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Herb & Sea, Encinitas, CA

Herb & Sea

4.5
4.5
2851 Reviews
$30 and under
Californian

Make a booking

2 people
19:00
Booked 46 times today
Experiences are available.
  • Lively
  • Neighbourhood gem
  • Good for special occasions
Blending classic East Coast culinary traditions with a modern Californian sensibility, Herb & Sea is Chef Brian Malarkey’s venerable companion restaurant to the much-loved Herb & Wood in Little Italy. Quickly becoming one of the most sought-after tables in town, the concept shines with a menu that focuses on simple, clean, bright flavors. Located steps from Moonlight Beach in Encinitas, the vibrant space is housed in a 1920’s art deco building that has been restored to its original glory.

Daily operations are helmed by Executive Chef Aidan Owens. The menu includes a mix of raw bar staples, fresh seafood, meat dishes, and roasted vegetables. A variety of pizzas and pastas round out the offerings, alongside dessert and a dedicated kids’ menu.

The spirits program is bright and playful, emphasizing citrus and floral notes that utilize the same ingredients found on the menu. The wine list offers a similar sense of whimsy, highlighting labels meant to complemen

Additional information

  • Dining style
    Casual Elegant
  • Price
    $30 and under
  • Cuisines
    Californian, Seafood, Oyster Bar
  • Hours of Operation
    Dinner Tue–Sun 17:00–21:00
  • Phone number
    (760) 704-8300
  • Payment Options
    AMEX, Discover, Mastercard, Visa
  • Dress code
    Smart Casual
  • Executive Chef
    Brian Malarkey and Sara Harris
  • Private party facilities
    Herb & Sea’s chic coastal ambiance meets a neighborhood-friendly vibe that can fit events of all shapes and sizes. The concept shines with a menu that focuses on simple, clean, bright flavors. Come into our home, where we think of it all so that you don't have to.
  • Area
    Encinitas
  • Cross Street
    D Street and 2nd Street
  • Parking details
    Convenient street parking is available. The entrance is located between West D Street and West E Street on the East side. You are more than welcome to call the restaurant, (760) 704-8300, if you have further questions!
  • Public transit
    Encinitas Train Station: 25 E D St, Encinitas, CA 92024
  • Additional
    Banquet, Bar/Lounge, Beer, Chef's Table, Cocktails, Corkage Fee, Counter Seating, Full Bar, Gluten-free Options, Non-Smoking, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Vegan, Weekend Brunch, Wheelchair Access, Wine

Experiences

  • New Year's Eve

    US$100.00 per person

    31 Dec 2024 only
    Gather your family and friends to come celebrate New Years Eve with us at Herb & Sea! We are excited to offer a pre-fixe menu for all to enjoy. Pricing will be $100 for adults and $38 for children for this year's dinner. We look forward to ringing in the new year with you and your loved ones!
    New Year's Eve photo

What 2,851 people are saying

Overall ratings and reviews

Reviews can only be made by diners who have eaten at this restaurant

4.5
4.5 based on recent ratings
  • 4.5Food
  • 4.5Service
  • 4.5Ambience
  • 4.2Value

NoiseModerate

Loved For

  • North San Diego

    Californian

  • North San Diego

    Most Booked

Review summary

AI-generated from verified diner reviews
Herb & Sea offers a delightful dining experience with "delicious food" and "fantastic service." Guests rave about the "exceptional cocktails" and vibrant atmosphere. Highlights include the Tuna 3-course dinner and imaginative seafood dishes. While some note the "noise level" is high, the restaurant remains a "favorite" for its inspired menu and welcoming staff.

2,851 Reviews
  1. Nate

    VIP

    Sacramento

    7 reviews

    5.0

    7 reviews

    Dined today

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    10/10 experience! Service, Ambiance, and food is amazing!

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  2. Jean

    VIP

    New York City

    23 reviews

    4.0

    23 reviews

    Dined 1 day ago

    1. Overall 4
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 4
    4. Ambience 3
    Great food, creative menu. The music is too loud to have a conversation. Loud thumping throughout the meal. This was the second time I've dined here. The first time had no issue with the music. Extremely dark, despite the candle at the table. I noticed my table in addition to another diners at another table used phone flashlights to read the menu. Enjoyed the bone marrow appetizer and the chorizo pizza, also the hoecake with caviar.

