The Coyote Bar & Grill

This restaurant would have 5 Stars if is wasn’t for the sneaky surcharge at the bottom of the bill. Should have told us before we ordered. The food was good and the drinks were cold. The atmosphere was pretty good, we ate inside because the live music was too loud. I guess that’s what the surcharge is for the band playing? Weird! Overall it was a good experience our server Hayden was good.

First Visit and it was great. Good Food, Good Service (thank you Phoebe)! Food portions are huge! Fresh and delicious. Fortunately arrived just before Happy Hour ended (5pm)…Tacos are huge and $3 ea! I ordered 2 Cajun Shrimp and 2 Steak (both were delicious). Too much food though (took 2 to go) because I also ordered the delicious Guacamole Stack—so yummy! Just too much food. Everything was fresh and prepared well. I sat on the Patio—which is Open Seating—you just walk in and grab any open table! Live music this eve (7/3/25) was excellent (The Platinum Vibe). Band on 6-10pm. People arrived at least by 4pm possibly earlier to grab their seats on the patio! I arrived 4:45 and only had 1 table left open. Of course some people leave and tables open up. It does get very crowded and dance floor is packed. It was fun though. There’s inside seating as well as a horseshoe bar and a few high top tables in front of the bar and alongside. Parking spots are extremely narrow—everyone parking on top of your vehicle—barely getting out of the vehicle doors! Beware! Aside from the parking, the only unpleasant thing was the surprise 5% Surcharge on my bill. Manager isn’t able to remove it. And showed me where it is stated on the bar menu, which actually shows 4% NOT 5% (see photo). Otherwise, great venue.

Actually had a really good time here Food was very enjoyable! Slightly pricey but can't complain live music and good food is hard to find! I recommend this place. Chicken quesadilla is great Steak Street tacos are on point!

Went in for brunch with a party of 7. We were seated indoors within 5 minutes. Menu really had a little bit of everything. Every single plate was delicious! We passed around all dishes and literally everyone thought the same, it was all tasty! 7.75 per mimosa during brunch. The house coffee was good too! I was complimenting it and the waited brought me a free sample to take home. She was very nice, attentive and quick throughout the whole time. This time we opted to sit inside since it was a bit cold but they do offer outdoor seating with table top fires and space heaters. There was also a live band getting ready to start playing as we left around 1pm. We will be going back!

Coyote bar is known locally for the live music on the patio almost every night of the week. It is nice to see all the entertainment. The food is good, not great, but good. Beware, if you are there during live music, there are $ minimums you're spending per person. When the weather is nice, the patio is great for seating. But if you don't get there early, you won't get a seat. Service is very friendly, but typical of a bar setting. You will have to chase down drinks now and then. Overall, it is a very fun, energetic atmosphere with live music!

I was there for taco Tuesday but was disappointed with the fish tacos. The fish was tough as if it had been in the freezer too long but fortunately the bartender (as I was sitting at the bar) didn’t charge me for them. However, this is a great place for drinks & listening to live music in Carlsbad CA. Outdoor patio seating with fire pits along with ample seating inside & at the bar.

Great night with all the friends! The Friends Band rocked the house. Great musicians. Loved the Cadillac margaritas. The bottles of wine were reasonably priced. The nachos were over-flowing and great for sharing. Too many great dinner options on the menu.

Great little bar & grill. Live band was good. Excellent location near the beach

Excellent food . Service was great!!! I will definitely go back. Nice atmosphere. Enjoyed the band. I felt very welcomed. Workers were very friendly.

My wife and I dined at the coyote tonight and received an excellent service Chelsea was an absolute of breath of fresh air her face had a big smile and was on top of her game Food was tasty and fulfilling most the the service was amazing Love it Even though the water was wet and ice was cold still had a very nice evening thanks Chelsea

Haven't written a review in a while but I always visit when I am in town. Best music around. So, stopped in with family and The Buckley's were playing. GREAT BAND! I had the southwestern eggrolls. They were okay but not what I was expecting and the sweet and sour sauce was too thin. My family had the omelet and enjoyed it and the chicken tacos looked great. Service was good considering how busy it was. 11/9/25

