The Privateer Coal Fire Pizza

The Privateer is the bomb. Oceanside’s got more than its fair share of great restaurants and wild little corners, the kind of spots that feel alive even when the air feels a little dangerous, and honestly, feeling safe is overrated. This town was built by Marines, gangbangers, surfers, skaters, lifers, and now a wave of trust-fund babies rolling in with their kombucha and big ideas. But Privateer still has the soul of the old city baked right into the walls. The pizza slaps, the salads are legit, the sandwiches are stacked, the beer list makes sense, and the vibe is pure Oceanside, unpolished, unpretentious, and proud of it. Love this place!

First, best meat and cheese board in all of north county. Second, Nancy who helped us is amazing. She had so much knowledge of wine and just overall a great person to have a conversation with. We’ve come here many times but this visit was outstanding thanks to Nancy!

The food and atmosphere is great. The service has always been phenomenal, in which always makes us want to comeback. The coal fire is delicious, the cheese is perfection , when pulling a slice it just stretches! They also have outdoor sitting and is dog friendly. Love this place ! They also have great wine!

This is a fun restaurant to come to with a really good menu. We were made to wait even though there seemed to be a bunch of open tables. The pizza was excellent particularly the sauce. It was very interesting to have a coal burning stove. We had an appetizer of Brussel sprouts and they were pretty good.

I ordered fennel sausage pizza takeout, I should have questioned the fact that the order was complete in <15 min. Pizza was soggy in the center and the crust was non existent there as well. Sausage was pink -looked completely uncooked and generally rather tasteless. Overall this was a huge disappointment since the other reviews raved about the pizza here. As visitors guess we will still be looking for a yummy pizza place in O-side next time around.

Best family dinner we have had in a long time. Dominic was a great server and the staff in general was friendly and welcoming. We have two kids and they both enjoyed the food. Definitely our new go to.fungi pizza and the blue cheese burger top notch 👌🏼

Great pizza and good service! We snagged parking just out on the street since their parking lot was full. We got seated immediately. We ordered the roasted chicken wings and the goat hill pizza pie with an added topping of the fennel sausage. The chicken wings were quite big. We got the grilled pineapple habanero sauce which wasn't as spicy as I would've liked it to be. The wings were just ok. They didn't fall off the bone as much and could've been crispier. The pizza was delicious, no doubt! The sausage was the highlight but the red pepper pesto and goat cheese is a deadly (in the best way) combination! If you like meat, get the goat hill and add the sausage. When we go back, I will have this again! We didn't try the wine. We tried a beer and a kombucha. They were fine. Good experience except the wings. We will be back!

We had the brisket burger, fish tacos 🌮 🥗 Fries with the burger were plentiful. Had to share. Take out order made it home still hot and delicious. Staff when I picked up were super nice. Sorry I didn’t take photos…. I was bit hungry and we were watching the game.

First time here and it will not be our last. First off the customer service is top notch. Every one working was so friendly and outgoing. The food and the prices were very good. We had pizza salad and wings all were very good. My buddy has a gift of finding good places to eat and he found another.

Yo! Captain 619 here -- cruised into Privateer Coal Fire Pizza down in Oceanside and had a rad little sesh with their pies. The whole coal-fired idea sounded gnarly in the best way, and while I couldn't actually taste "coal," the crust had a cool, unique char and smoky vibe that set it apart from the usual spots. We tried a small cheese and tossed some pineapple on one for a Hawaiian twist -- tasty and fun, but next time I'm going big with a plain cheese to really see what their oven does. Vibes: chilled SoCal, good for a post-surf feed. Service was friendly, pizza came out solid. Score: 3.5/5 -- would definitely ride back for another round.

