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Herb & Sea, Encinitas, CA

Herb & Sea

4.6
4.6
2844 Reviews
$30 and under
Californian

Make a booking

2 people
7:00 pm
Booked 61 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 5:00 pm–9:00 pm
  • 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

    USD 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 2,844 people are saying

Overall ratings and reviews

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

4.6
4.6 based on recent ratings
  • 4.6Food
  • 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.

2,844 Reviews
  1. shawn

    San Diego

    1 review

    4.0

    1 review

    Dined 2 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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  2. Brad

    San Francisco

    8 reviews

    5.0

    8 reviews

    Dined 2 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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  3. Douglas

    San Diego

    2 reviews

    2.0

    2 reviews

    Dined 2 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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  4. Kiinani

    Sacramento

    1 review

    5.0

    1 review

    Dined 2 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!

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  5. Grace

    San Francisco

    3 reviews

    5.0

    3 reviews

    Dined 2 days ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 4
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 4
    Good food. Kind of dark. Good experience. Will return.

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  6. jim

    San Diego

    13 reviews

    5.0

    13 reviews

    Dined 4 days ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 4
    This a medium there for the first. A birthday event. Everyone loved their food and said they’d return in the future.

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  7. Samantha

    VIP

    San Diego

    1 review

    5.0

    1 review

    Dined 5 days ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 4
    4. Ambience 4
    The date cake, amazing. As was everything else especially the Wildcoast special.

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  8. AmyS

    VIP

    San Diego

    11 reviews

    5.0

    11 reviews

    Dined 6 days ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    The food here is always exceptional. Can’t wait to go back with a larger group as I never have enough room for all of the dishes I want to try. I’d appreciate some better non-alcoholic options like kombucha.

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  9. Patrick

    VIP

    San Diego

    17 reviews

    3.0

    17 reviews

    Dined 6 days ago

    1. Overall 3
    2. Food 3
    3. Service 3
    4. Ambience 3
    Disappointing and a little weird this time. Asked waitress about the “pork belly” entree. Had a full discussion about entree vegetable pairings. Ordered the “pork belly.” Later was told the menu was mis-printed and “pork belly” was a pizza. Ordered the “chicken fried” cod and gravy; it was one piece of fried fish “and chips” for $39. Overall, poor experience.

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  10. Grant

    VIP

    San Diego

    37 reviews

    5.0

    37 reviews

    Dined on 19 December 2024

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Herb & Sea is one of my favorite restaurants, the food is delicious (especially the Mussel Toast). Ambience is fun and energetic, highly recommend this restaurant.

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FAQs

Herb & Sea is rated 4.6 stars by 2844 OpenTable diners.

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

Make a booking

2 people
7:00 pm
Booked 61 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 5:00 pm–9:00 pm
  • 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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