I almost hate to reveal how great this place is. I have been twice and both times it was a packed house. For such a busy venue/restaurant the service is amazing. Our server, Alexa was extraordinary! She was friendly, attentive, fun to engage with, a real keeper. The menu is full of unique plates to share as well as entrées. There's a full bar with bartenders who know how to make a good drink. There is a good deal of outdoor seating with fire pits are available too for larger groups.. Also, plenty of indoor seating in a nicely decorated interior. Now onto the entertainment... My first experience there there was a amazing Motown/R&B band called "The New Joy Band". Most recently we were thrilled on a Wednesday night to enjoy the "Clearly Dirty"band. Such a tight group of musicians with a female singer that belted out amazing songs the entire night. Definitely my new favorite spot in North County. Can't wait to get back and catch a new musical treat and have a glass of the house, Pinot Grigio!

Brought my daughter and family for brunch for my daughter's 21st! I forgot our waitress name I feel so bad she was wonderful. I know she had cute braces hehe. We sat outside at the large fire pit on 12/6. Outstanding service and she even did good and told me my daughter was so kind & respectful, made me smile. The mimosas were good and the food was deeeeliciois who knew! I mean I would come dancing here 20 years ago but never stopped by to eat! Must stop and check it out.!!!!

Very nice patio and atmosphere and friendly if a little slow staff. We ordered margaritas and it was 1:45, not a mention about happy hour that started at 2:00. Not the kind of service I expect, I tipped too much. The food was just okay. I had a lobster corn chowder. It had all the advertised ingredients but not much flavor it was just ordinary. My wife's chicken tortilla soup was the same. Not very tasty.

We're visiting for our weekly vacation here in Carlsbad at the beach. Walking around the village we decided to pop in for a beer and an appetizer. We opted for the bottomless chips and salsa. The salsa was delicious and the chips crunchy and fresh. They had live music in the patio on this Saturday. They do have live music quite often. We sat inside and we could hear the music very well. The restaurant has a nice updated look. It's been years since we had been in there. Love the new look. Very comfy, cozy and classy looking. Barbara was our server. She's been there 20 years. Thank you Barbara for the great service! Definitely a nice place to visit. When we return, we will try the hamburger. We saw them taking out a couple of plates to another table and they looked very appetizing.

Thank you Rita, you truly are the best! What a fantastic redemption this last visit was. A true 180° from the mishap of the previous experience. Aubree was our server this go round and of all my experiences dining in, she is number 1. So sweet, engaging, attentive and patient. Love her! Food was good as always, Rattlesnake Eggs tonight were covered completely with bacon which was a pleasant surprise, Corn Bread was cooked to perfection with a crispy outside but soft and fluffy inside, Carnita Taco was flavorful as always, and House Margs strong as usual. Along with Sean bringing the vibes with good music and fun times. HUGE thank you to Rita the GM for reaching out and resolving the previous unfortunate situation with such grace and understanding. We really are grateful for all your efforts and everything that you have done and continue to do, so thank you, we appreciate you! Best experience by far and will be back to try more items on the menu and enjoy the live music. Thank you for a great night Aubree and Rita!

I may be a bit biased... because I have been going to coyote bar & grill since I was a little girl... BUT now that I'm older and able to realize flavor in food... I think it is long overdue and I HAVE to take this time to share my take on their restaurant. We visited on Sunday, and arrived at 11am when they opened. The village square where they are located has ample parking BUT that WILL fill up by 12pm on the weekend. Make sure if youre rolling through after 12 that you keep an eye out for any parking on the way because i'd snag whatever you see available. When we walked in we noticed they already had a few tables sat waiting for the kitchen to open.. so it's nice that they let people do that so they aren't just meandering around waiting. We checked-in with the hostess who was all smiles and so sweet. She let us pick anywhere we wanted to sit and we chose outside because it was nice and sunny that morning. Its such a great spot guys, it's in the heart of the village and there's so many people walking around- great people watching! Our server, Ariel, was THE MVP. She was so welcoming, attentive, funny and knowledgeable of the menu. We ordered two mimosas (they're $7.75/each during brunch hours) and Rattlesnake Eggs as our appetizer. Mimosas came out fast and were in a pretty large glass. Our Rattlesnake eggs came out shortly after our drinks and those are a MUST GET. If you're just stopping by for drinks? get THIS as your appetizer with a side of chips and dip... best option you can do. We then ordered our mains and I had the chile rellenos (added steak), and my boyfriend got the Breakfast Burger (medium rare). BOTH dishes - delicious. Cooked well, flavor was there.... it wasn't oily or soggy. That's HUGE. I know you've been to Mexican restaurants or Mexican inspired and you had soggy or oily something lol Our server checked on us at all the right times and we ordered another mimosa. My boyfriend ordered the The Duke... which is a take on a mule and also delicious. Dining there I've never felt rushed and I've always had good service. Ariel just solidified the fact that every visit here can be a great visit! We left after a while and walked around the village square, when we came back around to Coyote, we saw the band was setup at the entrance area and people were dancing. If you want a nice brunch... good drinks... great food... and a opportunity to dance it up with family and friends, this is the spot. Try them out guys! Whether you're from the area or visiting out beautiful city... make Coyote a stop on your list.

