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    Wrench & Rodent Seabasstropub

    4.3 (1.4k reviews)
    Closed • Closed
    Updated 1 month ago

    Wrench & Rodent Seabasstropub Photos

    Business Info

    WRENCH & RODENT SEABASSTROPUB ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Moderate noise
    Casual
    Good for groups
    Good for kids

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    Recommended Reviews - Wrench & Rodent Seabasstropub

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    Melissa L.

    Absolutely delicious omakase. Highly recommend for a date when you just want to be served amazing food.

    Kimchi friend rice with tofu
    Steve S.

    Inspired choice with excellent host and wait staff. Indoor and outdoor seating available. Focused menu with both land and sea protein options. Sushi was fresh and everything we ordered generously portioned. Highly recommend.

    15-day Dry aged kanpachi
    Jiansen W.

    Fish and plant forward sushi restaurant Wrench & Rodent Seabasstropub is serving omakase and a creative dinner menu Wednesday thru Sunday 4-9pm in an eclectic indoor, outdoor setting. Staff were friendly, super helpful, and knowledgeable about their dishes. Tables were full and I chose to carry out instead, FOOD Aside from execution of the 3/5 rice seasoning and gelatinization (firm) that could be improved, I did appreciate the creativity of their dry aged/cured options: 4.5/5 Opah Belly Bacon Nigiri (2pc) - flavorfully cured (w brown sugar?) with a distinct texture akin to bacon, seared, garnished with miso 4/5 15-Day Dry Aged Kanpachi Nigiri (2pc) Rich fish with a black powder that didn't quite provide the pop/contrast in flavor

    Japenese-style lager brewed by Alesmith, one of the best brewers anywhere.
    Craig W.

    This is some of the most interesting and best sushi I have ever had. Thankfully, there was no rodent listed on the menu. It takes guts to put the word "rodent" in the name of your restaurant. I am sure there is a backstory here, but like most people, I do not want to think of rodents while I am eating. The place itself is funky. There is a skull over there, huge murals inside and outside, rock music on the sound system, etc. I am sure children are welcome but the menu is geared toward adults with adventurous palates. There is no California roll or chicken teriyaki here for kids or very picky eaters. I was tempted to try the omakase ($95 per person) but the recent mixed reviews made me gunshy. Instead, we went with many of our server's helpful suggestions, including off the daily specials menu. The Hedgehog roll (krab, shrimp tempura, seared yellowtail, truffle oil), which almost everyone gets, might be my favorite roll of all time. It is very rich but I probably could have eaten three of those rolls myself. The Del Mar roll (krab, shrimp tempura, tuna, avocado, jalopenos) was good but not amazing. Off the specials menu, we tried fish rib karaage, which was fantastic. Who even knew fish had ribs? These had a slim rib bone but I could have eaten a thousand of them. Finally, we tried another roll (tuna nigiri) with yuzu cream and a limequat chutney which had a sweet and sour punch. I found the chutney a little too sour for my taste but it was a very creative and interesting dish. Our service was perfect. They have parking for about four cars along the side of the restaurant. This is the kind of restaurant which makes you want to return to try different things, and I would absolutely eat that hedgehog again, provided that hedgehogs are not in the rodent family.

    Berry crumble
    Jen M.

    Such creative fresh food despite being a bit thrown off by the name. We were lucky to be able to walk in and snag some seats before things got really busy on a Saturday night. Service was friendly, kitchen food came out fast though sushi took a bit longer. Loved the fresh yellowtail and the veggies and yummy sauce it came with, the fish rib karaage (loved the light batter, meaty fish, and dipping sauce!) veggies (broccoli w bacon, and roasted cauliflower). Both had sauces that were so tasty! Sushi was pretty good. Rainbow roll and a specialty roll with chili garlic and tempura shrimp had great textures and flavors. The John dory had a gummy texture though, which I wasn't a fan of but was nice to try. Overall was happy with the meal and would recommend and revisit again if in the area!

    Crispy Cauliflower
    Alice A.

    We made reservations on Open Table, but I am not sure if we needed to. They have a lot of seating, inside and outside. We arrived around 8:40pm on a Saturday night and there were people inside and many others showing up about the same time as us. They close or have last seating at 9pm, with kitchen taking last orders at 9:30. Bar & desserts stay open past that. We were there until just before 10:30. I was most impressed that they were so accommodating and willing to help us all (7) sit together. We waited a short while and they took drink orders while we waited. The place is easy to hang out and chat. The friendliness of the staff kept our wait comfortable. We ordered the cauliflower and Patrick the Great roll for starters. The cauliflower is absolutely amazing!! These were the perfect choices to get started. We ordered 5 additional rolls and shared. The Hedgehog roll was my favorite. That truffle oil made all the difference and was incredibly delicious. The rainbow roll, green lantern and Hawaiian rolls were also ordered, but Hedgehog and PTG were my favorites. The drinks were good and they use a citrus salt that is so nice. I really like salt to begin with and the citrus add is a great idea. Do not be turned off my the name, be intrigued and you will be happy you gave them a try. What lead us to W&R was seeing them listed on the InKind app. We are so glad to have tried this place out and receiving the added benefit of the InKind bonus.

