I've been here twice this summer and have been more than pleased with the service, both during super busy hours and the quieter weekday hours. Great selection of beers and cocktails, along with a nice selection of dishes from the kitchen. Should become an Escondido staple if they maintain their high service and with people like Andre at the helm, that shouldn't be a problem. Give them a try! read more

Watching the World Cup at Upper East was supper fun. Melissa our waitress was supper friendly. She was rocking her Mexican jersey in support to the Mexican game playing. They had happy hour throughout the game so the drinks kept on coming. Everyone had great energy and it was exciting. Luckily Mexico won that day against North Korea. They have one of the best churros. What a great place to come with friends to watch a game. read more

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This is the place to go in Escondido. Yes, seating can be hard to find when they're busy, but that's usually a sign you're at a great restaurant. I've never had a dish disappoint me, and the food is consistently excellent. The staff is always friendly and attentive, and I've had the chance to chat with the owner a few times. You can tell they genuinely care about the restaurant and the experience they provide. It can get a little noisy during peak hours, but if you grab a table outside, it's a much more relaxed atmosphere. There are also plenty of TVs throughout the restaurant, making it a great spot to catch a Padres game with friends. Outstanding food, fantastic service, and a great local vibe. Five stars all day. read more

Came after a wedding rehearsal and lunch was so great! They had a preset menu for us so it was easy to order. We had a huge party of around 20 people and our servers were so attentive and nice. Their cheesecake was my favorite dish! read more

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My boyfriend and I tried Upper East on Grand for the first time on a Friday night during Cruisin' Grand. Even though it was packed, we were seated right away, which was a great start to the evening. There were TVs throughout the restaurant showing the soccer match, which made my boyfriend very happy. The service was excellent too. Everyone we interacted with was genuinely friendly and welcoming. We started with drinks, and I ordered the Lavender Lemonade. It was okay, but a little more tart and bitter than I was expecting. For dinner, we both ordered the smash burger. He got his with fries, and I chose the house salad. OMG... the burgers were amazing! Easily one of the best burgers I've had in a long time. They were flavorful, juicy, and I honestly wouldn't change a thing. Between the great service, fun atmosphere, and fantastic food, we'll definitely be back! read more

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One of the best tuna melts I've ever had and I'm a guy that knows his tuna melts. This was apparently added to the menu recently so I'm happy how good it turned out. They add onions, jalapeños, and tomatoes which are great but I think the real secret is the lemon caper aioli. The fries were also really good. Establishment is clean and okay service. (Took a little while to get checked on for extra napkins but hey.) Definitely gonna come back to try the fish and chips. read more

Upper East on Grand - A beer, a mint mojito, and lurking in the back is an iced water complete with straw. - Bars Near Me - Escondido, California

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This has quickly become my brother and I'm go-to spot! We're both pretty upset that our first experience was take out, but let me tell you..we fixed that VERY quickly. I can proudly say I have tried quite a few things on the menu already and have not been disappointed. I'd say at this point my brother and I have been here over 5 times. We even brought our parents here twice already. Once for dinner and once for breakfast. My brother and I have done breakfast, lunch and dinner at this point. The first item I tried was the Sun-Dried Tomato Rigatoni. This was so creamy and delicious (later found out you cam add another meat). Which my mom tried her first time around with Salmon. She said it was crispy on the outside and juicy on the inside. From that first pasta, I tried the March Month Special, I got the chopped cheese with no cheese (lactose intolerant) but man did I devour it so fast!! There tater tots never miss btw ALWAYS crispy. The Grilled Chicken Sando, mannn was thay superr good too. Chicken was juicy and always love me some avocado. I told my brother I am going to make it a priority to try everything I cam here. Also, the presentation on the plates ESPECIALLY the Fresno 1/2 Chicken *chefs kiss* The service is NEVER misses. Soo attentive no matter the time of day. Tony's drinks are UH-MAY-ZING. We had Mckellen as our server and he was great. The biggest shoutout to James (the owner) seems like he knows how to create a phenomenal work environment and keeps his people happy. We've seen him walk around often and checking in. You can definitely see thay he cares. I HIGHLY recommend coming here if you have the chance. Also, try the Espresso Martini my brother who is far from a coffee drinker even loves it!! read more