We used to love this place! The ambiance feels great and usually the staff is very friendly and kind. The main reason why we discovered this place some months ago was the Bread Pudding. The Food is amazing. We went at least 4 times and order by Uber eats a couple more times. We are huge fans of the pizza and that amazing bread pudding. However yesterday Aug-19 our experience was totally different. The restaurant close time is 9:00 and we always respect that so by the time we arrive (around 7:45) we already know what will be ordered including dessert. By 8:00-8:05 our pizza was already in our tables the same that the drinks and we mentioned to the waitress that we are making a space for dessert. After that no one even came to our tables. Nobody takes the order for the dessert (main reason why we were there) and our cups were empty in our tables for at least 20 minutes with nobody asking if we want more. We need to went to the cashier and pay our dinner and ask for a box for the leftover because literally NOBODIES CARES about anything. Also I want to mention that around 8:20 a couple arrived and they were literally thrown out without being able to order when CLOSING TIME IS 9:00, or I'm understanding that wrong? We were able to hear the awful situation because we are in the entrance door nearest table. It's worth mentioning that 40 minutes before closing time, they were literally cleaning and loudly throwing dishes, which anyone with a modicum of common sense would understand as a rude way of inviting you to leave. I'm being really generous with a 3 starts review because after that night even 1 start is too much because for us, people that works on the hospitality industry the service is the biggest thing, but honestly food is just amazing. So sadly another place with a big invitation of never visiting again.

Privateer was a lovely find on a Saturday night. We went just before closing and it was pretty quiet. The restaurant has a retro feel to it. The red leather booths really feel nostalgic. It's a family owned and operated establishment, which made it feel that much more special. Our server was wonderful and made sure we had everything we needed. They were starting to close up for the night, but we didn't feel rushed to leave. The drinks were pretty good and the pizza was even better. Definitely want to come back and check out more of their menu.

I really appreciate when a business takes the time to listen and make things right -- and The Privateer Coal Fire Pizza did exactly that. After my last visit, they reached out, addressed my concerns, and even refunded my meal. Not many places are willing to own their mistakes, but they truly care about their customers and it shows. They made me feel heard, took my feedback seriously, and turned a disappointing experience into a reason to give them another chance. Thank you to the team for your professionalism and commitment to improving -- it means a lot!

My husband and I love that we can usually walk right in and be seated and served right away. They have been a local favorite for years and can get quite busy, so be prepared to wait. Their parking lot isn't too big, so you can always find street parking instead. Our last server was very welcoming, kind, and attentive throughout our dining experience. We quickly ordered the SurfRide pie and the GF Cheese Pie with garlic roasted mushrooms. My husband and I enjoyed both pizza pies, but the SurfRide definitely stood out. There was just so much flavor in each bite. Next time I will definitely order the SurfRide as gluten-free for myself instead. I still loved the custom cheese pie as the garlic roasted mushrooms were just delicious. I thought their gluten-free crust was honestly amazing as I could barely taste the difference between the regular crust and the gf one. The only visible difference is the gf crust is flatter (as expected though). Honestly anything on their menu is delicious, and you can't go wrong with any order. If the weather is nice, I highly suggest sitting outside as it is worth it!

I had high hopes for this place. The pizza was meh though so won't be a returning customer. Also ordered a sub with fries. That was mas betta.

Cute little wine bar Finally got to try this place. Man the pizza was delicious. The crust was so perfect. Fluffy. With a little crunch. Nice and soft. Pepperoni was delicious. Meatball could have done without. Pasta was good. My daughter loved it. Service was great. Our waitress was super friendly, will definitely be back.

The pizza was perfectly cooked and the lasagna was delicious. I was pleasantly surprised to see they had a full bar because the website only mentioned wine and beer. The bartender Eric informed me they just added the bar a few months ago. He was also very friendly and engaging. Making my first impression of the place a really good one. Looking forward to my next visit.

I ordered the Privateer fish bowl which might sound strange at a Pizza place but, OH MY GOODNESS, it was one of the best restaurant dinners I've had. Fresh sesame crusted Ahi accompanied by a variety of other items that seriously blend together beautifully. My husband ordered pizza which would have been a lot better had he not seen my bowl . Next visit, we both will be getting the fish bowl. Our waiter was super nice and attentive. We never had to look around for him. The place itself isn't anything fancy but it was comfortable and clean Can't wait to go back.

