Rustic Root

Rustic Root is a stylish spot with a great atmosphere and excellent service. We stopped by for brunch and had a fantastic experience. I ordered the smash burger, my husband had the biscuits and gravy, and my friend got the chicken and waffles—everything was delicious. Our cocktails were also top-notch. Despite not having a reservation, the wait was only about 20 minutes, and there was plenty of parking, which was a big plus. The manager even stopped by to check in and see if we needed anything, which was a nice touch. Overall, we had a great time and will definitely return next time we're in town!

I had a great brunch at Rustic Root in Solana Beach with the gals! The restaurant is spacious, from the indoor dining area to the outdoor space, and we were lucky to have a table at the back, perfect for our big group of 20! The food and beverages were appetizing, beautifully presented, and offered a lot of variety. I only got to try the burger with yummy fries, but there’s so much more on the menu that I’d love to try next time! The service was fantastic, the staff was super attentive, always checking in to see if we needed anything. The only funny part was that the bathroom is outside, but overall, the place was worth it for us! Definitely a nice spot to check out for brunch.

They have weekend happy hour! 5 stars for that alone, kidding kidding. Stopped in on a Sunday, tried 2 glasses of their featured wine (a red blend and a Pinot Grigio). Also tried two items from happy hour, the mini crab cakes and the meatballs with mashed potatoes. Both were excellent and flavorful. The inside/outside bar is great to sit at on a nice day for people watching.

I wish I could give a higher rating, but too many mistakes were made. First, the atmosphere is cool and bar and whole restaurant was very busy. We ordered our drinks and the crab cakes, but the app came in less than 5 mins b4 we got 1st drinks. The vodka soda that was ordered was tonic instead. For dinner, my husband got the pork chop which he enjoyed, but my seabass was overcooked and dry. I'd try again but not on a Fri or Sat night, so it wouldn't be so loud and busy.

We went to Rustic Root for Sunday brunch with family and friends. Didn't make a reservation online because there wasn't any availability around the time we wanted to go, so we decided to just walk in. We only had to wait 10 minutes. The place is very chic with fun decor, delicious food paired with excellent service. Being a block from the ocean is also a plus. We will definitely be back, possibly to try dinner next time.

Brussel sprouts were undercooked and not seasoned enough. Pork belly appetizer also was lacking seasoning. The smash burger was solid but not all the different from the one I got at Shake Shack for half the price. The food is not bad, but for the price (and the other available options) the value is low here. I will say the atmosphere is fun and staff were super nice but this is more a commentary on the food quality itself.

We were excited to dine here but were really disappointed. Well conceived dishes but everything was bland - we had to ask for salt and pepper. The spouse’s sea bass was tiny and disappointing- she left hungry.

Make a reservation since this place is packed! Lovely atmosphere and great bartender Rob who made amazing bespoke drinks while we waited for our table. Mac and cheese is to die for! Also delicious crab cakes and meatballs. They also serve high end wines by the glass and the prices aren't crazy! Really great addition to Solana beach!

We were contacted by management who invited us back for a meal which we had last night. It was outstanding and it was clear how the presence of management makes a huge a difference. This was lacking during our father's day brunch. Every member of staff was professional and attentive. We ordered the crudo, arugula salad, skillet corn bread and the CHICKEN FRIED MAITAKE MUSHROOMS. Dessert was the cast iron cookie. It was all delicious. As always, what separates good companies from bad is how they sort out problems like these. Thanks to Roxanne, Rod, Vince and the rest of the team.

Service was great! We made dinner reservations knowing this place gets busy. Parking is available in SandBox Garage located behind the restaurant on Dahlia Street. The architectural design and decor of the restaurant is something to be admired. Bathroom facility are located outside of the building and a passcode for entry can be acquired from staff. I had a glass of Moet Chandon. My husband had a Coors Light. My friends and partner enjoyed their food. I found my husband's Mac and Cheese delicious! For dessert we ordered a cookie skillet that comes with ice cream. We requested the ice cream on the side. Unfortunately the cookie was soft and underbaked in the middle. The staff quickly made up for it by removing it from the bill. We also ordered a sundae cart. The strawberries and banana topping on the sundae were delicious and it paired really well with cookies and cream! Overall the staff were super accommodating and we all had a great dinner.