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The food is awesome. We had the Ahi poke stack and it was some of the best I've ever had The wonton crisp were perfect So glad we went Got to watch some of the soccer game. We are definitely gonna go back. read more

Upper East on Grand - Ahi Poke Stack - Bars Near Me - Escondido, California

Went here for the first time after seeing good reviews. Unfortunately mine wasn't quite as good. Service - super slow. They never checked on us and it was hard to ask for anything since they never came our direction outside. Fried pickles - salty! I love fried pickled but it tasted like they added salt unnecessarily Loaded fries - not bueno. The fries were so dry and unenjoyable. They were totally dead, no crisp, and very very dry. Topping was Alfredo sauce that tasted like it came from a jar. Pretzel - this was the best thing we got and I dont even like soft pretzels much but th other items were worse. It was fine. read more

Upper East on Grand - Bars Near Me - Escondido, California

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Another great experience at upper east. Decided to try the Bourbon salmon and a chicken sando. Servers were on point and always a good atmosphere. Salmon had really good flavor sweet with potatoes with a good caramelized on them. Probably have used a green veggie in there but still really good. read more

Upper East on Grand - Chicken sando bourbon Salmon - Bars Near Me - Escondido, California

First time here on a Saturday afternoon. My friends and I were looking for a midpoint. I chose this place due to the stars. It's a cute little area. Parking was not too difficult to find. It was very unorganized right when I got there. I was there first and waited for a hostess to get seated. A group of maybe 4-5 came up from behind me and just sat themselves at a table. Hostess answered them first then came over to me. They had no reservation and they assumed they can just walk in. Whatever. Maybe, hostess did not want any issues. My friends came and we looked over menu. Our server was Bryce. He was ok. He tried to be attentive but we were a bit confused because other servers would ask if we need help. I only remember Bryce because that's what was on my receipt. We ordered few drinks. I had an espresso martini that was delicious. I ordered fish & chips with salad. The fish was pretty good. Not too oily at all. The ambience is ok. Your basic bar/restaurant. Nothing stood out to me. I might try this place again. Not sure but it was an ok experience. read more

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Several weeks back, my fiancé and I had a spontaneous date night. We wanted to keep it local and casual....then I remembered Upper East on Grand. Upper East is a relatively new addition to the ever growing and changing restaurants on Grand. It took over the old Plan 9 Alehouse...and I'm glad it did! I went there a few times and I had more bad experiences than good...but I digress... We were seated promptly- there's indoor and outdoor seating. We chose indoor. Now, the place is loud. It's all hard surfaces so all the conversations bounce everywhere. Don't let that deter you from coming, just take note of it if you're planning a super romantic date with someone...probably isn't the best spot. Our server was McKellen and he was spot on. 5 stars for him! Super engaged, walked us through the menu with his favorites, checked in when appropriate, not overbearing, made small talk, all that. Really on top of things. We shared the Papa Bravas with bacon and the classic Grand Burger I ate more of the papa bravas than anything else! It was absolutely delicious! Highly recommend you check out this local spot in Escondido! 5 stars! read more

Upper East on Grand - Bars Near Me - Escondido, California

Loved our server (5/5). He was very friendly, attentive, and checked on us often. I ordered the Fresno 1/2 Chicken (3/5). It was cooked well and juicy, but too salty for my taste. The Fresno peppers added a nice kick, though. My friends ordered burgers with fries, and I tried some of the fries (5/5). They were well seasoned and slightly crispy on the outside, which I really enjoyed. I'd come back to try a different dish. read more

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We made a brunch reservations based on the Yelp score, but when I did not see food highlighted, I was concerned that the high score was for the bar. I should not have been. Our four breakfasts were all excellent, the coffee was excellent, the service was responsive and capable so I have nothing but great things to say. The bar is well equipped with good flat screens and the cocktails looked interesting, though we did not have any. I would highly recommend. Lives up to the score. read more

