Herb & Sea

4.6

2803 Reviews

$30 and under

Californian

Make a reservation

2 people

Nov 27, 2024

7:00 PM

Booked 67 times today

Experiences are available.

Good for special occasions
Lively
Great for creative cocktails

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
Website
http://herbandsea.com/
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.

Location
131 W D St, Encinitas, CA 92024-3516
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
$92.00 per person
Dec 24, 2024 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 $92 for adults and $37 for children for this year's Holiday dinner. We look forward to celebrating with you and your loved ones this Christmas Eve.
New Year's Eve
$100.00 per person
Dec 31, 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!
Thanksgiving Dinner
$92.00 per person
Nov 28, 2024 only
Gather your family and friends to come celebrate Thanksgiving with us at Herb & Sea! We are excited to offer a pre-fixe menu for all to enjoy. Pricing will be $92 for adults and $38 for children for this year's feast. We look forward to celebrating with you and your loved ones this Thanksgiving.

Popular dishes

Oysters on the Half Shell$24.89
lemon cocktail sauce, apple mignonette, house hot sauce
Ahi Puttanesca$28.43
cured olives, tomatoes, capers, california balsamico, calabrian chili, crispy garlic
Ceviche$22.91
halibut, leche de tigre, coconut, plantain chips
Hamachi Crudo$23.77
white ponzu, sprouts, pickled fresno, sunflower seed, citrus, avocado
Beef Tartare$28.56
pickled mustard seed, capers, egg yolk, micro arugula
Two Fish Tartare$23.24
tuna belly, seabass, shaved fennel, basil oil, milk bread crouton

Appetizers

Carrot Hummus$15.72
tahini, roasted garlic, za'atar, flatbread
Gem Salad$16.74
feta, pickled onion, sunflower seed, everything spice, buttermilk dill dressing
Endive Salad$18.24
frika, pine nuts, grana padano, meyer lemon vinaigrette
Roasted Oysters & Bone Marrow$29.01
pernod, kale, lemon, gruyere, breadcrumb
Broiled Scallops$23.33
tomato béchamel, smoked tuna lardon, fontina, gremolata
Seared Shrimp$23.10
green harissa, lime pulp, micro cilantro
Hoecake$28.67
brown butter corn cake, smoked striped sea bass rillette, white sturgeon caviar, honey butter

Vegetables

Roasted Baby Carrots$14.27
cashew sesame relish, aleppo yogurt, carrot top pesto
Braised Leeks$14.14
porcini butter, hollandaise, fried shallots
Crispy Boardwalk Potatoes$13.66
old bay, malt vinegar, lemon aioli
Spring Peas & Strawberries$14.20
brown sugar vinegar, too much butter
Brussel Sprouts$14.06
caramelized shallot agrodolce, horseradish "cream", fried walnuts, watermelon radish

Entrees

Oak Grilled Steelhead$42.24
beurre blanc, toro de oro pepper, leek oil, chive
Plancha Fired Whole Branzino$36.35
castelvetrano olive, calabrian chili, citrus, fennel
Oak Grilled Eggplant$24.44
sugar snap peas, black sesame miso puree, chimichurri, harissa
Roasted Half Chicken$32.67
salsa verde, tuscan kale, lemon, caper
Oak Grilled Pork Chop$38.29
date & orange jam, rainbow chard, herbs
8oz Prime Filet$52.35
caramelized onion demi-glace, stilton cream, crispy shallots
10 oz Hanger$38.78
brown butter hollandaise, chimichurri, sherry demi-glace, shishito peppers
20 oz Coffee Rubbed Bone-In Ribeye$85.32
bone marrow butter, madre mezcal jus, chimichurri

Pizza + Pasta

Rigatoni$32.54
short rib ragu, lemon, grana padano, garlic confit
Shrimp Linguini$29.65
preserved lemon, capers, parsley, callabrian chili
Fennel Sausage Pizza$24.89
broccolini, garlic, lemon, tomato, ricotta, grana, parsley
Mushroom Pizza$22.82
maitake mushroom, red onion, goat cheese, calabrian chili, truffle pesto
Hawaiian Pizza$25.43
crispy speck, coal roasted pineapple, taleggio, red onion

Cocktails

Refreshing

Beets by Herb$16.00
pisco, vermouth, beet shrub, lemon, meringue
Guavamente Bessame$16.00
jalapeno tequila, guava, lime, house made tajin
Oaxacan Affair$16.00
mezcal, cognac, macadamia nut orgeat, lemon, rum float
Razzle Dazzle$16.00
vodka, framboise, chareau, raspberry agave, lemon
Ord To Jfk$18.00
bourbon, lemon, cabernet sauvignon, clarified with milk
Dirty Once$16.00
olive oil washed gin, cake, lemon
H & Spressotini (Nitro)$16.00
vodka, mr. black coffee liquor, ironsmith espresso, madagascar vanilla

Direct

Ash & Vine$17.00
wine barrel aged bourbon, montepulciano, rosé vermouth, curaçao, grape stem dust
H&S Old Fashioned$15.00
bourbon, amaro lucano, cynar, honey, orange twist
Martinez de Mezcal$16.00
mezcal, dolin rogue, maraschino, house made orange bitters