This restaurant would have 5 Stars if is wasn't for the sneaky surcharge at the bottom of the bill. Should have told us before we ordered. The food was good and the drinks were cold. The atmosphere was pretty good, we ate inside because the live music was too loud. I guess the surcharge which says 4% on another persons reviews is to cover the cost of minimum wage that's redic? We paid 5% - I think that's not ok . Overall it was a good experience our server Hayden was good.

During our stroll in Carlsbad Village, we stopped by for drinks here after walking by the live band and people dancing in their patio. We sat at the bar and were greeted after a few minutes. We both ordered margaritas, I think mine was Dragonfruit. Drinks were good but overpriced. There were no prices on the drink menu except one that said $3 to upgrade the size. Weird to tell you how much it is to upgrade it but not even prices of the actual drink? We didn't get a chance to be outside where the music was but eventually noticed that there's a check minimum of $25 per person to be able to sit out there with entertainment. I'll pass. Service was nice but nothing spectacular.

We had a surprisingly good lunch here today. We sat of the patio as we had our dog. They had a small band playing (not bad) but we sat away from them to limit the volume. She had the spinach mushroom omelet with extra crispy hash and I had the huevos rancheros. Both were delicious. Our waiter was very attentive and always able to help. He took extra care to ensure he had our order correct. Wish I had grabbed his name. Overall the place seemed large. 2 floors. I bet they have a hell of a night life

If you're a drinker and looking for good tapas to keep drinking the night away, great. If you're an eater and have young ones, this place can get rowdy and food options are standard. Just depends on your tastes and what you want to do; eat or drink...

Halloween night was a blast! Didn't go to celebrate per se so no costume but friends invited & night didn't disappoint. Food & drinks pricey for sure but once in a while we splurge. Patio ambience was on point. Suggestion? Light up ALL fire pits at same time since I had to ask 3 times? Live band was great.

I came here on a Friday night after being told to check out the spot for their live music. There was some music happening outside on the patio, but there was no spot for me to fit. I ultimately sat at the bar top. The bartender that helped me out was super sweet. The vibe wasn't the best for being someone there solo. I definitely fell out of place. I also saw that my card got charged twice. It was including someone else's drink. It's still in pending mode so I ultimately can't do anything about it and possibly the second charge will go away.Overall, it's a nice spot if you want to enjoy a bit of nightlife and maybe be able to sit rather than having to stand the whole time. It was definitely a packed place.

Good times at Coyote! Went to see my favorite local Toga Party Band here and as always the crowd is fun, the fireplace help you warm on cold nights like tonight, and even though very busy the service is still great.

Coyote Bar & Grill is aways a good spot to enjoy an evening date or the company of friends. The outside patio is usually pretty packed due to the varying live music performances, but on this last visit we made sure to arrive early enough since our favorite locals (Jimmy and Enrique) were playing. Since it was Tuesday night, there was a great deal on tacos a la carte. I had two grilled chicken and one shrimp taco and they were very tasty. The service overall was courteous and attentive. It is aways a good experience coming here and this time did not disappoint. We'll sure be back again for more dancing.

Husband and I were in the area to check out open houses and stopped in to coyote bar and grill for lunch. The live music drew us in. Fun rockabilly band playing great songs on the patio! We ordered the nachos with chicken which were huge and delish! Salsa was yummm! Our server Barbara was great! She Checked on us frequently but not obnoxiously! Very sweet and very helpful! We will definitely be back when we are in town! Fun vibe!