My husband doesn't usually like to eat out as he feels our cooking at home is so much better, but we went to Upper East after church and he absolutely loved it. We both loved it. Food was great. I don't know how the food could be any better. We ordered the Elote Brussels Sprouts: SOO GOOD! It was incredibly delicious. Here is a picture of it but it's roasted brussel sprouts, roasted corn, pickled red onion, cotija cheese, roasted pepper, lime. I had the tuna melt sandwich (see pic). My husband ordered the classic burger and loved it. As he had been trying to decide between it and the tuna melt, I let him have half of my tuna melt and he absolutely loved it. It had jalapeno, etc. in it. The fries were really good as well. Bryce, our waiter, was very friendly and did a good job. We will be back. read more

Upper East on Grand - Tuna Melt - Bars Near Me - Escondido, California

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Love their specialty cocktails Upper East old fashioned has four roses bourbon, Demerara simple syrup, Italian orange liquor, angostura bitters. It was very fragrantful. Happy hour was M-Fri 3-6PM But we were there for the world cup Mexico versus Korea. So happy hour was the entire time. The mini churros and wings were my fave. It was made just right :) the fried pickles were very sour. Reminds me of the del Mar fair food.. but no line or wait! Their brussel sprout elote was interesting, a bit dry. I would pass on this next time. read more

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It was a 3 year reunion or so with a friend on a weekday and it wasn't so busy. Upper East, is one of those restaurants is one of those place where you seat your yourself. The restaurant is pretty big and has a nice bar. There's a regular menu and there's another monthly or weekly menu that menus. My friend I just shared food. Super yummy and I'll take my husband and kiddo here. We're trying to explore downtown Escondido more. read more

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Another good dining option in downtown Escondido. While the menu is somewhat limited, the burgers and carnitas are solid choices. - Despite the crowd, the service was very quick and attentive. - like most small bar restaurants it does get loud inside. Not the place to choose if you want to have a casual conversation. read more

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Good food and service. Allow dogs on outside patio. Good menu and value. I recommend this place plus open late.

Party of 6 with a child on a Fri for dinner. Before 6p the house wines were $6 & $2 off appetizers. The brussel sprouts were amazing!! Fried pickles just ok but both were very large & shared by 6. We had wonderful friendly service! The food was great. Everything from salads, sandwiches & burgers was delicious! You can't go wrong. We'll be back. Noisy bar atmosphere with sports on large TVs throughout. read more

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Nice servers, clean and bright environment. The smash burgers were quite good and reasonably priced. Service was fairly quick, and they have a decent selection of beer and wine. Great place for a casual lunch with friends! read more

Upper East on Grand - Bar area - Bars Near Me - Escondido, California

Newish restaurant on Grand in Escondido, so we decided our weekly delivery would be from them tonight. I ordered the special of a buffalo chicken wrap. It was ok but when it got to us it was more like a warm burrito. The lettuce was soggy, the tortilla warm. Usually this would be a nice crisp sandwich courtesy of the lettuce. My guess is because the chicken was warm and it was in a to- go container for at least 15 minutes that ruined the flavor. Fries the same thing, I like them hot and they needed to be reheated, they were soggy, abd lukewarm . Hubby got hot wings, a bit overdone but tasted ok and a Cubano sandwich. The Cubano was a nice size lots of meat though a tad bit greasy ( maybe same issue the to go box) the sandwich did have alot of flavor. Hubby picked this place because, they had a nice selection of appetizers and dessert. Which he ordered both. lemon/blueberry cheesecake was not eaten tonight. So I blame our Grubhub driver maybe? As the food sat to long it was wilted. I would try them again, maybe in person or order something else. Locals love the place so give it a try. read more

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Had a lovely time today for lunch. Service was great, beer was cold and refreshing and the grub was plentiful. High marks to our server who caught a pesky june bug that had been bothering patrons, with one hand, on his first try. Yours truly had the Elote Brussels sprouts and added chicken. It was delicious and I had leftovers. Cheers! read more

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Great food at a reasonable price. Good for a morning dance party with the kiddo. We see the owner and his family at all of the local events and they are always so nice. Support local! read more

Upper East on Grand - Breakfast Burrito Breakfast Sandwich Kids Pancake - Bars Near Me - Escondido, California