I hosted brunch with my MeetUp Fun Diego Ladies. I ordered the garden egg white frittata and really enjoyed my dish. I liked how it came with a side salad. My meal was tasty and healthy. I also had a small piece of biscuit, which was amazing! The restaurant was beautifully decorated. One thing I didn't like was the draft. The front and side entrances were open, so there were strong drafts and cross winds. I wouldn't recommend coming here on a cold and windy day. It's perfect for a warmer day though. The service was good. Our server made sure our water glasses were adequately filled. They have a great happy hour menu that I want to check out one of these days!

I went to this location during a weekday very busy and completely booked It is new, modern, nicely decorated I have been in the one down town and was looking to this one The service was not bad Food was ok and not as impressive as I had in the downtown location Restroom is located outside the restaurant with a code which I was not a big fan of the concept Overall was ok Will I come back ? probably not Parking was street parking was not bad during weeekday not sure about the weekend

Came here with friends for dinner. The food was delicious and the wait staff were attentive. We hit the end of happy hour. The acoustics are great for conversation and the atmosphere was friendly. We were celebrating a friends birthday and the personalized card was a lovely touch.

This location is sooo cute! In the heart of solana beach, I love that they have free parking in the parking garage below the restaurant. I came here for a bridal shower brunch, and the staff made it a really good experience. We got little yogurt parfaits and delicious biscuits to start, a champagne board with different juices and droppers with raspberry, peach and blueberry juices to drop in - such a good idea & adds a fun element to making your own drink. I had the smashburger and it was great! No add-ons were included - just onions and cheese. It felt like a classic & slightly elevated McDonald's burger with more meat & I was very satisfied with it!! Next time, I'll ask for some aioli on the side :) Great experience, would definitely come back here!

I've been to Rustic Root's downtown location a handful of times and always had a solid experience, so I was excited to check out their Solana Beach location for the first time. Unfortunately, the service here really missed the mark. I would give it 3.5 stars if I could. We sat at the outside bar with our dog and used the QR code to order--standard setup these days. It wasn't busy at all, but the lack of attentiveness from staff gave me the ick. We ended up eating quickly and heading out. Happy Hour Highlights: Mini Maryland Style Crab Cakes ($12): Meh. Not bad, but I wouldn't order them again. Spicy Fried Chicken Sandwich ($12): This was great, definitely a must try. Rustic Smashburger ($12): Solid choice. I'd re-order. Idaho Parmesan Fries ($6): Crispy and flavorful. A re-order for sure. The space is nice, they offer a dog food menu (which is a great touch), happy hour deals, and there's a free parking garage next door--big plus. Overall, I wasn't impressed with the SB location, but because I've had better experiences downtown, I'm willing to give it another shot. Hopefully the service improves next time.

What a gem in Solana Beach! We had the BEST brunch at Rustic Root. We went on a Sunday and all the tables were booked, but we were able to get a seat at the bar. We ordered through the QR code. The the vibe was absolutely on point and the food was so good! We ordered the pot roast, French toast sticks, bloody Marys, strawberry matcha, and the biscuits -- and let me tell you, not a single bite disappointed. The pot roast was rich and tender, the biscuits were perfection and the jam was so yum! The French toast sticks were dangerously good (crispy on the outside, soft and custard inside). The strawberry matcha was unique, and the bloody Marys had just the right kick. The atmosphere is relaxed but elevated -- perfect for a weekend brunch with friends or family. We left full, happy, and already planning our next visit. Thanks again, Matt, for making our experience even better. His positive energy and great smile made us feel right at home! You're a true highlight of Rustic Root!

Wow, first time here and won't be the last. The food was very tasty and well balanced. Nothing overpowering and the flavors were immaculate. The crab cakes were some of the best I've ever had! And the pot pie was very well seasoned and it felt like fine dining comfort food, very happy with that decision. The setting is very casual and inviting. Service was great, even the manager was tending to our table. The drinks were top notch as well! A little something for everyone.