I love Coyote. Anytime I visit Carlsbad, I come here for lunch or dinner! We went on Saturday night and they were having a Love Island themed night! Live music, leis & fun costumes! The restaurant is loud, as expected with live music & party people! It didn't take away from our experience. I thoroughly enjoyed the food and our server Abby was excellent. The food was fabulous. The enchiladas were delicious. They also gave us a birthday beignet dessert which we absolutely devoured

I was at your venue last night and listening to fabulous music but I wanted to put a spotlight on your server Alexis. She was amazing and warm. We had a lovely time due to her excellent service and her authentic self. I live in chula vista but I will definitely come back.

I love this place. I always have a good time here. The couple times I have eaten here the food has been good. I mostly go for the live bands and DJ. Drinks are good and service has always been good. I think its good for all ages too. Its one of my go to spots when I am looking to go out.

Went here for lunch. Service was great. Came back later in the evening to hear live music and the bar tender was inexperienced, rude and over charged us. We had a group. Multiple bar tenders asked us what we wanted to drink. A bar tender then said to not order from multiple people. And I quote " do not do this tonight ". There was no accountability that the bar tenders were asking multiple people from the same group. We were also over charged. He counted by people we were with and not what we each ordered. I get that tips are important but come on.

Good food, good service and outdoor music has people dancing! We had chicken tortilla soup, cajun chicken penne and enchiladas and all were delicious.

From the service to the food to the drinks everything was great as expected. It's located in the heart of carlsbad and has live music. There are plenty of other areas to explore in walking distance. I've been going to the coyote bar & grill for years and it never disappoints. We started with the rattle snake eggs which are always a favorite! The breakfast burger was cooked perfect and was delicious. Nothing like a burger with a fried egg that explodes with yoke on the first bite. I also had there mimosa and also The Duke which both were great.The duke was one of the most refreshing mules I've had. If you've never been to the Coyote it is definitely one to check off the list!! My girlfriend had the Chilli Relleno which I had a bite of. It was great and also looked very appealing on the plate.

Been a frequent visitor to the Coyote and first time this early in the day. Family visiting from out of state and wanted to make sure they were impressed with one of Carlsbad's finest. Five of us for a mid-morning meal. We ordered 2 Steak and Bleu Salads, a Chili Relleno, BLT and the famous Fertility Salad (Cold Lime Chicken Salad). All dishes were excellent and the visitors gave the thumbs up. Service was excellent in a great setting.

From the food to the drinks to the hospitality, and live music on Sundays, and DJ on Saturdays highly recommend.. blood orange margaritas and egg rolls are awesomeness

10/14/25 Had lunch here today and mom and I both got food poisoning Staff is a little grumpy too

I came here for a quick visit for lunch. I sat down at the bar and was I surprised to be greeted the bartender Chelsea. She is the perfect personality for a bartender. I ordered a Diet Coke and she made it a fun experience that I switched over to a beer for my next drink. I wasn't planning on drinking, but with a bartender like Chelsea, it seemed like a good time to enjoy the witty banter and charm that she brought to the bar top. I ordered a steak and blue salad and a couple of tacos, steak and shrimp. Everything was delicious. Their happy hour is great, almost too great... I thought maybe Chelsea was messing around with me. $2 modelo and Pacifico, $3 tacos. I will definitely be back to see Chelsea and enjoy the bar vibe she provides

Had such a wonderful time here. The outdoor area is so cute, several different fire pits to sit around, both bench and chair seating. Plenty of TVs to watch the game, and the indoor area is really cute also. Now, as far as the food and drinks went, excellent! The steak and blue salad was so good, had some pecans and blue cheese and vinaigrette dressing, and the mix was perfect! The nachos were huge!!! So tasty, along with their black beans!! If you're ever in town I'd stop by, and the live music was a real hit!!!