My husband and I stumbled upon this spot, mainly because it was the only place open. What a treasure find! Truly the most delicious burgers we've ever had! I had the Thanksgiving burger with sweet potato fries. All absolutely heavenly! The jam used is locally made. And the elote Brussels sprouts! Divine!! Everyone was super friendly and it was such a fabulous experience from start to finish. We'll definitely be back asap!! read more

Upper East on Grand - Thanksgiving burger - Bars Near Me - Escondido, California

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First time here at the invite of friends. Food is great. The burger is amazing and the rest was just as good. The carnitas mac, the ahi tuna and the flatbread. Yummy. The service was superb as well. The manager checked in twice and we always had refills. The only drawback is IT IS LOUD. So Loud as to be hard to hear our conversation. Other than that it was great and will be back. Oh, try the Elote Brussels. Also amazing. read more

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We came here to watch the World Cup & then for the 2nd time today! We come for lunch in between kids soccer matches. Love the atmosphere & food! We've had the ceviche, burger, Caesar salad, elote Brussels sprouts with chx, pasta, & carnitas Benedict. Everything has been delicious! Were Glad your here! (Says the mural on the wall) -- this is exactly how we feel and why we keep coming back. The manager, bartenders, bussers, everyone is fun & always strikes up a friendly convo when we are here. We also love all the different games they have on everytime . Our go to place now when we come to Esco! read more

Came here about a month after opening for a post-work solo happy hour. I grabbed a glass of their house red-very mid but to be expected from a "house" drink. Asked the bartender what he recommended on the menu and he gave me a few good selections, which I then chose the carnitas sandwich and upgraded the side of regular fries to a side of rosemary tator tots for $2. I'm super glad I did because those tots were amazing! Like melt in your mouth yummy. The carnitas sandwich was super flavorful, but definitely more bread than anything (though the sandwich bread was great), was hoping for a bit more meat in each bite. I'd say this place is fairly priced, they have bar, inside and outside seating available and already a solid crowd of people showing up daily. I see a bright future for this spot read more

Upper East on Grand - Happy Hour House Red Wine $6 - Bars Near Me - Escondido, California

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On a random Thursday afternoon, I was randomly in Downtown Escondido,, and all places being somewhat random to us, we randomly ended up at Upper East for a late lunch. Kinda random, I know. It's hard to judge a sports bar-ish sort of place like this on a quiet weekday afternoon, especially when we're not drinking, so I'll just judge it by the usual restaurant criteria. As a sports bar, it seems to be a pretty good place to watch a game -- lots of TVs and a big open design that I imagine would make viewing good for anyone except those on the front patio. Our insanely buff server was very nice and extremely helpful (and no I'm just saying that out of fear of getting my ass kicked!). I ordered the carnitas sandwich. At first I thought I had been given the wrong dish, as it doesn't really look like carnitas and had more of a meatloaf-ish consistency about it, but with the peppers and other toppings, it had very nice flavor, albeit a bit oddly textured. The crispy fries on the side were excellent. My friend deemed her chicken sandwich a bit dry upon first bite, but then when she was done said she really liked it, so I guess it grew on her (she also ordered the aeoli on the side, so that probably explains the dryness). Her tots could have used some more seasoning, as they didn't have much flavor. All in all, this random lunch was a success, and I'd certainly stop by for a bite and a drink if I was in the area again and wanted to watch a game. read more

Food was very good, intolerably hot after 45 minutes. Either no AC, or it wasn't working well. Being in Escondido AC a must. read more

Great spot here in downtown Escondido. We had the kids pancakes which were huge. The sausage was homemade and so good. The veggie scramble was legit. We came here for a break before our soccer tournament and it was a great find. Highly recommended. read more

love the all day happy hour on wednesdays. they have great daily deals and monthly specials which i enjoy. enjoyed the live music they had. the place is a bit small but is very homey and well decorated. i'd love to see them get a bigger location one day. our waiter was amazing! super nice and constantly checking in on us and making sure we were doing well. the food was on the salty side imo and required me to drink a lot of water. their cocktails are strong and tasty! will definitely be back read more