Spirit-Free

Never Have I Heather$9.00
lemon juice, dragon fruit, basil
Brûlée & Black$9.00
charred lemon iced tea, turmeric-black pepper honey, brûléed lemon
Kollo Iced Tea$9.00
cold brewed, whole leaf, single origin

Wine by the Glass

Sparkling

Bisol, Brut Prosecco, "Jeio", Italy$15.00
Victorine de Chastenay, Brut Rose NV, Crémant de Bourgogne, France$15.00

White

Pinot Grigio, Livio Felluga, Friuli, Italy$16.00
Sauvignon Blanc, Tinpot Hut, Marlborough, New Zealand$17.00
Sauvignon Blanc, Paul Buisse, Tourraine, France$17.00
Chardonnay, Jordan, Russian River Valley, California$20.00
Chenin Blanc, Babylonstoren, Franschhoek, South Africa$16.00

Rosé

Cinsault Blend, Peyrassol, Méditerranée, France$16.00
Grenache Blend, Stolpman, Ballard Canyon, California$15.00

Red

Cabernet Sauvignon, Niner, Paso Robles, California$20.00
Malbec, Mary Taylor, Cahors, France$17.00
Pinot Noir, Au Bon Climat "Pmc Block", Santa Maria Valley, Califorina$22.00
Cabernet Franc, Marcel Martin, "Les Bernieres", Chinon, France$16.00
Grenache / Syrah Blend, Vignerons Ardechois, Rhône Valley, France$16.00
Montepulciano, Abbondanza, Montepulciano d'Abruzzo, Italy$15.00

Beer

Tap

Kook Slams, West Coast India Pale Ale, Duck Foot Brewing, 7.5%, San Diego$10.00
Rumbler, Double Dry Hopped Pale Ale, Harland Brewing, 5.4%, San Diego$10.00
Harbor Cruise, Kolsch Style Ale, Eppig, 4.9%, San Diego$10.00

What 2,803 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
4.6Ambience
4.2Value

Noise • Moderate

Loved For

North San Diego
Californian

Review summary

AI-generated from verified diner reviews

Herb & Sea offers a "delicious" dining experience with "amazing" food and a "cool vibe." Guests praise the creative menu with standout dishes like mussel toast and tuna specials. The service is often "excellent," enhancing the lively beach ambiance. Despite occasional noise, it's a favorite for "great food and celebrations."

2,803 Reviews

D
Dr. Bill
San Diego
236 reviews
vip
3.0
236 reviews
Dined 3 days ago
1. Overall 3
2. Food 2
3. Service 4
4. Ambience 4
Nice guy server & ambiance, with only wine by the glass problems (not yummy, cheap taste at high price) & food prep problems: shrimp cocktail seasoning HORRIBLE (who needs seasoning on great steamed shrimp), my Skate fish dish was FLOATING in brown sauce (YUCK) making the already wet moist white fish soggy as heck (yuck) & wifey’s basic Halibut very very bland. Yummy chocolate cake dessert & sorbets, but the lemon sorbet WAY too mild lemon flavor (watered down WAY too much I say). My girly cucy Gin drink upgraded with Hendricks was nice & “refreshing” as they advertised. Most of the neighboring tables were ordering near RARE STEAK. Sad & odd that a “Seafood” based restaurant can’t do lotza seafood & do it well…but this is a CHAIN restaurant with the Owner trying to”different CONCEPTS” at each placed based on “the market.” Not a good thing. Not a keeper.
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R
Robert
New York City
204 reviews
vip
3.0
204 reviews
Dined 3 days ago
1. Overall 3
2. Food 3
3. Service 4
4. Ambience 4
Based on the great reviews and location, we chose H&S. The night was off to a good start with a couple unique cocktails and some creative tasty raw/cooked appetizers. The Hoecake was spectacular! Then the evening took a less desirable turn when both of our Halibut entrees came out mushy. I can’t even explain the odd mushy texture. We sent the entrees back and the chef cooked 2 fresh pieces. The second set were cooked perfectly but oversalted (to our liking). We did not send back again. The service was great and we tipped the waiter generously. As we had to wait a solid 15 mins for the new entrees, it would have been nice if the restaurant comped one or both entrees or even a dessert. They did not. In any case, we probably would not return. We wish them the best of luck.
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D
Donna
San Francisco
1 review
vip
5.0
1 review
Dined 3 days ago
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
We ordered the scallop entree and it came with only three scallops. We figured that came to about $10 a scallop!!
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B
Beth
San Diego
3 reviews
vip
5.0
3 reviews
Dined 7 days ago
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 4
Rachel was a great server- knowledgeable and attentive. We were celebrating a birthday - was a great place to celebrate. Food was delicious and the mescal drink was great.
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A
Ariela
Los Angeles
1 review
4.0
1 review
Dined on November 17, 2024
1. Overall 4
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 4
The food and service were excellent. They would have received 5 stars across the board if it weren’t for a manager who was wearing a Palestine flag pin that made us feel very uncomfortable and almost made us leave.
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S
Sharon
Seattle
2 reviews
4.0
2 reviews
Dined on November 17, 2024
1. Overall 4
2. Food 5
3. Service 3
4. Ambience 4
The food was really excellent. Literally everything we ordered was absolutely delicious. My main issue was that we had a 7:30 pm reservation, that required a credit card to hold, and saw that they claim to have only a 5 minute grace period, and yet we were kept waiting 35 minutes to be seated. That was outrageous and they need to either change their policies or compensate their guests for that kind of inconvenience. I was only granted a 5 minute grace period to show up for my reservation (despite parking challenges) but had to grant them a 35 minute grace period? Sorry, that's bull. We won't be back.
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f
fred
San Francisco
4 reviews
5.0
4 reviews
Dined on November 17, 2024
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Food and service were great It was crowded at the bar but understandable with people waiting for tables The bartenders did a great job at making sure the appropriate people got seats at the bar once seats opened up and dealing with challenging situations at times from other diners. I appreciated their calm under pressure Oh yes the food was great too and I regret not being able to try more things on the menu as we were faced with some difficult choices deciding on the menu
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P
Paige
San Diego
2 reviews
5.0
2 reviews
Dined on November 17, 2024
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
AJ was our server and he was wonderful! Made our anniversary dinner feel special and was an incredible experience. 10/10!
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T
Taylor
San Diego
5 reviews
5.0
5 reviews
Dined on November 16, 2024
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 4
4. Ambience 5
We had a great experience dining here! Would definitely return!
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S
Sean
New York City
10 reviews
vip
3.0
10 reviews
Dined on November 14, 2024
1. Overall 3
2. Food 3
3. Service 3
4. Ambience 4
I have been here on three or four occasions, and typically the food is pretty good. This time though, I found the food to be mediocre and the service was slow.
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FAQs