    Weird Dryaged tuna
    Jude K.

    Stopped by here while traveling. The location has ample parking which made the arrival easy. However, the dining experience was hit or miss mostly miss. The Omakase felt very experimental. Many of the sushi toppings were awkward and didn't seem to complement the fish. The dry-aged tuna was particularly disappointing the flavor profile was so strange that it was hard to swallow. The other dishes was okay I understand they are trying to be "different" and "edgy," but for me, the execution was lacking. It's a very unique spot but I wouldn't return for the sushi.

    Omakase chef choice sashimi
    Jennifer N.

    We made a reservation and were seated in the middle private section away from others. Had a girls night here to try the omakase. Recommended by a friend who came a while back when they newly opened and also came again with us. She said the omakase was a great value for the price, but this time around we all felt the omakase was experimental and unique. We tried the omakase menu. There was a mix of hot and cold dishes. Everything came out quite slowly, maybe because there were 6 of us. My favorite dishes were the nigiri's. They repeated the same type of fish often though, would have been nice with a larger variety. The dishes were definitely unique and they seemed to enjoy experimenting with different flavors. It was a unique experience. It wasn't too bad for the price.

    Daniel L.

    Amazing hospitality and amazing food. From their creativity of making tuna prosciutto to creating amazingly fresh locally sourced dry aged nigiri, I was blown away by everything they do here. The restaurant is spacious and you can see visibly where they dry aged their fish to their cured meats fridge. The team there is very knowledgeable and would highly recommend if someone's looking for a unique and delicious date spot.

    Hamachi, aji, sake
    Natalie T.

    I came here 10 years ago and wasn't a fan. Came here last night with my friend and had a way different experience. We got nigiri, the half friend and half raw fish, negitoro hand rolls, the green lantern roll, and the hedgehog roll. We really liked everything! The half and half fish was AMAZING. The only complaint is kind of similar to my original review - the salmon nigiri had sugar on it . I wish it didn't - also wish that was specified on the menu so we could have just ordered it without it. I think if that was on the menu, it would be better so people can choose whether they want that or not. BUT overall wayyyyyy more impressed this time around and I will definately be back. This place is probably the best place in Oceanside for sushi. Super fresh and creative!

    Don't sleep on the eyeballs
    Raine M.

    Gabe has been our waiter the last two times and he's the sweetest guy. My daughter mentioned having a sunburn on her lips from a long day at the beach. After taking our order, he sent someone to buy an aquaphor from the store and brought it to our table. WHAT??? Then they brought us a special dish on the house just because we waited to be seated for a few minutes after our reservation time - which we didn't even mind, let alone mention. We've been to sushi restaurants around the world (including Japan) and this is in our top 2. You'll find menu items here you can't find anywhere else and the vibe is fantastic. The dishes are creative but not just for the sake of being different - they're actually delicious. I'm not giving you specifics because you can't go wrong, so just pick what calls out to you and enjoy the ride.

    Bocaccio Rockfish
    Julia C.

    this place has definitely elevated my sushi eating experience! its a very unassuming place but if you look around carefully, there are gems everywhere and keep your ears open too because the playlist is very diverse. we went with the Omakase menu because... why not? tired of the typical rolls and basic sashimi? Omakase for the absolute win! they present you with the menu for the day because it is chef's choice and, for me, did not disappoint. I'm not even going to try to tell you the names of what we had but it was all wonderful and the ones that were not the favorite had nothing to do with the fish itself but with personal taste and preference. the pairing of the sauces, fresh ingredients and fresh fish had my tastebuds pleasantly surprised with every dish. because i'm nosey, i did look at other's rolls and they looked amazing. if i wasn't so full and about an 45min drive from home, i would have ordered a hedgehog roll to go. Gabe, our server, was amazing! super attentive, knowledgeable and personable. he came across as a genuinly kind person and i haven't had an outstanding server like him in a long time. the Omakase is about 6 dishes. Gabe explained each dish as they came out and checked in on us after probably 5 out of 6 dishes to get our feedback. keep it up Gabe!

    Billy M.