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  3. Jeff

    VIP

    Phoenix

    2 reviews

    2.0

    2 reviews

    Dined 2 days ago

    1. Overall 2
    2. Food 2
    3. Service 1
    4. Ambience 4
    Just a bad experience all around. I expect so much better from a place that charges me $25 per person to reserve a table. Drinks took 15 min from the bar, food took 40 min and the sides were delivered very late (almost done with entrees) and they were cold. Won’t go back

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  4. Ann

    VIP

    San Diego

    54 reviews

    4.0

    54 reviews

    Dined 2 days ago

    1. Overall 4
    2. Food 4
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 3
    Nice place with a limited menu. The service was outstanding. I was very impressed with the level of care I received for my gluten allergy. Very few toilets for the size of the restaurant, especially if the outdoor area was being used to seat guests. A nice option in downtown Encinitas.

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  5. JOHANNA

    San Diego

    1 review

    5.0

    1 review

    Dined 2 days ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    The ambiance is nice and cozy even for a sit-down restaurant. The food are delicious! The staff are very knowledgeable about the foods they serve.

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  6. Robert

    VIP

    San Diego

    54 reviews

    5.0

    54 reviews

    Dined 3 days ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    The food is outstanding and the service is wonderful. The mussels on toast is the best and I have not found anything like it anywhere else. All the dishes are a Flavor sensation. Highly recommend it for any occasion.

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  7. shawn

    San Diego

    1 review

    4.0

    1 review

    Dined 5 days ago

    1. Overall 4
    2. Food 3
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 4
    Not sure why but the expectations coming to this place after having amazing food n service at herb and wood, left us dissapointed. Nowhere near as good. Food was underwhelming to say the least. Plating was subpar, food was ok. Service was good though. Highly recommend herb and wood instead.

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  8. Brad

    San Francisco

    8 reviews

    5.0

    8 reviews

    Dined 5 days ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 4
    One bite of the food and I was giggling and smiling uncontrollably, my legs dangling from the high top like a teenager in love. Yes, I am a middle aged man. 5 stars.

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  9. Douglas

    San Diego

    2 reviews

    2.0

    2 reviews

    Dined 5 days ago

    1. Overall 2
    2. Food 4
    3. Service 1
    4. Ambience 2
    This was our second visit to H&S. The first was excellent and we truly enjoyed it. This time we decided to try it for a Christmas Eve dinner with family. They offered a set 4-course dinner and the choices for each course were very good. Unfortunately, it appeared they really overbooked or were understaffed as the entire meal was incredibly slow. It took 15 minutes from the time we sat until the waiter was able to get to our table and another 20 before he brought our cocktails and took our order and at the two hour mark, we received our second course. And while not the fault of the restaurant, several of the tables around us were incredibly loud and we could hardly hear each other across our table. On the positive side, the dishes were good and frankly, much larger than we would expect, particularly the second course--so much so that none of us could finish our third course (took them home) and could hardly touch our desserts. We love Malarkey's restaurants and this visit was likely an anomaly. Just poor planning by the GM with respect to volume and service.

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  10. Kiinani

    Sacramento

    1 review

    5.0

    1 review

    Dined 5 days ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 4
    First off, we had the most amazing, upbeat server, Rachel. She was efficient, helpful and very sweet. The food was amazing. My family tried many very different dishes. We were all surprised with the delicious flavors and presentation. We plan to eat at Herb & Sea again and highly recommend it to others!

    Is this helpful?

FAQs

Herb & Sea is rated 4.5 stars by 2851 OpenTable diners.

Yes, you can generally book this restaurant by choosing the date, time and party size on OpenTable.

Make a booking

2 people
19:00
Booked 46 times today
Experiences are available.
Google Map for Herb & Sea

131 W D St, Encinitas, CA 92024-3516

Additional information

  • Cross Street
    D Street and 2nd Street
  • Area
    Encinitas
  • Hours of Operation
    Dinner Tue–Sun 17:00–21:00
  • Price
    $30 and under
  • Cuisines
    Californian, Seafood, Oyster Bar
  • Dining style
    Casual Elegant
  • Dress code
    Smart Casual
  • Parking details
    Convenient street parking is available. The entrance is located between West D Street and West E Street on the East side. You are more than welcome to call the restaurant, (760) 704-8300, if you have further questions!
  • Public transit
    Encinitas Train Station: 25 E D St, Encinitas, CA 92024
  • Payment Options
    AMEX, Discover, Mastercard, Visa
  • Executive Chef
    Brian Malarkey and Sara Harris
  • Additional
    Banquet, Bar/Lounge, Beer, Chef's Table, Cocktails, Corkage Fee, Counter Seating, Full Bar, Gluten-free Options, Non-Smoking, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Vegan, Weekend Brunch, Wheelchair Access, Wine
  • Phone number
    (760) 704-8300
  • Private party facilities
    Herb & Sea’s chic coastal ambiance meets a neighborhood-friendly vibe that can fit events of all shapes and sizes. The concept shines with a menu that focuses on simple, clean, bright flavors. Come into our home, where we think of it all so that you don't have to.
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