I was staying down the street and enjoyed my dinner What I ate: - Meatballs: These were hearty, but not the absolute best meatballs I've ever had. I think a nice app to share with the table. Came with a few slices of crusty bread - Fungi pizza: The maitake mushrooms were great, butttttt I asked for no truffle oil and could smell it on the pizza when it came out. I wasn't going to complain, but it kind ruined the pizza for me. The dough itself was great, crust was on the thicker side - House red blend wine: This was surprisingly really good. I was so tempted to buy a bottle and/or try other blends Pros: - That wine list was impressive. I regret not opting for a wine flight to be able to taste more wines - Happy hour daily! - Though pizza is in the name there were plenty of things on the menu to appeal to everyone. They even offered robust salads for those wanting toi avoid the carbs - Pizza toppings seemed varied and interesting. I would say the pizzas were big enough for 2 adults to share. - Patio seating, and bar seating. They had a handful of 4top booths, and plenty of longer picnic tables for larger parties - Plenty of parking in the small lot at night. I'm sure street parking is easy to find as well if the parking lot is full - Staff was friendly Cons: - I really hated that truffle oil, but that's a personal preference and not the fault of this place Would I come again? Maybe, if anything for the wine

So I didn't try their wine, which I feel like might be their appeal so keep that in mind lol - It just felt like pizza idk nothing very special, the sauce was very strong and kind of overpowered the rest of the pizza - This entire coast area Oceanside to Carlsbad has sooooo many pizza places there is nothing really obligating you to eat here over other places. I'd recommend it for convenience, but personally I didn't taste or see anything on the menu that makes it especially different from the others

Great pizza and good service! We snagged parking just out on the street since their parking lot was full. We got seated immediately. We ordered the roasted chicken wings and the goat hill pizza pie with an added topping of the fennel sausage. The chicken wings were quite big. We got the grilled pineapple habanero sauce which wasn't as spicy as I would've liked it to be. The wings were just ok. They didn't fall off the bone as much and could've been crispier. The pizza was delicious, no doubt! The sausage was the highlight but the red pepper pesto and goat cheese is a deadly (in the best way) combination! If you like meat, get the goat hill and add the sausage. When we go back, I will have this again! We didn't try the wine. We tried a beer and a kombucha. They were fine. Good experience except the wings. We will be back!

We had a great meal at Privateer the black raspberry burrata was amazing nothing short of perfecto. Meatballs very good nice smooth sauce tasty meatballs. The only problem was I ordered chicken wings and they gave us a knuckle or something definitely looked nonedible. When I showed it to the a girl all she said was here let me get that out of your way. Well it wouldn't be a problem when chicken wings were 50 cents each but in today's day when you're paying $3 per wing and one of them comes inedible you would think they would do something even another wing. Attention restaurants and chefs when you look at the plate think if that's something you would want to receive don't just send it out with a dog on butt ugly knuckle on the plate look at the picture tell me if that's something you would order. Probably won't go back because of that. So come on chefs come on restaurant owners train your people to look at the food before they put it on the table. And then train them to respond properly when a customer points out a minor discrepancy. I truly expected better from Privateer.

Still one of my "go to" spots! I absolutely love Privateer! All the staff are super friendly and accommodating and remember you as a regular! They go above and beyond providing excellent customer service. They will often offer to modify order without even needing to request! I love how every so often they switch the menu! For a while the salmon Ceasar salad and pasta is all I could eat! Now they have switched to tuna and the Ahi salad is amazing! My favorite of all time are the mahi mahi taquitos and the chicken wings! I get those like once a week! The restaurant is always full but you never wait! The restaurant is clean and the vibe is always cool and relaxing! Maybe grab a beer after work! Maybe stop for a to go lunch! Maybe even have a sit down dinner! Not matter what you're looking to do- you won't be disappointed!

This spot is definitely one of my mom & I (she is Italian and I am half) favorite pizza spots in Oside. The staff is always pleasant, the pizza is delish, the caesar hits the mark, and the wine is a perfect pairing! The goat hill pie is SO. GOOD. Our waiter suggested to get a side of hot honey for drizzles and dips and that was the icing on the cake, if you will. Would definitely recommend this spot to anyone in the area. There is also enough seating for bigger parties outdoors and indoors.

