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Herb & Sea, Encinitas, CA

Herb & Sea

4.5
4.5
2375 Reviews
$30 and under
Californian
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

Make a reservation

2 people

7:00 PM


Booked 36 times today
Experiences are available.

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
  • Owned/operated by
    Women
  • 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.
  • Private party contact
    Jarrod Zimpfer: (760) 704-8300
  • Neighborhood
    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

  • Christmas Eve Dinner

    $89.00 per person

    Dec 24, 2023 only
    Gather your family and friends to come celebrate Christmas Eve with us at Herb & Sea! We are excited to offer a pre-fixe menu for all to enjoy. Pricing will be $89 for adults and $38 for children for this year's Holiday dinner. We look forward to celebrating with you and your loved ones this Christmas Eve.
  • New Years Eve

    $110.00 per person

    Dec 31, 2023 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 $110 for adults and $38 for children for this year's dinner. We look forward to celebrating with you and your loved ones this New Years Eve.

What 2,375 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
  • 4.6Service
  • 4.5Ambience
  • 4.1Value

NoiseModerate

Loved For

  • North San Diego

    Californian

  • North San Diego

    Most Booked

2,375 Reviews
  1. OpenTable Diner

    San Diego

    3 reviews

    vip
    2.0

    3 reviews

    Dined 2 days ago

    overall2food3service4ambience2
    Upon arrival, we were informed that our reservation for the bar could not be honored (which was noted in the reservation and no one even reached out to let us know ow plans had changed). We explained that it was a bday celebration, but the THREE hostesses couldn’t have been less accommodating if they tried. We sort of knew it was going to be a bust, but we tried to make it work. Our server was certainly nice enough. However, half of our food was lukewarm (which. Is being generous). The restaurant’s acoustics are horrible / barely able to hear your own table’s conversation. For these prices, I can think of several better options to dine.

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  2. OpenTable Diner

    Philadelphia

    2 reviews

    5.0

    2 reviews

    Dined 3 days ago

    overall5food5service5ambience5
    We had the chef's table, which was a blast, and Spencer as our server. He couldn't have been cooler and we had some great conversations. Food was dynamite and it came quick. Can't wait to visit again without the kids. We actually left a kid there but Luke spoiled our plan and found us...ha! Jokes aside, you all kicked but and we had a blast. It was a great last meal to our vacation.

    Is this helpful?

  3. ScottK

    Minneapolis

    22 reviews

    vip
    5.0

    22 reviews

    Dined 4 days ago

    overall5food5service5ambience5
    Excellent experience on Thanksgiving Day! The restaurant was quite busy, but staff did well to attend to patron needs. Scrumptious food, elegantly presented and plentiful portions with enough for leftovers. Thank you!

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  4. LeeS

    San Diego

    1 review

    5.0

    1 review

    Dined 4 days ago

    overall5food5service5ambience5
    Really great spot for pre fixe holiday menus. Been here several times and definitely going back. Good choice for large groups.

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  5. OpenTable Diner

    San Diego

    1 review

    5.0

    1 review

    Dined 5 days ago

    overall5food4service5ambience4
    Ael provided fantastic customer service, and I understand you can usually find her behind the bar. Her warm & friendly service was deeply appreciated by my family, and her knowledge of wines impressive. And Kudos to the chef and kitchen staff as the Thanksgiving Turkey dinner was very good, and I would recommend Herb & Sea to anyone looking for a great meal and fantastic atmosphere.

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  6. Angeface13

    San Diego

    2 reviews

    5.0

    2 reviews

    Dined 5 days ago

    overall5food5service4ambience5
    Food was unreal. So delicious and well worth the price for a 4 course meal on Thanksgiving. The ambience was so family oriented and the music was a great touch (oldies). All I needed was a blanket at the end for a nap because the food did what it needed to do!

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  7. SDCross

    San Diego

    24 reviews

    vip
    5.0

    24 reviews

    Dined 5 days ago

    overall5food5service5ambience5
    We had an again Thanksgiving experience here. Ryan was an amazing waiter, the courses were generous, the food was delicious, and we felt stuffed like a true Thanksgiving meal. I love the regular menu here and loved the pre fixe options they served up got the holiday. Thanks for making it a great day!