Love This Spot, But Please Check the Water! This bar is one of our favorites -- my boyfriend, my parents, and our friends all love coming here. The vibe is always fun, the live music is great, and the drinks are usually spot-on. However, during our visit today, we ordered water with our drinks, and we noticed that the water had visible black specks or mold-like particles floating in it. It looked like it could be from an unclean ice tub, a water gun, or maybe the glasses weren't fully clean. My boyfriend also works in restaurants and said to check the ice machine. That's the one thing that normally gets overlooked where the filters are not actually cleaned properly. I don't want to bash this place at all because it's truly a great spot and we'll definitely be back, but I hope the team can check the ice bins, water guns, or glass washing process just to make sure everything's being cleaned properly. I'm only sharing this because I really love this place and want it to keep being amazing for everyone who visits. :)

TL;DR: Haven't had a chance to dine or drink at Coyote Bar & Grill yet, but the ambiance alone is worth a visit! Live music, lively dancing, and friendly folks make this place a delightful hangout. 4/5 Your Thoughts? 1/2 I can't comment on the food and drinks as I haven't tried them yet, but looking forward to it on an upcoming visit. Even without sampling the menu, the vibrant atmosphere created by live music and dancing sets this place apart. It's not just a bar and grill; it's a lively social venue. Expenses: 1/1 We were allowed to sit and enjoy live music for a bit without needing to purchase food or drinks. We just left a small tip for occupying the table. Location: 1/1 The staff was friendly and the venue buzzes with energy and friendliness. Parking is a hit or miss as availability differs drastically depending on time. We found parking in the small lot, but you may need to find street parking. Possibility of a Future Visit & Recommendation: 1/1 Although I haven't yet sampled the culinary offerings, the positive vibes and lively environment of Coyote Bar and Grill have already won me over. I'm eager to return not just to try the food and drinks but to relive the fantastic atmosphere. Highly recommended for anyone looking to enjoy good music and great company.

Had a bite to eat here on 10/26/24 after the Halloween parade in the village. Our food was delicious and served quickly.,I had Cajun chicken penne with mushrooms and vampire's bite from the Halloween drink menu. My daughter had the 1/2 rack of baby back ribs. We both enjoyed our food. We will be back.

This is a nice location and a great place to meet friends for dancing or brunch on weekends. Service is average as well as food and unfortunately portions and quality have recently changed. Good bar food in the evenings. Still a fun place to dance and mingle but average and pricey for portions/quality. Maybe I'll try sushi upstairs next time for dinner before dancing and drinks.

This was a great visit to this restaurant I took my friend for her birthday today for late lunch It was wonderful Our server Arielle was so kind and wonderful She gave us an amazing service and very polite The food was delicious I like the new look of the restaurant And I thought the prices were ok I have been there many times and I am so happy I went back to celebrate my friend

Food, service and entertainment all all great. Parking can be a problem. Arrive early or prepare to find parking on a nearby street (if you are lucky.)

​If you want your day brightened, go see Chelsea at the Coyote Bar & Grill in Carlsbad! I celebrated my birthday lunch there and she was an absolute delight. Her incredible attitude and sweet personality shone through in every interaction, making me feel so welcome and genuinely happy to be there. She's not just a fantastic bartender; she's a fantastic person who elevates the entire dining experience. A huge thank you to Chelsea for making my birthday lunch extra special.

Good meal. But when I paid and waited for my husband the other waitresses in the location never asked me if I needed anything more. I was in a roller walker too waiting for my husband usually ppl give refills on drinks etc. not one person came to my table after. I am a good topper too left f fifteen percent tip

Coyote Bar & Grill is my favorite place to hang out because they have food, drinks, and music. I love to dance. 1, the bouncers are wonderful; they watch over us whenever we go there. 2, the servers are very, very excellent 3, they got live bands and DJ after 10pm. 4, food and drinks are to die for; the price of food and drinks is not too bad. I've been going to Coyote since 2012 and will continue to go there. My favorite people who work there are the bouncers because they watch over us, ensuring we don't get too drunk or hurt others. My friends and I feel safe every time I go there.