Decent pizza with a hipster vibe. We found this place by accident and we're glad that we did. We had pepperoni and margarita pizzas. Both were good but not sure I was able to taste the coal fired smoke. They were on the small size for the price but the ingredients did taste fresh. We also had the strawberry salad and roasted cauliflower. The strawberry salad with goat cheese was the favorite out of everything we had. The half size is huge and easy split with three people. The cauliflower was just ok, not worth the price and I'd skip it. The overall experience was good but I do think their prices are high and that may push people to other nearby options where the food is similar but at a more affordable price.

I so wanted to love this place but it just fell flat for me. Opted for the Privateer salad and the Brixton pizza. (Order a half salad, it's massive.) The pie was supposed to be lemon zest ricotta and pepperoni but we weren't blown away. The crust on the pizza was insanely wet and couldn't hold up for taking bites. It was just unpleasant and not tasty. I was really hoping to find another local place to love in South O but I don't think I'll really ever head there again by choice. Service was great and my daughter loved the meatball. Cozy-ish inside when sitting at a booth. I hope I'm wrong, and perhaps I'll try it once more but undecided.

Eating vegetarian can be hard or limiting at times so I appreciated the falafel burger. Sooo yummy and my mom loved yhr tofu sandwich. My hubby loved his pizza and the service was great. We will be back

Loved this place! We've driven by and it's always crowded so we made a reservation to try it. The food was really great. We got the bread platter and the burrata cheese was so fresh and flavorful with the pesto and roasted tomatoes. The roasted cauliflower came with a really great tahini sauce and mixed topping. The Caesar salad was good with the half size plentiful for a party of 4-6. Lasagna was really fresh and the mix of meats made it really tasty. We really liked The Wendy pizza with fresh basil on it. Service is amazing and everyone was so wonderful and friendly. This is a good place if you like dinner with wine, hanging out with friends, and having dinner with family. We'll be back!

Great pizza tonight! The privateer half salad is huge and generous amounts of blue cheese, dried cranberries and walnuts. 1/2 price wine bottle Wednesday!

Nice little find! Outdoor/Indoor seating, really nice staff, and a great selection of pizzas! We shared the Brixton and the Surf Ride pies and both were super good! The lemon zest ricotta on the Brixton was great and the Surf Ride has infused honey, which I'm all about! They also had a good selection of beer/wine which is a plus! Overall a nice spot for a pizza that I definitely enjoyed! Stay Cheerful

I am SO impressed by the food here!! Everything is incredibly flavorful and fresh. The fungi pizza is bomb and the chicken wings are some of the best I've ever had--just perfect. The service stands out as always very friendly and attentive. This restaurant checks all the boxes and we'll be back many, many more times.

My friends and I stopped by on a Friday night for a glass of wine and some delicious food, and we were not disappointed! Their pizza is fantastic, and I loved that many menu items come in gluten-free options. We enjoyed the choice of indoor or outdoor seating, with convenient parking available in the residential area behind the building. Most dinner dishes are around $20, and we were lucky to catch their happy hour, which features house wines until 6 PM. The service was friendly, the atmosphere was welcoming, and the casual vibe made it the perfect spot to unwind with friends.

I've lived in Oceanside my whole life and would always pass by privateer but never made it in until recently. And wow! I have been missing out!! The pizza has such a fresh taste and is absolutely delicious. The prices are appropriate for what you're getting and the service is stellar. I've been dreaming about the pizza since we last went (and all we got was a regular pepperoni lol). Seating inside is limited for bigger parties but the outside works great! Definitely putting this is my top go to for nights out.

Privateer is top notch across the board! This place used to be a staple in my weekly diet, however now living much further away I haven't frequented it regularly. Last night I hosted our book club here and it reminded me of just how much I love it! First of all, the staff is exceptional. Friendly, helpful, caring and passionate about their establishment. Our server Liv really went above & beyond for our party of 7. The manager also made an appearance to help troubleshoot Repegs with me. Additionally, a friend in our group announced she was pregnant and she was not only congratulated by many members of staff, they also sent out a delicious complimentary dessert. The menu is bomb. They have everything from snacks, to salads, to pastas & other entrees and then of course, pizza. They have many gluten free and vegan options/substitutions as well. We got the strawberry salad which was large enough for all of us to have 1.5 helpings and three pizzas. Bonus, it's all night happy hour on Thursdays. Don't sleep on this gem.