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  8. LiyaS

    Las Vegas

    25 reviews

    vip
    5.0

    25 reviews

    Dined 5 days ago

    overall5food5service5ambience5
    Everything was excellent . Hostess, servers , meal, organization of the Thanksgiving dinner and atmosphere in general. Thank you very much! We had wonderful time during this holiday celebration. Family Porter - Sadovnikova

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  9. AndrewC

    San Diego

    1 review

    5.0

    1 review

    Dined 5 days ago

    overall5food5service5ambience5
    We went to Herb and Sea for Thanksgiving and it was such a wonderful experience! Everyone in our group loved each course and the cocktails were tasty.. special thanks for offering non-alcoholic options. We'll be back next year!

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  10. OpenTable Diner

    San Francisco

    10 reviews

    vip
    4.0

    10 reviews

    Dined 5 days ago

    overall4food4service5ambience5
    Nikki was an incredible server. She paid attention to all the little details, like bringing us clean cutlery between courses and wiping our table down before dessert. She is a gem and deserves a raise!

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  11. JacobA

    San Diego

    1 review

    4.0

    1 review

    Dined 5 days ago

    overall4food4service5ambience4
    Excellent service, some interesting flavor and texture combos

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  12. OpenTable Diner

    Washington DC

    3 reviews

    vip
    5.0

    3 reviews

    Dined 5 days ago

    overall5food5service5ambience5
    Our Thanksgiving dinner was wonderful ! It was so nice to have all the amazing Tasty sides in addition to a fantastic menu ! We will definitely do it again next year !

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  13. GaetanM

    San Francisco

    1 review

    4.0

    1 review

    Dined 5 days ago

    overall4food4service4ambience4
    We have a great family time.the food and drinks were excellente so was the service by Nicky

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  14. TinaN

    San Diego

    1 review

    vip
    5.0

    1 review

    Dined on November 20, 2023

    overall5food5service5ambience4
    We had the best server, Robert, and that made all the difference from a good to a fabulous dinner experience.

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  15. OpenTable Diner

    San Diego

    1 review

    4.0

    1 review

    Dined on November 19, 2023

    overall4food4service4ambience3
    The roasted oysters and bone marrow was excellent. The swordfish and the barramundi entrees were very good as well. It’s an expensive restaurant.

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  16. LatishaD

    San Diego

    9 reviews

    5.0

    9 reviews

    Dined on November 19, 2023

    overall5food5service5ambience5
    We ordered a lot of appetizers and the sausage pizza. Here is the breakdown. We started with a dozen raw oysters and they were fresh and flavorful but the sauces took it up a notch. We preferred the cocktail sauce, spicy and sweet. Next we had the crudo it was so light and different, but in a good way and we enjoyed the crunch of the fried shallots. Then we had the Beef Carpaccio. Divine. The meat was sliced so thin, covered in crunchy breadcrumbs, shredded cheese and arugula on top. It was even kicked up with a sauce on the salad and underneath the meat. We also had a gem salad to balance the meal. It was yummy and healthy. Totally needed it. We also had the Baja shrimp. We didn’t think the flavors would work but it actually all went well. We finished with the sausage pizza. It wasn’t our favorite but I have no regrets in ordering. I wanted to know what the fuss was about. For drinks my sister had a Drama Llama and I had a Dirty Once (I had two) and we both agreed my drink was better. Overall a lovely experience. The staff were nice, music was popping and the food was divine. I’m excited to visit again for their NYE dinner.

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  17. Clovato

    San Diego

    14 reviews

    5.0

    14 reviews

    Dined on November 19, 2023

    overall5food5service5ambience5
    Our server Andrea was amazing as was the food! Would definitely recommend if you haven’t been ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

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  18. JustineD

    Los Angeles

    6 reviews

    vip
    1.0

    6 reviews

    Dined on November 18, 2023

    overall1food1service2ambience3
    What a bummer. I hadn’t been here in a long time and the food has plummeted down hill. We ordered about 6 dishes and each was worse than the last. Flavors, textures and execution just off. The crudo was the only thing that was not awful. Service was slow and scattered. Just overall a bad meal, such a shame.

