Mike L.
Yelp
Before heading down to Oceanside for my buddy's wedding, I made sure to do my homework on where to eat. Not that I wouldn't normally do it anyways, but it felt especially pertinent in this case since I was only going to have time to check out one place during my trip. After doing a bit of research, it didn't take me long to settle on Hello Betty - the photos of their food looked great and their 2,400+ reviews obviously were a good sign (not that review count is the end all be all). Of course, it also didn't hurt that they just so happened to be right by where my friends and I were staying too...ha!
Beyond just their uber convenient location (only a few short blocks from the beach/pier), there's a lot to Hello Betty that makes them so popular. The vibe is semi-trendy yet casual, there's a huge bar with a bunch of TV's, and their rooftop lounge is perfect for day drinking/happy hour with friends (they have a terrific array of beers, margaritas, and beach cocktails too!). Most importantly, the food menu is full of appealing options as well. While it may not appear very extensive at a glance, there's a lot to choose from, whether it be their starters, salads, burgers, sandwiches, entrees, or their dozen or so varieties of tacos. However, despite how said tacos seemed like the thing to get, I couldn't resist the craving I'd been having for some FISH & CHIPS ($18.50).
Even though I started to second guess myself almost immediately after ordering (I debated on flagging our server to add on a taco), I felt better as soon as my dish came out. Initially, I was a little disappointed to see only two pieces of fish, but I was pretty happy with how they looked. Sadly, though, the taste of them fell a little short. While the fish itself was great (moist and flakey, in a good way), the batter was more soft than crispy. As for the fries, they were solid - crispier than the fish, but the portion felt a little light.
As far as service goes, we didn't run into any issues, but I can see why others have had uneven experiences. We came in the middle of the afternoon, so we didn't have any issues with a wait or the restaurant being crowded, but one of the hosts seemed disinterested in helping us. Our interactions with our server were also a little more transactional than friendly, though she was perfectly fine otherwise, so it's really more of an observation than a complaint.
One other thing that's pretty cool about Hello Betty is that they have theme nights throughout the week that offers something different, such as Taco Tuesdays, wine nights, and live music. Still, as much fun as those sound, I'm not sure that I would make a point of coming back the next time I'm out here, given how I literally have the rest of Oceanside to discover. Not that I would be opposed to a return if someone suggest it, especially since I'm still rather curious about their tacos!
THREE AND A HALF STARS would be perfect, but, after a lot of waffling back and forth, I'm rounding down for now.