crispy well. Service was great, even for us being separate from the actual restaurant, the servers check on us often and tended to us. The bathroom in also located in the lobby. Glad we stopped here to try this random spot.

    K-pop burger and side salad (dressing was amazing!)
    Emma K.

    2 stars for effort. I am highly disappointed. This is definitely not the same quality of food as it was about a year ago. I already knew coming here that the previous owner and chef were gone. We ordered the loco moco and the Hawaiian plate. Both dishes were nothing special. I could probably go to a chain, fast-food Hawaiian place down the road and get the same quality of food. I had the kalua pork w/the Hawaiian plate-it was a bit salty for my taste and spicy! Not sure why they decided to do that. However, let's talk about the macaroni salad-this was not your traditional Mac salad except that it was cold. It was basically cheese Mac w/curdled cheese and no flavor. Just as a reviewer (below), said the same exact thing I was thinking-the minute I looked at the food, I could tell something was different. It was definitely the taste and quality. I agree, it is really sad that they can't or won't, keep up with the past quality and customer service of this place. Good luck, I won't be back.

    Mo' Betta and Garden Party cocktails
    Savanna V.

    Nice spot for Valentine's Day dinner! They had a dinner for two menu but we ordered a La carte. We ordered the bulgolgi lettuce wraps (delicious) to share and the salmon plate for my entree. The bourbon salmon was good, but medium rare was slightly too undercooked for my preference. Service was good even with a full house, and so was my cocktail, The Local Vibe!

    Ahi & Salmon Tartare
    Maya T.

    The concept of the Switchboard is super cool, with the interior completely decked out with switchboard-like decorations. The service here was good and our server was super nice and gave us a rundown of the specials they had for that day. Unfortunately, I wasn't really impressed with the food. We ordered the edamame, which was $8 for a tiny portion. And I didn't really love the sauce and salt it was covered in. We also tried the Salmon Tartare, and again, I wasn't a fan. Maybe next time, I'll have to try one of the entree items, since a bunch looked good. Would definitely return for the service!

    Great Coffee and cocktail

    See all

    5 years ago

    Helpful 2
    Thanks 0
    Love this 2
    Oh no 0

    3 years ago

    Very cute cozy place, the fries are delightful and use a togarashi seasoning to make them such. Very inventive drink menu

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    4 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    3 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    2 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    5 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    5 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of April L.
    137
    227
    89

    3 years ago

    Small place that seemed to be attached to a hotel. Staff was excellent, food was very good, but prices were a bit high.

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    5 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Autumn G.
    164
    30
    8

    5 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    2 years ago

    The food and service was great. The only thing we did not like was the outside dining. Would come back again.

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    5 years ago

    Business owner information

    Photo of Kevin S.

    Kevin S.

    Helpful 2
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Ivan V.
    15
    41
    28

    4 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    2 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    4 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Shean H.
    10
    122
    6

    5 years ago

    Business owner information

    Photo of Kevin S.

    Kevin S.

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    3 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    3 years ago

    Great experience overall, the ambience, the service and the food were all top-notch, I highly recommend it!

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    2 years ago

    Had the fish and chips yesterday fish overcooked hard and no flavor Would not go back again

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    4 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    6 years ago

    Helpful 20
    Thanks 0
    Love this 21
    Oh no 0

    5 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Lisa H.
    87
    43
    34

    5 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    6 years ago

    Business owner information

    Photo of Kevin S.

    Kevin S.

    Helpful 2
    Thanks 0
    Love this 2
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Steve C.
    10
    11
    19

    5 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    3 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    6 years ago

    Business owner information

    Photo of Kevin S.

    Kevin S.

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Gary K.
    140
    25
    55

    6 years ago

    Business owner information

    Photo of Kevin S.

    Kevin S.

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    2 years ago

    Slow service but worth the wait the ahi poke bowl is so good but can be spicy! Their matcha and coffee is five stars too!