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Wow everything here hit the spot. Some of the best Brussels sprouts I've had. Comfort food to the max and also a great place to watch games as there were TVs everywhere. Did take a little bit to get our food but the wait was worth it. The carnitas Mac was so creamy and savory. The pancakes were very fluffy and buttery. Great spot and love the spin they take on classic dishes. read more

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We loved our first visit Friday night. Good vibe, good food and great service. Our waitress was friendly and attentive. The atmosphere was more like a restaurant bar, more inclusive and comfy than a hangout bar. Music was a little too loud. We had carnitas sandwich and chorizo flatbread. Flat bread was too spicy for me, which our waitress warned me about, and a bit overcooked, but the mushroom and garlic flavor made it delicious. My hubby loved the carnitas sandwich. Good beer selection with something for everyone including some lagers. They were generous about letting us taste a couple before deciding on one. Overall, we were pleasantly surprised to find a good new local spot with a welcoming and lively atmosphere. It also is a good late night spot in Escondido where everything closes at 8:30! Also, they have reward points using the Local app. $5 off next visit for every $50 spent. read more

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Food: 10/10 Service: 10/10 Ambiance: 10/10 Location: 10/10 Perfect evening for a night out in town. This is a perfect date night spot any day of the week! Cocktail list is extensive, plenty of food options and portioned to be very shareable! A dog friendly patio for the perfect family night out. Our server (Jake I think his name was?) was excellent giving us the best recommendations for food and regularly checked in to make sure things were going well for us. The elote brussel sprouts were perfectly crispy and so well balanced with all of the toppings included! The carnitas Mac and cheese was deliciously cheesy, the topping of tender carnitas, and perfectly cooked pasta! We have already agreed we will be back again as there are so many items on the menu we want to try. read more

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We stopped by for a quick bite after some theater before heading back to San Diego. Food was good and the service friendly and efficient. read more

Upper East on Grand - Grill cheese and tomato soup - Bars Near Me - Escondido, California

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Fun place to grab a drink. Our bartender was friendly and whipped up amazing drinks. Would definitely return with friends read more

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I was delighted to visit Upper East on Grand, one of Historic Downtown Escondido's newest restaurants! Like other similar establishments on Grand Avenue, the whole front of the place opens up garage door style lending a nice, indoor/outdoor vibe. It really connects nicely to this reviatilized promenade breathing new energy and vibrancy into the heart of Esco. The staff were all so welcoming, friendly and genuine. I ordered the Fish & Chips and it was outstanding! Such a generous portion at an affordable price. Everything came out hot, crispy and flavorful. That tartar sauce itself was excellent and the grilled lemon half was a nice touch. Loved the nice selection of craft beers on tap plus full bar to boot. I look forward to returning again very soon. read more

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The hype is real! My family and I moved to Escondido almost five years ago and, for a while, struggled to find great local restaurants. We tried many of the popular spots along Grand, but none really stood out enough to make us return--except for Miko Sushi. Fast forward to 2025, and we began hearing rave reviews about Upper East on Grand. While new restaurants often start strong and fade fast, we decided--after months of buzz--to see for ourselves. We were warmly greeted and promptly seated by the hostess. After looking over the menu, we ordered: Pretzel with Cheese Smashburger Skirt Steak with Fries Fish and Chips (Kids' portion) The food was fantastic. The portions were generous, but even more impressive was the quality of the ingredients. The skirt steak, with its perfect sear, was a standout. I also sampled the Smashburger and Fish & Chips--both delicious and definite reorders for next time. Upper East is truly a breath of fresh air for the local dining scene. The menu isn't overly ambitious, but the execution is flawless. Service was excellent, and we're already looking forward to our next visit. read more

Upper East on Grand - Pretzel with cheese! 10/10 - Bars Near Me - Escondido, California

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This is my second time here and it definitely won't be the last. I had the shrimp ceviche. My husband got the fish and chips with a side salad that quite frankly could've been an entire meal. Everything is super fresh. The restaurant is immaculate and the service is exceptional. I can't believe this place is in Escondido. I'm so excited that I live here and found it! read more