We busted Rustic root a couple weeks ago for my friend's birthday brunch. When we arrived we were greeted by the GM who was so friendly we told her it was our friend birthday and she asked if we had a picture of her because she wanted to do a little something special. I text her a picture and to our surprise she printed edible pictures and put them on top of our espresso martini's! We were so surprised that she went out of her way to make our friend's birthday so special. We loved all the choices we had to choose from for brunch from crab cake Benedict to chocolate pancakes! Everything we ordered was delicious. Our food came out quickly and our server was amazing. The cocktails were also good and everything was reasonably priced. Look forward to coming back for happy hour!

Three of us (and a dog) went here for Sunday brunch as our first visit. The entire experience from the reception to the food was excellent. The waitress was terrific- friendly, helpful and enthusiastic. The food was delicious, from the frittata, to the eggs, chicken sausage, home-made English muffins, and especially the potatoes. A side salad was very fresh. The only disappointment were the lattes and cappuccinos. Poor foam with lots of bubbles, bitter coffee, and the wrong shaped cup. It's great to see such a nice addition to our home city of Solana Beach. Will likely become a regular for us if today was typical.

Rustic Root has a catchy name. Table for two and was told by the host there was seating. She came back to the podium and requested we give our phone number. We questioned her and she mentioned the restaurant wanted the phone number so they can text diners of specials and other offers. Didn't especially like to get pressured on the spot to give your phone when we actually did not. Ambiance was nice but music level was a bit loud. Food was mediocre. Smash burger was well seasoned, came with pickles but bun was soggy. Salad was over dressed and highly recommend dressing on the side. Parmesan fries were crispy and good. Ketchup was provided when requested from the server. Strawberry Matcha Latte was good. Ice tea came with free refills. Our servers attention was not focused when requested tea refill and ketchup that took longer to receive. When we got our drinks, the server slammed it on the table. Maybe the server had a bad day?

Went here with a small group recently and probably wouldn't go back. There was nothing that wowed us. There was a free parking garage next to the restaurant which was nice and convenient. I had the lobster roll which was recommended by the server. It was one of the blandest lobster rolls I've had and there was not a good bread to lobster ratio. It was also over $30, and you had to pay extra $3 for fries. Absolutely not worth it. Another person in our party ordered the pancakes and she said they weren't anything special. The service was also a bit slow, and we had to wait a long time for them to take our order, bring our drinks, bring our food, bring our checks. They were very friendly so that was nice. Overall i just don't think it was worth the visit for us.

Drinks are decent and the staff is so so friendly, but the food takes forever and it terrible and overpriced. Good ambiance

I can't believe I haven't reviewed the new hot spot in Solana Beach. Love the atmosphere and the food is good too. My favorite being the biscuits and the prime rib. We have yet to try the chicken pot pie because they always seem to be out. Best to make a reservation or get there as soon as they open to snag a bar seat.

Really fun new spot in Solana Beach! Came here without a reservation around 7:45 and we were able to find bar seating. I didn't love the QR code menu- because it wasn't complete and didn't show everything available on the menu, which was confusing. Nonetheless we tried handful of things- Double cheeseburger - very good! Meatballs - pretty good but a tad too salty for me; but I think I would still order them again. Tomato & burrata - good, but also not my favorite! Wanted to like it more but just didn't love it The service was very prompt and food came out quickly! Would definitely come back to try more things!

This review is for the Solana Beach location. The happy hour scene here is fantastic. It doesn't hurt that, on Wednesdays through Fridays, happy is between 5 and 7 p.m. I mean, those are great hours. Good luck finding a spot at the bar (and the bar is huge and wraps from the inside to the outside). But it is very much worth trying to snag a spot. The happy hour food portions are, like most places, on the smallish side, but they are ample and not tiny. Everything we had was excellent. The Idaho Parmesan Fries are superb. Get those, for sure. I could have eaten 50 of these fries. The Mini Maryland Style Crab Cakes are very nice. The Wagyu Meatballs (you get three good-sized meatballs, served over garlic mashed potatoes) are also a winner. I wanted to lick the plate to get all of the mashed potatoes I could. The drinks are also very good. For those interested in mocktails, the Side Porch Shrub, made with blackberries, is excellent. It is very fruity and delicious. I am not normally a mocktail guy but I would absolutely order this drink. I almost never order a bar's own cocktail creations but I tried two of their "Signature" cocktails here: the Dirty Cola (Gentleman Jack, Coke, vanilla, and oat milk--yes, oat milk) and a spicy margarita (I can't recall the exact drink name). The Dirty Cola was fine but, honestly, a little strange with the oat milk. The margarita was very spicy and delicious, if you like spicy margaritas. The bar and restaurant itself are very attractive. The design is super cool and there is lot of wood and great lighting. It's a gorgeous, lively place and based on what I tried so far, I would gladly return for happy hour or dinner.