Really good coal fire pizza. Ordered the fungi and surf ride pie. Loved the habanero infused honey on the surf ride pie. Large selection of wines. Great service. Small parking lot but I was able to find street parking in the neighborhood.

Coal fired pizza is great here, smaller than a full sized pie from delivery places, but definitely quality. Ambiance is nice with the wine setting and selection. They even have free comedy shows on Tuesday nights, so it makes a great date or girls night. Would recommend!

A Mixed bag! We had heard good things about this establishment, but ... The Good: The service was excellent! Server was friendly and attentive. The grilled cauliflower and the massive salad with cranberries and assorted lettuce and veggies were excellent... the highlights of the meal! The Mediocre: The pizza was shockingly average. The crust was pretty good but a bit soggy. The toppings seemed to be undercooked and were without much flavor. My son and I were surprised as we had heard good things about the pizza.

The Biria grilled cheese with a dip was fabulous! We also enjoyed 2 Italian subs. Fries were served with all sandwiches.

Excellent coal fired gourmet pizza with elevated starters. Loved the burrata salad! Loved the plain cheese pizza pie!

Cozy little place. We had the Surfrider pizza. The white sauce and spicy honey is definitely flavorful in the truffle fries mouthwatering. The service was family owned like. Definitely a go to place. The prices are not outrageous and they have quite a selection of different items. And a happy hour every day!

WOOOOOOOOW!!!!! This is such a remarkable find... so yummy and fresh/real food! Strawberry Salad is amazing, roasted cauliflower, eggplant parmigiana, absolutely something for every one of your crew, stop reading this and GO!

A great spot in Oceanside! Lots to choose from on their menu! I love that they have a lot of gluten free options too. I ordered the Captains Pie with their gluten free crust and it was sooo good! Their salads are amazing too! Even the half order is big enough to share. They have lots of wine to choose from as well. I was a fan of their Privateer Sauvignon Blanc and Red blend. They have indoor and outdoor seating here. Dogs are allowed on the patio too. Plenty of parking here which I appreciated. Overall great service and food!

A varied menu of Mediterranean and American fare, so there's lots of options for folks. The food missed seasoning and prep overall, though the pizza is pretty killer. 5/5 pizza - crispy exterior, perfectly cooked crust. Sauce was subtle, but the best part was the honey drizzle. Definitely a highlight. 3/5 cauliflower - it's called crispy cauliflower but it had no trace of crispness. Tasted like a blanched and roasted under seasoned head of cauliflower with a really nice sauce and cashews. I'd love if they had a chili oil crunch on top for added texture. 1/5 seafood paella - it didn't make sense. It was an under seasoned (like no salt at all) tomato seafood soup with baby scallops that tasted defrosted. The rice was basically a baked ahead of time cake thing, that sat like a boat in tomato soup. This isn't paella. No saffron flavor, overly tomato-y. We were hype on this and it just didn't work. It was nice to sit outside (sans the recurring fly that hovered the whole time) and our server was nice. The beer selection is decent. Would come back to try other pizza pies.

Love this place! We come every time we are in town! Inside has been expanded and ambience is great! Casual but upscale and amazing food! Highly recommend!

We absolutely love Privateer! This is our go-to spot for both casual dinners and special events. Last year, we hosted our rehearsal dinner here, and just this past weekend, we came back for our son's baptism celebration lunch--and both experiences were incredible. Sage was amazing to work with--so kind, accommodating, and helpful with planning everything from the menu to the bar setup. The entire staff is warm, attentive, and really goes the extra mile to make sure your event feels special. The space itself is inviting and has that perfect South O's local charm. And the food? Absolutely delicious. We always rave about the Privateer salad and their all their pizzas--can't go wrong with anything on the menu! As a family-owned restaurant, they truly make you feel like part of the community. Whether you're hosting a small event or just grabbing a bite with friends, we can't recommend Privateer enough!