Herb & Sea is rated 4.6 stars by 2803 OpenTable diners.

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

Make a reservation

2 people

Nov 27, 2024

7:00 PM

Booked 67 times today

Experiences are available.

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
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

Website
http://herbandsea.com/
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.

Herb & Sea

Make a reservation

Additional information

Christmas Eve Dinner

New Year's Eve

Thanksgiving Dinner

Roasted Baby Carrots

Hamachi Crudo

Shrimp Linguini

Raw Bar

Oysters on the Half Shell$24.89

Ahi Puttanesca$28.43

Ceviche$22.91

Hamachi Crudo$23.77

Beef Tartare$28.56

Two Fish Tartare$23.24

Appetizers

Carrot Hummus$15.72

Gem Salad$16.74

Endive Salad$18.24

Roasted Oysters & Bone Marrow$29.01

Broiled Scallops$23.33

Seared Shrimp$23.10

Hoecake$28.67

Vegetables

Roasted Baby Carrots$14.27

Braised Leeks$14.14

Crispy Boardwalk Potatoes$13.66

Spring Peas & Strawberries$14.20

Brussel Sprouts$14.06

Entrees

Oak Grilled Steelhead$42.24

Plancha Fired Whole Branzino$36.35

Oak Grilled Eggplant$24.44

Roasted Half Chicken$32.67

Oak Grilled Pork Chop$38.29

8oz Prime Filet$52.35

10 oz Hanger$38.78

20 oz Coffee Rubbed Bone-In Ribeye$85.32

Pizza + Pasta

Rigatoni$32.54

Shrimp Linguini$29.65

Fennel Sausage Pizza$24.89

Mushroom Pizza$22.82

Hawaiian Pizza$25.43

Cocktails

Refreshing

Beets by Herb$16.00

Guavamente Bessame$16.00

Oaxacan Affair$16.00

Razzle Dazzle$16.00

Ord To Jfk$18.00

Dirty Once$16.00

H & Spressotini (Nitro)$16.00

Direct

Ash & Vine$17.00

H&S Old Fashioned$15.00

Martinez de Mezcal$16.00

Spirit-Free

Never Have I Heather$9.00

Brûlée & Black$9.00

Kollo Iced Tea$9.00

Wine by the Glass

Sparkling

Bisol, Brut Prosecco, "Jeio", Italy$15.00

Victorine de Chastenay, Brut Rose NV, Crémant de Bourgogne, France$15.00

White

Pinot Grigio, Livio Felluga, Friuli, Italy$16.00

Sauvignon Blanc, Tinpot Hut, Marlborough, New Zealand$17.00

Sauvignon Blanc, Paul Buisse, Tourraine, France$17.00

Chardonnay, Jordan, Russian River Valley, California$20.00

Chenin Blanc, Babylonstoren, Franschhoek, South Africa$16.00

Rosé

Cinsault Blend, Peyrassol, Méditerranée, France$16.00

Grenache Blend, Stolpman, Ballard Canyon, California$15.00

Red

Cabernet Sauvignon, Niner, Paso Robles, California$20.00

Malbec, Mary Taylor, Cahors, France$17.00

Pinot Noir, Au Bon Climat "Pmc Block", Santa Maria Valley, Califorina$22.00

Cabernet Franc, Marcel Martin, "Les Bernieres", Chinon, France$16.00