I live in Cardiff and have had my eye on Rustic Root in Solana Beach forever - finally tried it for my birthday brunch last weekend. We had a rez for 8 that grew to 9, and while their AI assistant couldn't handle the update and no one called me back, we were greeted warmly and seated without issue. The staff was super flexible as friends came and went, which I appreciated. The food, though, was just OK. The egg frittata was bland, but the potatoes were great. My $30 spring salad (after adding shrimp and avo) was no better than a $13 one from Habit. They were also out of both avocado and fruit toast. I'll give dinner a try sometime, but brunch was more about the ambiance than the food.

This place is a joke. Food was decent but overpriced. We went in for brunch. The food and drinks came out relatively fast to begin with. We wanted to order another round of drinks and waited 45 minutes to be noticed by a waitress/waiter then when we did receive our order were asked to move or leave due to an incoming reservation. Forced to finish our drinks quickly and rushed by staff. Staff was inattentive and rude. I usually don't leave bad reviews but this was a particularly bad experience. The groups that appeared to be of a more "affluent" background were treated with priority. It's a very cool restaurant with a cool vibe but I hope they can improve their services.

Ambiance is amazing, nice selection of food solid flavors, well priced. Really enjoyed it

I absolutely love this place. It's located right next to my real estate office and such a great vibe. I always meet great people in there and I have not been disappointed in their food. The Lobster Pappardelle and bolognese is amazing. The espresso martinis (I like mine with a splash of baileys) are phenomenol!! The owner Dana is so welcoming and such a charm. P.S. If you're a Tesla owner the chargers are right next door! Get on in here brother!

New fun and lively spot in Solana Beach with great food- and an amazing Happy hour from 4 to 6 with a huge outdoor bar to enjoy it. Friendly staff who make you feel welcome. Try the Lobster pappardelle and the fried chicken. Brunch on the weekends is also amazing, especially the bourbon maple glazed Pan-cake and eggs Benedict.

This definitely was a cute location! The staff were all friendly and accommodating. We had the bubbles and berries which was a choice of champagne, and came with fruit, 3 juices and 3 purees. Super fun idea, and enjoyed created new flavors with the juices and purees! I had the blueberry pancakes and it was kinda disappointing as the compote was very overwhelming and hardly could taste the bourbon blend and was rather sweeter than I would have liked. I ended up scraping most of it off as it gradually became too much. Another friend also commented on how her Benedict was overpowered by mustard making it not as appealing. Overall, I may try this spot again, if not the food at least the drinks.

Solid food, solid service. Went with my mom for dinner and the experience was good overall. We will be back.

I absolutely love the ambiance and food. Thursdays are my favorite days to go for the live music. Happy hour is always fun. The food was great. Totally recommend.

We were seated in the perfect corner booth where we had the right amount of privacy to chat and catch up while still enjoying the ambiance and listening to the musician's live performance inside. The flavors were fresh, complex and unexpected, yet with simple ingredients and timeless dishes. We shared the crab cakes, broccolini and yellowtail for appetizer, and for our entrees, I had the salmon (that I've been dreaming about ever since) and my friend had the lobster pappardelle, both of which had outrageous depth, flavors and textures. We were celebrating a special occasion and they brought over a complimentary ice cream. Rodrigo was welcoming and friendly and Jaz, our server, was attentive, warm and personable. They were very busy for a small amount of servers and some were training so that is the only thing to be mindful and patient of. They've only been open 6 months in the Solana location and have made quite an imprint in the community so far - highly recommend, can't wait to return!

They have weekend happy hour! 5 stars for that alone, kidding kidding. Stopped in on a Sunday, tried 2 glasses of their featured wine (a red blend and a Pinot Grigio). Also tried two items from happy hour, the mini crab cakes and the meatballs with mashed potatoes. Both were excellent and flavorful. The inside/outside bar is great to sit at on a nice day for people watching.