Still really enjoy their pizzas! Nicely cooked in their stone oven. I usually just make my own and I just get basic pepperoni and jalapeños. Their jalapeños are fresh, I prefer the pickled one, but it's still really good. Their sausage and mushrooms pizza is excellent too! This time we decided to get the muffuletta which is basically a hot Italian sandwich. It was delicious. The deli meats were quality and the spread was this chopped pepperonici olive tapenade with lemon vinaigrette. Get it!

Eric was amazing . Food tastes wonderful ! Sage is the man! Thanks always This is place is the bomb digity

Excellent thin crust pizzas with high quality ingredients. We've been coming here ever since we moved up to north county five years ago. I'd recommend anything off their menu from pizzas, wings, hot sandwiches, and salads. It's a cool casual spot to bring the dog and wife for a delicious pie and a couple of suds. They've got a great local beer selection on tap as well. Good parking Good service

We haven't been back to this restaurant in years. I was craving some pizza and we were driving by this place. So we stopped in. I forgot how good this pizza was. It reminded my husband and I of New York style pizza. We loved it. We got 2 pizza's. They are are the smaller side. If we hadn't eaten ice cream before coming here, we definitely would've needed to order another pizza just for my son alone! lol I loved how the pizza was nice and thin and crispy on the bottom. They cook all the pizza in the wildfire oven. Which give the crust a good crisp on the bottom. I loved the pizza I ordered, the Fennel Sausage Pie. The sausage had a very good flavor with the sauce on the pizza. It went well with it. My daughter wanted a pepperoni pizza and we did like it. But the cheese was a little overwhelming. There's was a lot of it. I think next time we will say light on the cheese. We definitely will be back soon. To try other pizza and pasta!

We went in for a nice lunch because we have been before. But this last time we went in the service was terrible! We got waiter and a high chair for our son after asking for it. After that our water actively avoided us, made eye contact with my wife and proceeded to turn his back and laugh and joke with the line cook. This went on for 10 minutes and we decided to leave and take our business somewhere else and we weren't even asked why we left. We've been going here for years but that was just a huge disappointment and probably won't recommend friends or go back.

We got the Cassidy and the chemistry pizzas, both of which were nice, but not earth shattering. Just reliable good pizzas with a nice crunchy but chewy crust. Seems like their menu is updated often which is cool. Ambiance seemed nice indoors but we sat outside since it was a beautiful day. Services was very attentive and I liked that they took the repegs app which gives a local discount.

Pizza is omg good. there is so many selections though you can go wrong. The servers are nice in making suggestions if you are not quite sure.

I was looking for a vegan pizza in the area and found a good one! I had the OKC pie. I love that they make their own cashew cheese and sunrizo sausage made with sunflower seeds I believe. They also used a sweet potato sauce which was amazing!

Best pizza in Oside! And the pesto pasta is the best I have ever had! I tried to buy the pesto recipe from the kitchen and they wouldn't sell it to me!!! Every time we are in town we have multiple dinners here always fresh and incredible!

Such a vibe on the wine bar side of the restaurant (there are two sides, different feel on each - but this one's definitely my favorite). Tonight was extra special thanks to Nancy, a fabulous wine expert, who totally elevated the experience. She's incredibly knowledgeable about the wines and made us feel genuinely welcome -- we are regulars but tonight felt extra special. Really also appreciate the large food menu accommodating of all dietary preference! Can't wait to come back again soon to dine and try more wine!

Cole, I was back ... On Tuesday for lunch. Although tempted for the mussels again, I had the salad with walnuts and ate half of the Half!! Wednesday the other half was delicious, too. I did add diced Vidalia onions 'cause I love onions. Look forward to new palate pleasers. I will take pictures next time.

Food (5/5 stars): The highlight was the pepperoni. LOVED its crispiness. The amount of cheese and sauce was perfect Experience (5/5 stars): * Price: a little pricey but worth it * Wait Time: pizza was ready when we picked it up * Service: good and friendly * Parking: there's a small parking lot * Ambiance: it's a modern and rustic restaurant