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    3 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Adam Z.
    58
    39
    10

    2 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    4 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Jenny W.
    28
    54
    90

    5 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Tina S.
    52
    25
    10

    3 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Alex C.
    458
    19
    4

    6 years ago

    Business owner information

    Photo of Kevin S.

    Kevin S.

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Eric S.
    1
    20
    10

    5 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Justin J.
    30
    45
    68

    5 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    6 years ago

    Business owner information

    Photo of Kevin S.

    Kevin S.

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Jessica M.
    416
    48
    417

    4 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    6 years ago

    Business owner information

    Photo of Kevin S.

    Kevin S.

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    Page 7 of 13

    Ask the Community - The Switchboard

    Do you sell malasadas? Do you sell by the dozen?

    Hi Debbie Unfortunatly we do not sell Malasadas at this time The only place I know of that makes good… Read more

    Do they still have bottomless mimosas?

    It was on the menu when we went within the last month. This may have been the place that put a time limit of 2 hours though. I can't remember

    View All 4 Questions

    You might also consider

    Beach Break Cafe

    Beach Break Cafe

    4.5
    (3.8k reviews)
    1.6 mi
    $$

    6/25/26 9am restaurant crowded, waiting area full, yet we were seated in less than 10minutes!…read moreOmelet and hash browns were delicious Shout out to our server Lyla V Excellent server, listened to my "special request" efficient while handling a party of 25, while treating all of us with kindness and grace! Will be back for breakfast real soon

    This is a very, very impressive place…read more See all those people waiting outside? Wait until you get inside and see TWICE as many people waiting. Don't let the wait deter you. Get over here. We waited about 25 minutes on a holiday weekend and the food and service were well worth the wait. Our server knew the menu inside and out and made great suggestions. The Corned Beef Hash and Eggs is outstanding. You get an absolute ton of fantastic fresh corned beef, homestyle potatoes, and eggs. If you like corned beef, you simply must order this dish. You get a side with it and I ordered the excellent and very moist coffee cake. The Killer Burrito is monster-sized. It comes with ground beef, chilies, eggs, and other goodies. It is not a traditional breakfast burrito and I was a little nervous about the ground beef but as far as flavor goes, it was very good. The Greek omelet was not my personal favorite (and I didn't order it) but it came as delivered, with spinach, onions, feta cheese, and more. We tried this one with a potato pancake. The pancake is not a traditional one but it still had a lot of flavor. Personally, I preferred the homestyle potatoes. If it is appropriate for your meal, ask for the fresh salsas. They are fantastic. The hype is real. This is very good food and someone gave some real thought to these dishes. Maybe come at a slightly off dining hour to avoid or lessen the wait.

    Photos
    Beach Break Cafe
    Short Stack
    Short Stack
    Vegetarian Omelette. Egg white.

    See all

    Vegetarian Omelette. Egg white.
    Communal Coffee

    Communal Coffee

    4.2
    (487 reviews)
    0.4 mi
    $$

    I love Communal, especially the one in Oceanside, but no matter which location I order from, the…read morecoffee is always exceptional. It's a great spot to meet up with friends or bring my mom when she arrives at the Oside train station from Grover Beach. It's a wonderful place to grab a flavored latte, seasonal drink, a glass of wine and a lunch bite, or all of the above! I also look forward to wandering through their gift area every time, where they stock unique jewelry, candles, fragrance rollerballs and 'clean' nail polish, plants and pots, kids' merchandise, t-shirts, and other cute stuff. I always buy something extra (and special) when I come. Their coffee bar is open, as is the general space, and there is plenty of seating outside in front and in back. You can watch the baristas make your drink and peep the beautiful Italian espresso machine and lovely bouquet of dried flowers by the bar while doing so. They bring their food out to you and when your espresso drink is ready they set it on the bar for you to pick up. Definitely a place to hang vs. grabbing a quick drink and rushing off about your day. I always want to stay and catch up with friends or bring my laptop to do some work, and they never make me feel rushed. Truly one of my favorite coffee shops in North County and in SD in general. (There is another high quality coffee shop in Oceanside that has incredible coffee and pastries--I won't mention the name--but I sometimes sense an attitude from the staff there, and that is a bit of a turnoff.) Go to Communal...you will not regret it!