Rustic root provided a great service and the food was delish. It's sad to see all the places native to Solana Beach go out of business, but this place is a great spot! The happy hour deal is delish and a great time. Wonderful caesar salad!! We loved the kiwi sangria enough to order two.

What a WONDERFUL surprise‼‼ Memorial Day brunch on the patio. First visit. It has only been open for 4 months and it is OBVIOUSLY a big hit‼ There are a variety of seating options which is VERY cool. AND, there is underground parking available if you don't feel like playing dodge car when attempting to back out on the Coast 101! My friend and I enjoyed the Breakfast Sliders (pancake buns, pork sausage, egg, American cheese and Maple Syrup dipping sauce). Delightful. Also split the Gem Caesar Salad. The perfect addition. Washed our choices down with a lovely rosé. Next visit I'll be choosing between the Chilaquiles and the Double Smashburger. They have plenty of indoor seating and a dog-friendly patio with heaters. ENJOY‼‼

The food was at best OK. The service was not good. There were a lot of workers around but they don't seem to pay much attention to the customers. The ambiance is good tho. The price is too high for its quality. I've been there twice. I won't be going back. I honestly cannot recommend this place to anyone. Sorry.

I just had a birthday dinner and birthday brunch here this weekend. I can't speak highly enough about what a great place this is for a celebration with a group. Firstly, Sherin added the most adorable touch to my dinner that made me feel so special!! My personal pictures were in the espresso martini! Our server Mari was a joy. This was my second time working with her and she is great. On to the food...the seafood pasta might be my favorite dish ever anywhere and the skillet cookie desert is unreal. The cornbread and Brussels are stand out apps.

Just had brunch at Rustic Root, and urge you to make a reservation and dine there ASAP. Everything about the experience was exceptional. The darling host, Cam, went above and beyond to ensure we had the perfect table. Our server, Ash, was very knowledgeable and the perfect amount of attentive - being patient as my girlfriends and I chatted. Manager, Rod, stopped by to ensure everything was to our liking. I love when restaurants do that; it shows they really care. We enjoyed the Rustic Bloody Mary which was expertly prepared - the perfect balance of flavor and vodka. The homestyle biscuits with peach jam are an absolute MUST. The chicken and waffles were delicious. The chicken was perfectly cooked - moist inside and crispy outside without being greasy. The banana mini pancake parfait was so much fun and very well balanced - not overly sweet. What are you waiting for?! Book your reservation now! NOTE TO THE OWNERS: the host stand faces due east. Please invest in an umbrella to keep the sun from burning Cam's retinas.

This place is definitely a nice venue for brunch, and happy hour etc. Our group, unfortunately did not have the best experience when we went there for brunch a couple weeks ago. They didn't seem to be that busy, but we did wait quite a while for our drinks and to order. When we finally got our food, our server was going on his break, another server was supposed to come back and check on us, but she never did. We all needed other menu items, butter and syrup, etc., and refills on our drinks. By the time our server got back from his break. we had been sitting there waiting for a very long time waiting for our bill. The food was OK. I got a super lame parking ticket for exceeding the two hour parking out front on a Sunday as well. I would definitely try them again, hopefully the service will be a little better.

This new addition to the many informal eateries along Pacific Coast Highway in Solana Beach is terrific! Their brunch on the weekends is really yummy, the service is very attentive, and they have a very nice outdoor patio and indoor outdoor bar area. It's a bit more upscale than some of the local cafés so it's a great place for a business lunch or drink after work.