    Taking risks in the food world can go terribly wrong. I mean catering to the general consensus helps gurantee patronage. The chef at Rodent and Wrench takes risks and it was quite successful. You would think sashimi is sashimi, right? The chef here was inventive in his pairing of fish to each flavor. First and foremost, all fish used in our omakase course were of the freshest quality, from the Japanese fish offerings to even a local species. Among my favorites were the sashimi paired with melon, and strawberry. Something about the sweet and salty was just so delicious. I wanted more. The one dish that I really wanted to like was the deep fried Aiji. It was served in whole with Kimchee. I found it challenging removing the bones and wished I had a plate to do so. The Kimchee was delicious. But overall, I enjoyed the courses very much. The selection of Japanese Beers and fun cocktails was cool. I found myself wanting to try multiple drinks. I favored the Japanese amber ale. Too bad I had the last one of the night. Cocktails are a must here. The restaurant is industrial in theme and made for steam punk vibe. They had street view seating in the front and tables on the patio. The metal animals of the sea added to the vibe as well. Just a nice casual place to kick back and have great rolls. As for the service it was good for the most part but uneven. Our main guy Dillon was great and he was good at explaining each dish. But then some people would just drop the food off without a word. Verdict: Come for the fresh fish and inventive flavor pairings. I know I will.

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    2 months ago

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    5 months ago

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    2 days ago

    Our server was Dylan was awesome! The food was really good and all the rolls were flavorful. Definitely worth a visit!

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    7 months ago

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    26 days ago

    Food and service were both so great. Seafood was so fresh and inventive. Really enjoyed!

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    2 months ago

    Absolutely banging food, service, and ambiance. 10 outta ten top to bottom. Cool forks too. Go to this place or im gonna get you.

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    Wrench & Rodent Seabasstropub Reviews in Other Languages

    Ask the Community - Wrench & Rodent Seabasstropub

    Is this restaurant dog friendly?

    Is omakase available at all times by reservation?

    No, you don't need advance order.

    Do you need reservations?

    You don't need them, but it's a popular restaurant so I would secure a reservation thru Open Table

    Does indoor dining area have air conditioning?

    No however they do use fans and it is very comfortable.

    Where's your reservation online?

    I did through open table!

    Are there gluten free options?

    Yes. And you can let the chefs know and they can recommend items.

    How does the omakase work, and approximately how much does it cost?

    You keep eating until you are full or do not want anymore. You are charged by how much you eat. If you want to stay within a specific budget (i.e. $40), you can let your waitress/waiter know so they can inform you and determine to stop or go.

    Are dogs allowed in the outside seating area?

    Yes

    What's the deal with the name Rodent?

    How much of your sushi is wild caught?

    View All 10 Questions

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    Tower39 Rooftop Lounge - Tower39 Rooftop Lounge Firepit Seating

    Tower39 Rooftop Lounge

    4.3(203 reviews)
    1.4 mi

    We went for a GNO and stopped by this rooftop bar. The hosts/management were very welcoming when we…read morewalked in, and sat us in a couch area where we had a beautiful view of the ocean. It was the perfect atmosphere for having drinks! The service was also outstanding. We were so appreciative and will be coming back! Everything about the experience was perfect. 10/10 would recommend!!

    Food: 5 Service: 5…read moreAmbiance: 5 We were in the area and looking for a late lunch when we found Tower 39. Once we saw that it was a rooftop bar, we were definitely interested! We happened to come right in between lunch and happy hour, so it was pretty quiet, which was actually really nice. We ordered at the bar, they gave us a number, and then we found a spot to sit. The rooftop area isn't very large, but WOW, it's beautiful! You have a view of the beach, umbrellas, little chairs and couches, and just an overall relaxing vibe. It's such a nice place to hang out, enjoy the view, and grab something to eat or drink. We ordered the summer salad and a flatbread, although I can't remember the name of the flatbread. Both were actually very, very tasty! I was pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed the food. Everything came out quickly too. The service was also great, both from the person helping us at the bar and the person who brought out our food. Everyone was friendly and welcoming. I would definitely come back here to grab a bite, have a drink, and enjoy that beautiful view. Great food, great service, and such a nice rooftop atmosphere. Five stars all the way!

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    Tower39 Rooftop Lounge - Tower39 Rooftop Lounge Seating

    Tower39 Rooftop Lounge Seating

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    Tower39 Rooftop Bar

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    The Henry

    The Henry

    4.3(448 reviews)
    9.0 mi
    Takes reservations
    Private events

    I had an amazing meal at the Henry. I came here for a business lunch, and Katelynn was our server…read more Waters and drinks came out promptly, and she never hesitated to ask how the drinks and meals were. It was my first time so we ate based on Katelynn's recommendation. She recommended the Brussels sprouts and the pretzel bites which were amazing. Entrees were amazing as well but the ambiance could not be beat. Will for sure come back again! Thank you to the Henry staff and especially Katelynn for great service

