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    The Switchboard

    4.3 (506 reviews)

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    THE SWITCHBOARD ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Moderate noise
    Hipster
    Casual
    Intimate

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    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

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    2 years ago

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    2 years ago

    Great food and atmosphere. It's always worth a stop for us locals or on a visit to Oceanside.

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    4 years ago

    Menu sounds exciting but execution is mediocre, especially given the amazing food nearby at other places.

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    6 years ago

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    3 years ago

    Great food, great service! Wonderful location. Superb atmosphere. Good times!!!!!!!

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    2 years ago

    wow, terrible on all levels . could. not be any worse. service terrible, menu awful, waiter untrained, what else can be said horrible

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    Page 8 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

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    This coffee shop is located conveniently next to the transit station. It is a convenient place to…read moregrab a drink while waiting for friends to arrive on the train. They have fun seasonal interesting flavors. The baristas are also very helpful. One of my friends did not want something sweet and they have a great recommendation (and said they could make some of the drinks half sweet if needed)

    The owner Jason is such an asshole! I am never ever gonna…read morecome back here ever agin for my black coffee with espresso shots. This afternoon ago around 3 PM, I sat outside just enjoying my plane on a cold windy day. While siting and just having my coffee minding my own business, i heard a loud scream. It turns out these loud rowdy middle school girls walked past by this coffee place laughing, they saw me for the way I look, of course, I was wearing all black, had eyeliner and black nail polish. I got called "hey emo!" which is a very very demeaning. I have not ever heard anyone call someone that name since high school in a long time since before early 2010s I don't care what anyone else thinks of me, I was not bothered at all. But just in case, i was so nervous but I had very little bit of strength to tell the store manager what happened and had the audacity to shrug it off, " if there's anything else I can do for you." Well, you know what then, since I was harassed and degraded, I will never come back here again. Calling someone "emo" is really degrading, it's derogatory, it's hurtful. it's the same thing to call someone a f@g, it's not OK to call anyone that. Jason was never helpful nor apologetic towards me! I never let any name-calling get to me, but I don't deserve to get hurled out while I was simply sitting outside at the tables alone just having my coffee. Jason can go fuck himself! Fuck you jason! Asshole!!!!!

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    Communal Coffee

    Communal Coffee

    4.2
    (487 reviews)
    0.4 mi
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    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!

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    Revolution Roasters

    Revolution Roasters

    4.3
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    I drove up to go to Boomers for a school event, and yes, I hit some traffic in the afternoon. The…read moredrive made me sleepy, so on my way back, since now the traffic was heavier, I looked for some place to grab a coffee. Revolution came up and was close. Right off of Vista Way in Oceanside. Scored a spot right in front...must've been kismit! They have the regular coffees but also some signature drinks as well. But it looks like there's some seasonal coffees too. Friendly hello when it was my turn. Me: So what do you think, butterscotch or pistachio? He: I would say pistachio because sometimes the butterscotch is too sweet for some. Pistachio it was! So definitely inquire about the seasonal coffees because this was delicious! Great flavor and dark chocolate shavings on top. This helped keep me awake on my long drive home! Love that they're local! Also bought The Colores blend which they happily ground for me, and it is really good! Mellow flavor with a hint of dark chocolate finish. I now have a great spot to stop at if in the area and in need. They have great outdoor seating that's dog friendly, and a nice dining area.

    We visited Carlsbad for a few days and had breakfast in Oceanside. We decided to try this coffee…read morespot as it was right next to the breakfast joint we went to. Coffee 10/10 We ordered their vanilla latte with marshmallow cold foam and their coconut latte with toasted coconut cold foam. Both were incredible! The vanilla latte was not too sweet so the cold foam wasn't overkill at all. Both cold foams are more on the runny side and not too thick. The coconut latte was sooo tasteful. The coconut flavor definitely comes through. This was our first time trying a coconut latte and we were not disappointed. Food 9/10 We didn't order much food or pastries since we had breakfast prior but the pastries did look so good! We did get a salted shortbread to try and it was pretty solid. Vibes/Ambiance : 7/10 We came on a Tuesday morning and it was busy. The space is very spacious and there's plenty of seating area. There were people working there and hanging out. It's an open space so that was nice. The decor is minimal but cute. The staff is okay...I don't know if I'd describe as friendly, but they weren't rude. Not sure if it was the city as a whole but we didn't really feel welcomed or came across too many friendly people. It was the same here. Didn't interact much with us...just took our order and kept it pushing. lol not necessarily a bad thing but it was something we experienced a lot. Overall, the coffee was amazing here.

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