I come to Coyote regularly on the weekends, especially Sundays, for the live music and good times with friends. I'm here right now with friends and unfortunately we had a bad experience. We ordered some drinks and french fries to get going. The server forgot to bring setups, salt, pepper, mayo, and lemon for the drinks even though we asked for all that up front. No big deal - one of my party simply asked for those things. The server said "don't speak to me in that tone". The outside patio where we are sitting is a loud place and my friend was using her 'outside' voice to be heard. By the way, my friend in question is a minister. She's a good person and definitely not offensive. So, after talking it over she decided to talk to the manager as this was a teachable moment. The manager, Steven, immediately denied that the server said what he said. Unbelievable. He not only denied it but offered up no apology or contrition at all. The manager turned a slightly uncomfortable situation into a really negative one. Tip for the future: If a customer takes the time to get up and go find the manager, there's a problem.

Girls night! We had no idea we were going to be dancing the night away to an awesome live band, but we did and boy did we dance! We had so much fun that two days later we returned for lunch and much to our surprise, another great live band! Food was good, drinks good, service by Jose-amazing!

We were in Carlsbad Village for the yearly Carlsbad 5000 and after the event, our group was lucky enough to find a table at this restaurant (the entire area was packed!). Our luck was reconfirmed when we discovered the food was superb! We ordered from the Brunch Menu and all twelve of us at our table vouched that the items we each ordered had a special chef's touch, really tasty and delectable. Mine was the Carnitas Omelette and my daughter's was the Chicken and Egg Enchiladas -- I know I will come back to taste these two again. The ambiance was relaxing, grand and elegant. Service was perfect.

Extra star because they're open late, but honestly that's the only reason to come here... because it's all that's open. There are a million significantly better bars and restaurants within 1/10 of a mile, if you're here it's because it's a weekday after 9

Eileen was amazing. She checked in with us regularly and she made us feel welcomed and she was friendly

I was attacked in the bar on 2/8/2025. When she tried to come back in i tried to tell security that their men inside had just walked her out for attacking me they tried to say she was allowed to come back in as she wasn't "officially" kicked out even though i showed them blood on my arm from a cut she gave me. She then attacked me AGAIN and a short security guard man handled me saying i was antagonizing her by securing my safety and making sure they didn't let her back in. I left the bar covered in blood on my chest, arm, shoulder, and forehead. The security guard then said that i shouldn't call the police. @ the owners: do better

Management was OUTSTANDING in dealing with an obnoxious Temecula Meetup Group. Read the "Real Housewives of Temecula" yenta drama below: Spouse and I have been coming to Coyote for 10+ years. It's a very busy venue on Friday and Saturday nights hosting great live bands with no cover charge. We arrived early and got our premium high-top table. One of the 'fire ring" seating areas was getting packed with a group from a Temecula "Meet-Up" group that felt like they owned the place. Fire Ring seating directly in front of the band staging area supports 8-10 seats, with that seating being rather cramped. This group kept on grabbing seats from other fire ring areas to deprive other of seats and "reserved" an additional 8 seats for guests that had not yet arrived. They were told not once but 4 times that you can't save seats for people not on property. They lied to staff saying the guests were "In the bathroom...". As they had been trying to "flex" on staff by pushing back on their several kindly worded requests to adhere to policy... staff checked to bathroom and confirmed there was no-one it it. The final straw for Coyote management was when, after being told four times not to pull chairs from other seating areas, they pulled chairs into their ring as people showed up. A visibly upset server, who had been berated by the group, involved management. KUDOS to the on schedule manager for kicking the entire Meet-up group out. As a former Meet-Up organizer, I talked with the group and explained that when a Meet-up is held at a venue and a crowd larger than 5 or so is expected, you contact management and discuss. This group totaled about17 folks (with more showing up) and was growing. Several members came up to me sharing their embarrassment over the rude Meet-up coordinator doing this. As the group left, the fire ring seats were immediately filled. I salute the manager on duty as he did the right thing in removing these obnoxious customers so he could protect his staff!

My family and I stumbled across this place, but we will definitely return. The food is delicious and Eileen provided phenomenal service.

It's been awhile since I went to Coyote Bar & Grille in Carlsbad. Last night reminded me why.... The place was crowded and it was very difficult finding a parking space. May need to go there maybe at 4pm to find parking and table.

The restaurant was spotless and had a very nice ambiance. The service was okay it took a while to get our order but the food is absolutely worth the wait. We sat inside but there is live entertainment all the time. I would come back again but be prepared to wait.

Nice ambiance, great food, but our waitress EILEEN was absolutely PHENOMENAL!!!! Made our vacation top tier. We'll be back for sure.