    I'm visiting the area with friends, party of 8 for brunch. The Henry made it easy for us. We…read morebooked online with no issues, and the hostess who checked us in was friendly and had us feeling welcome from the start. The open dining area strikes a great balance. It mixes industrial and classic touches with cozy leather booths, stylish décor, and an open, lively energy that still feels relaxed. It's polished enough for a special occasion but comfortable enough to linger over one more coffee, think business casual vibes. If the weather's nice, the patio is a great option too. The real MVP was our server, Katelynn. She handled all 8 of us by herself the entire time and never missed a beat. Our drinks were always fresh, and she stayed a step ahead of the table. Great solo performance. I split two entrées with my bro, which I highly recommend if you can't decide: California Burrito: Very savory, with creative sauces that set it apart from the usual breakfast burrito. Eggs Benedict: Well put together with quality ingredients. It's a classic done right. Potatoes: Fresh and delicious. I don't normally care for breakfast potatoes, and these still won me over. We left full, happy, and already planning a return trip. Bonus: The Forum Carlsbad shops are right nearby if you want to walk it off afterward, which we did. Cheers!

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    The Henry
    The Henry - The Henry - Carlsbad

    The Henry - Carlsbad

    The Henry - The Henry - Carlsbad

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    Campfire - Baked Alaska

    Campfire

    4.3(3.1k reviews)
    1.1 mi
    •$$$

    it's saturday night. we don't have a reservation. they tell us the wait is over an hour. what do we…read moredo? we wait. and thank jebus we did, because this ended up being one of the best meals i've had in a while. we started with the prawn. we each got one, and given that they're $10 a skewer, our bill started off STRONG. the prawns were perfectly roasted with hints of mezcal and prickly pear. the candied habanero or whatever garnish of death was on there totally kicked my ass in terms of spice. in true Asian fashion, we ripped the heads off and sucked all the goodness out of them too. no shame. you don't waste the good stuff. then the cornbread showed up. the group collectively agreed we'd pass on this one next time. for me, the goat cheese threw me off, but that's entirely on me because i hate goat cheese and still knowingly ordered something with goat cheese. i played myself. there was absolutely nothing wrong with the dish, but compared to everything else we ate, there wasn't anything particularly standout about it either. but then. the fucking broccoli showed up. it is literally charred broccoli with chermoula, lime, and peanut. that's it. BROCCOLI. and after taking one bite, i learned that broccoli could, in fact, be life changing. suddenly i was a new woman. a woman who wanted nothing more than to sit there and stuff her face with massive amounts of broccoli. unfortunately, i couldn't because we still had dishes to taste. and so i moved on to the pork belly. when people describe something as "melting in your mouth," they are specifically referring to Campfire's pork belly. because that's exactly what it did. just melted all up in my mouth and lit my taste buds on fire. normally, i find pork belly prepared this way a little heavy and can only stomach a few bites, but i could have eaten the entire dish. but of course i didn't, because i'm a lady. and the octopus was about to show up. and show up it DID. i don't like celery, and this dish had plenty of it, but because it was shaved super thin, it was actually super palatable. the octopus was incredibly tender, and there were little bits of chorizo throughout that gave it the perfect balance. also, love me a good chimichurri sauce. and finally, last but truly not least, the chicken. a whole ass half bird, charred to perfection with roasted red pepper, kumquat, and fennel. apparently i like fennel now??? i didn't even know i liked fennel like that, but here we are. if i hadn't already been stuffed to the absolute brim, i could have destroyed this entire dish. the chicken was juicy and tender, and paired with the fennel, you're almost like just having a healthy dish??? LOL. although we went in with every intention of ending the night with s'mores, our bodies simply said no. there was no more room at the inn. see what i did there :P so instead, we left and went on a very long walk to digest all the delicious goodness that was Campfire. i cannot wait to go back. mostly for the broccoli, which is a sentence i never thought i'd write in my life. and this time, i will absolutely be making a reservation.

    This place has amazing food!!! It's one of the few places I've been to that I absolutely love…read moregetting vegetables here! Everything I have eaten here, and I've been multiple times, has been delicious! Great place for foodies! The only thing is it's not super comfortable. The seating is hard and you feel like you are camping, hence the name campfire. I've sat at the bar, the high tops, the seated area, inside and outside. I've always wanted to leave a little early because it didn't feel good. Service is great! Food is epic, seating needs much improvement unless you do want to feel like you are camping and eating Michelin level food ha ha ha!

    Photos
    Campfire - I have no idea what this was, but it has plantain.

    I have no idea what this was, but it has plantain.

    Campfire - Broccoli (whole head) delicious!

    Broccoli (whole head) delicious!

    Campfire - S'mores , love it!

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    S'mores , love it!

    Wrench & Rodent Seabasstropub - newamerican - Updated September 2026

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