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  19. OpenTable Diner

    San Diego

    2 reviews

    5.0

    2 reviews

    Dined on November 18, 2023

    overall5food5service5ambience5
    Outstanding food and great ambience. Comfortable venue for everyone.

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  20. Davethediner

    San Diego

    284 reviews

    vip
    5.0

    284 reviews

    Dined on November 18, 2023

    overall5food5service5ambience4
    Food here is excellent - we really enjoyed all of the courses - salad - branzino and the pork - and the wine - all extremely good. It is noisy here - and a but pricey - the only drawbacks

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  21. KevinC

    San Diego

    3 reviews

    2.0

    3 reviews

    Dined on November 18, 2023

    overall2food2service4ambience3
    This is not a good restaurant for anyone who is gluten-free. they have no options marked on the menu and even after discussion with the waiter there was very little my wife could order. The food was mediocre and in several cases quite overpriced.

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  22. CaitinSD

    San Diego

    3 reviews

    vip
    3.0

    3 reviews

    Dined on November 17, 2023

    overall3food5service3ambience4
    Really good food. Horrible acoustics. Enjoyed the food but slower service so not sure if we would go back for the price

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  23. michaelw

    Denver

    38 reviews

    vip
    3.0

    38 reviews

    Dined on November 17, 2023

    overall3food3service4ambience1
    Overpriced and noisy. Huge space. Bathrooms we’re down a hall right next to an open exterior door. Very poor security.

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  24. OpenTable Diner

    Palm Springs

    2 reviews

    4.0

    2 reviews

    Dined on November 13, 2023

    overall4food3service4ambience4
    Nice but overpriced. Significant price increase over website menu plus 4% service charge. Food was nothing special but service was good.

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  25. Shee

    Denver

    3 reviews

    5.0

    3 reviews

    Dined on November 13, 2023

    overall5food5service5ambience4
    The food was excellent, large portions, beautiful presentation, great service. The music did not fit the ambiance is my only complaint! Highly recommend Herb & Sea

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  26. EliasA

    San Diego

    3 reviews

    vip
    3.0

    3 reviews

    Dined on November 12, 2023

    overall3food3service5ambience4
    The noise is unbearable! Not an enjoyable place Food was ok , Value …. Not the best

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  27. OpenTable Diner

    1 review

    3.0

    1 review

    Dined on November 12, 2023

    overall3food5service2ambience3
    I was really looking forward to eating at Herb & Sea. The food was delicious, but it took a really long time to get to us. Same thing with our drinks. I’m glad we did sit outside tho! It was really loud inside.

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  28. OpenTable Diner

    1 review

    1.0

    1 review

    Dined on November 12, 2023

    overall1food1service1ambience3
    We could have, maybe, looked past the incredibly long time it took to get our cold, inedible food if the waitress was nice, smiled, kept our drinks full or made any sort of effort, but alas it was shocking how horrible the complete experience was! As a former server/ bartender I was trying to sympathize but she gave us nothing, literally, no drink refills, no asking how the food was, we had to remind her we didn’t order dinner yet! But who knows maybe she knew how bad the food was and she was embarrassed….. but sadly I think that would be giving her too much credit !

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  29. OpenTable Diner

    1 review

    5.0

    1 review

    Dined on November 12, 2023

    overall5food5service5ambience5
    We celebrated our anniversary here and Miguel was our server! He was very nice and attentive and personal. The food was incredible, everything was delicious. Thank you for having us!

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  30. CaraS

    Phoenix

    8 reviews

    vip
    5.0

    8 reviews

    Dined on November 12, 2023

    overall5food5service5ambience3
    Two top table/booths are a little close together and you can hear others conversations

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  31. ColleenD

    San Diego

    15 reviews

    vip
    5.0

    15 reviews

    Dined on November 12, 2023

    overall5food5service5ambience5
    First time here. Excellent experience. Oysters were delicious. Cocktails prepared perfectly. Jidori c he Ickes was perfect! Waitress was delightful, very professional and prompt.