Wow. This is the first time I've been compelled to write a poor review, as I generally have a wide range of tolerance and understanding for the challenges of working in the food service industry. While slow (40 minutes from order to food arriving), you can potentially forgive that because it was very busy. The server did not bring the appetizer first, but brought everything together, again minor issue. He brought fried chicken, but I'd ordered the chicken pot pie. Another minor error, but made memorably bad by the waiter's behavior. When I said, "oops, that's not my order, I had the chicken pot pie," rather than listening to me, or apologizing, or checking the order himself, he made me get out my phone (ordering is by phone) to prove that was not what I ordered! This entitled attitude was made worse by the manager coming over, nominally to check in on things and apologize, but instead apologized not for the restaurant's error but saying "the waiter is very nice, I am sure he didn't mean anything by it." Furthermore, two items we did not order were added to the bill. That was resolved without issue, but further reflects on the quality of service and overall dining experience. Food is mediocre and served in small portions. The smashburger was fine, but clearly had been under the heat lamp for a while before bringing out. Chicken pot pie was average to below average, nothing special about the flavor; crust was black from the cast iron skillet it was cooked in; cubed carrots and potatoes in an unmemorable gravy with dry chicken cubes. The worst was the Brussels sprouts: attractive and appealing presentation in a tiny cast iron skillet, but the leaves were burned to a crisp, and the core of the sprouts was raw and insufficiently steamed. The location and decor is attractive and inviting. But the food quality typifies many San Diego restaurants that charge a lot for mediocre food. I posit that because of the location, ambience, and typically serving a tourist clientele, these restaurant essentially get away with it. Food quality: 3/5 stars Service: 0/5 stars Value: 1/5 stars

I love Rustic Root!! The space is beautifully designed with cool indoor and outdoor options to drink and dine. Food is on point, just what the neighborhood needed, and based on how busy it is every night, I'm not the only one loving it. The New England steak tips and the wild boar bolognese are both excellent as are the crab cakes. Try the lovers flannel and the lavender haze, both great cocktails for summer. Staff are super nice and attentive. Especially the manager Dana who always comes over to check in and make sure everything is on point.

I posted a great review several months ago for this place. (Went there for breakfast.) Have gone back 3 times since for both dinners and happy hour. I'm not impressed with the subsequent visits. The last time I went (Sunday, June 29) I ordered the fried chicken plate ($26) and a Cadillac margarita. Both were dismal. The chicken plate had the smallest biscuit I have ever seen and the chicken was a small thigh and wing....ridiculous. Our waiter was nice, but all my friends' food was pathetic. The crab cakes were tiny. It seems like the corporate world has gotten to the food quality. They provide a nice ambience with sub-par food fare. Won't be coming back. I gave 2 stars because the waiter was good. I normally don't leave bad reviews, but this place has struck out with me.

This deserves 10 stars! The ambience is amazing, the food is delicious & every person working was so friendly. S/o to Omar for the great service and recommendations. Wish I had pictures to share but we ate the food too quickly! Couldn't recommend the crudo more for an appetizer & my seabass was cooked to perfection. Excited to try this place for brunch soon :)

Loved this place! Finally something sexy in Solona Beach with a vibe aside from Rare Society. Ambiance was sexy, intimate, stylish, indoor/outdoor with heaters. Staff was so attentive whether it was out hostess, waitress or just the people dropping off food or taking our plates. Food was delicious, I can attest to everything I ordered Brussel sprouts, beet salad and pork chop, cookie dessert but I'm sure everything is delicious! Can't wait to go back. I was told they are also going to have a dj on Fri/Sat evenings for a fun after dinner spot!

Wanted to provide an update to my review - very impressed that management reached out to me to reverse the credit charge for our meal - and offered a credit to come back and try again. Got to give credit for the management team for going above and beyond to make amends.

We had an awesome experience at Rustic Root Solana Beach! It has a unique feel compared to the gaslamp location! It's a very open atmosphere with a cool vibe. There is a great bar with seating and also inside and patio seating. It's definitely contemporary and exciting! We came with the whole family including teenage boys and everyone was so impressed. We started with truffle fries, biscuits, and the mac & cheese. Those are not to be missed! Do yourself a favor and order all three! For entrées, we tried the Smashburger, the wild boar papardelle, and the fried chicken. Everything was outstanding. The Wine list was pretty reasonable and the cocktails looked amazing (That'll be on my list for next time). We had the banana pudding for dessert which was the perfect top off of the meal. The chef is apparently still perfecting the Sunday TV dinner so it's not quite available yet. I'm definitely looking forward to when that is. Everyone was super impressed with rustic root Solana Beach. It made the grandparents, parents, and teenagers all happy. Definitely recommend this place for any occasion!