    Such a cute coffee shop with great options. The front area has so many little gifts and next door…read moreis a flower shop, so you can grab a sip and do some shopping! Would be a great place to stop on your way to a birthday party to pick up a gift. I got the gluten free bagel with cream cheese and an oat milk chai latte, both were fantastic! Dare I say my favorite chai latte I've had in Oceanside so far!? The people behind the counter and who run the food were really nice and helpful. Overall, it's a little pricey as I paid around $17 for bagel and chai but both tasted worth it and I'll for sure be back to order the same thing again!

    Photos
    Inside
    Inside
    Communal Coffee
    Carrajillo

    See all

    Carrajillo
    Buccaneer Cafe

    Buccaneer Cafe

    4.4
    (547 reviews)
    1.3 mi
    $$

    Buccaneer Café is an absolute gem! The food is outstanding, but the real reason we keep coming back…read moreis the incredible people. A special shout-out to Lilie and Hannah. They are two of the sweetest, kindest people you'll ever meet. They always greet everyone with a smile, make every customer feel welcome, and even tell my wife how beautiful she looks every time we come in. Their genuine kindness brightens our day. And the food? The Bucc Muffin with sausage is, without question, the best breakfast sandwich I've ever had. It's absolutely amazing! Honestly, everything on the menu is delicious, and you can tell it's made with care. If you're looking for great food served with even greater hospitality, Buccaneer Café is the place. Lilie and Hanna are a big part of what makes this café so special. Highly, highly recommended!

    I love this place! I've been here several times now. To me, it's like a hidden gem with a very…read moreCalifornia vibe! You can sit outside and have the ocean view with a breeze right across the street. The parking is easy in the lot behind it. Otherwise, on the narrow streets parking can be challenging. My favorite burrito so far has been the vegan one with rice! The lattes here are pretty good too. Usually, restaurants have good food, but mediocre coffee. This place has both good food and coffee. I especially like their Cubano espresso! Service is friendly and fast! My dog loves it here too! If you're looking for a simple coffee and burrito- this is the place! Love it!

    Photos
    They open at 7 am.  We were there at 6:50. It was worth the wait.
    They open at 7 am. We were there at 6:50. It was worth the wait.
    Burrito and papusas
    Burrito and papusas
    The face does not depict the internal state of this visitor

    See all

    The face does not depict the internal state of this visitor
    Piper

    Piper

    3.9
    (493 reviews)
    0.3 mi
    $$

    This restaurant is located inside The Seabird Hotel. We had breakfast here around 9am on a Monday…read moreand the only tables available were outside. It was a little chilly but that's fine. Our servers name was Monse I believe and she was excellent. We had mimosas, an americano, lobster thermidor with cheese grits, and the steak and eggs. Out of the two entrees my favorite was the lobster thermidor which was an egg scramble with chunks of lobster and cheese. The cheesy grits were also delicious. The steak was overcooked so it wasn't doing it for me. Overall I'd say the food is pretty good for being a hotel restaurant I would dine again. The only thing with sitting outside is we saw the occasional transient person threatening patrons. We all just ignored them but it would be nice if they had a little more privacy on the patio from the street.

    Piper changed its breakfast menu significantly by removing most of the items that had been on it in…read morefavor of a $55/ person buffet. What's left are a few à la carte selections that were more expensive and not prepared as well as they were when we went previously, which was a couple years ago. What's super annoying is that the menu change still isn't reflected online, so we had no idea until we sat down. The avocado toast was burnt, potatoes were flavorless and unevenly cooked, and the "poached" eggs were hard in the middle. Prices are higher, service is slow, and overall it just feels like a place that exists now purely to gouge tourists in Oceanside. We won't be going back.

    Photos
    Piper
    Piper
    Piper restaurant interior daytime.

    See all

    Piper restaurant interior daytime.

    The Switchboard - hawaiian - Updated July 2026

    Loading...
    Loading...
    Loading...