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  32. Sara

    San Diego

    4 reviews

    5.0

    4 reviews

    Dined on November 11, 2023

    overall5food5service5ambience5
    Service and food were both amazing. It’s much quieter in the outdoor seating but both indoor and outdoor are great.

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  33. LainieC

    San Diego

    5 reviews

    vip
    5.0

    5 reviews

    Dined on November 11, 2023

    overall5food5service5ambience4
    Amazing food and service! Would have preferred a different table away from the entrance, but still a great dinner.

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  34. OpenTable Diner

    San Diego

    23 reviews

    vip
    5.0

    23 reviews

    Dined on November 11, 2023

    overall5food5service5ambience5
    Great date night for us. The food was amazing and the service was perfect. 5 stars to Spencer our waiter

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  35. golfingirl

    1 review

    5.0

    1 review

    Dined on November 8, 2023

    overall5food5service5ambience5
    First time dining at Herb & Sea for the 3 of us. Very pleasant experience; delicious food. Pricey. A $20 glass of wine is a bit steep. Good service. We will be back with teetotalers.

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  36. JayG

    Philadelphia

    25 reviews

    vip
    5.0

    25 reviews

    Dined on November 8, 2023

    overall5food5service5ambience5
    The food and the service were fantastic! Out of this world delish. Only in town for a couple of days - first visit to Encinitas - we wanted to experience Herb and Sea after our Inn and many folks recommendation, but also found the limited engagement re-release of Talking Heads Stop Making Sense at The Palomar movie theater nearby, with a time crunch, we rushed through dinner. The restaurant was very accommodating, but this dining really should be enjoyed at a leisurely pace. Just superb!

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  37. OpenTable Diner

    San Diego

    2 reviews

    5.0

    2 reviews

    Dined on November 6, 2023

    overall5food5service5ambience5
    Great food, amazing service from our waiter. Everything we got was amazing especially the pork and octopus. Cocktails were really good as well!

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  38. OpenTable Diner

    Houston

    3 reviews

    vip
    3.0

    3 reviews

    Dined on November 5, 2023

    overall3food3service3ambience5
    We were disappointed. Entrees were just OK. Ordered molten lava cake for desert and it was cold. We were excited to eat there for our anniversary and left wishing we’d gone elsewhere.

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  39. DennisK

    San Diego

    10 reviews

    vip
    2.0

    10 reviews

    Dined on November 5, 2023

    overall2food3service2ambience4
    I have always liked Herb and Sea. Last night our server told us about the specials, which 2 of the 4 ordered. What she said and what we got was not the same. Close, but not all parts were included. The cocktail I ordered a martini was to be in a stem “up” but it came on the rocks with no vermouth which I ordered. Clearly, there was not enough attention made to our order andmanagent of the delivery. With the increase of pricing, the experience was not worth it last night. Hopefully you will have better nights.

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  40. Cinderella

    1 review

    5.0

    1 review

    Dined on November 5, 2023

    overall5food5service5ambience5
    This was my second dinner experience and I could have licked the plate again. Herb & Sea has delivered two flawless dining experiences. Third time’s a charm does not apply to THIS fine restaurant!!

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Safety precautions

  • Cleaning & sanitizing

    • Surfaces sanitized between seatings
    • Digital, disposable or sanitized menu provided
    • Common areas deep-cleaned daily
    • Sanitizer or wipes provided for customers
  • Screening

    • Sick staff prohibited in the workplace

FAQs

Herb & Sea is rated 4.5 stars by 2375 OpenTable diners.

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

Make a reservation

2 people

7:00 PM


Booked 36 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
  • Neighborhood
    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
  • Owned/operated by
    Women
  • 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.
  • Private party contact
    Jarrod Zimpfer: (760) 704-8300
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