This restaurant was so cute! The ambiance is very beautiful and clean! Definitely gives off Rustic vibes much like the name! The staff was amazing! We had a reservation for a party of five, but the table prior to us was taking a little longer to leave, which caused a delay. The staff immediately offered to buy us a round of drinks seeing that we had a reservation and actually had arrived early. This was very kind and I've honestly never seen that done before! I wish more places treated customers like Rustic Root treated us. The food came out quick and was amazing. I had the lobster Pappardelle pasta and I can't say enough about how delicious it was. For appetizers we had the meatballs and they were so delicious, so much so that we ended up having to order a second round. The drinks were really yummy and pretty! I will be coming back here for a date night soon because I'm already dreaming of my return lol!

Rustic. Not sure if they are still having their soft opening. Everything is just so slow... from getting seated to taking the orders and serving the food, and even getting the check. We ended up sitting on the bar. We decided to have brunch at Rustic Roots since we are running low on electric and there's a charging station near the restaurant. We were done charging after 30 minutes and our food wasn't ready yet so we have to move our car and find parking. After another 10 minutes of finding parking, our food hasn't arrived. We ordered the Rustic Burger and Smoked Pork Belly Benedict with their Raspberry White Chocolate Coffee. The presentation of these 3 items was impressive. See photos. They looked great but they did not taste great. The pork belly Benedict didn't have a hint of Smokey flavor or scent. The burger did not have any flavor perhaps they forgot to add salt. The yolk of the egg was the only dominating flavor for both meal. And we did not taste any white chocolate flavor in the raspberry white chocolate coffee as well. This whole meal fits our $50 budget excluding tip. The lowest tip option is 20%. Even though our meal fits our $50 eating out budget, we won't recommend this place. The only positive experience came from their friendly bar tenders. Giving this place 1 star so they can improve. The place and location look great and promising and they just need to work on the taste of their food and add more speed on their workflow. They need to automate their seating since the reception lady has to go around to look for an open table before she could even tell us that they have available seats. They need to update all order takers regarding what items are no longer available. In this way the order taker can immediately tell us if our orders are not available in their kitchen. Maybe add more staff during peak hours, especially during Sunday brunch in Solana Beach. We had to ask for our bill 3 times. Set the right expectations on the menu. If the food is called Smoked Pork Belly, make sure that it's really Smoked. Similarly, the $9 coffee that's called Raspberry White Chocolate must have the milky sweetness of the white chocolate and it just the sourness of the raspberry. Otherwise just call it raspberry coffee if the flavor is just coming from the raspberry. Hope this helps.

Agree highly overrated. I was excited to try this place, and initially every time I walked by it was busy and bustling . I finally tried it on a quiet week night - Service slow and awkward. Server served my dinner first, then asked my dinning partner if they wanted theirs? Weird. Prices on happy hour drinks decent- drinks ok Flatbread was cold , dry, tasted and looked like it had been made 3 hours before. Crab cakes are half dollar size and you get 2 for $12 The citrus vinaigrette greens are literally a pinch of micro greens . Not sure what the $15 reg menu crab cakes are like. Gem Cesar terrible. Beet salad was very good Best thing that night. Chicken pot pie very small portion for $22 ! Not going back any time soon if at all

Went with my date on a Friday night. Music was blasting so loud that couples sitting next to us were yelling loudly just to hear each other. Look...I get it. It's "hip" to have a DJ at the restaurant. But if that's the vibe, at least hire a decent DJ. The guy couldn't transition, the music was all over the place and Rustic Root seemed confused on whether it was throwing a party or serving dinner. Pick a lane and run with it. Overall the atmosphere was great if you're trying to get drunk, but if you're looking for a nice place to eat dinner. I'd say avoid weekend nights. There's better places to go "clubbing" All being said I give it two stars because the service was solid and the biscuits were tasty. The rest of the food was forgettable.

Decent brunch food, maybe a bit salty. Great location and decor. Service average at best, we we're sat at a table with no utensils, and never saw the waitress again until it was bill time

Heads up, if you're a chef and trying to lower your food costs, before letting the Sysco sales representative talk you into using their portion-controlled prepared meatloaf or chicken pot pie dinners, try them at the Rustic Root.

Great food and great service! The pastas are delicious - both the bolognese and the lobster papardelle.

Best Brunch in a long time Mimosa's were excellent, remainder of splits delivered with drink. Food and service (Hana) were outstanding Very impressive for their second week