Masters Kitchen and Cocktail

I’ll definitely come back and review again after this place has had time to practice a little more. I know they’re new and they’re honestly doing a great job with what they have so far.
Their cocktails are on point!
I’m excited to come back when the servers know the menu a little better and the kitchen staff gets a little bit better at not undercooking the food quite so much. Our hush puppies, while delicious, were totally raw in the middle and our poached eggs still had partially raw whites.
But all in all, it was good, just a little pricy for a meal short of perfect. I’ll be back in a few weeks.

I have been hesitant to write a review, but people should know this is NOT the place to go on a holiday or for any special event.
My husband decided to take me out on New Years for dinner and he decided on Masters because of his friend’s suggestion, all of the positive reviews and the menu, specifically the lamb chops.
We had 8pm reservations and arrived a few minutes early. Knowing it was a holiday we made sure to make reservations and figured it would be busy. The host seemed totally unsure what to do when our reservation time came and went and we discovered it was his first day on the job. We waited a half and hour past our reservation only to be sat in the bar area which we could have sat in all along, as it was open seating.
It took several minutes to be greeted by the server and to even get a glass of water. When she finally did come over we had questions about the menu and then we stated we needed a minute to order it. It was over 15 minutes before we could get someone to take our order, and come to find out they were out of the lamb chops, that a table of 8 just order all they had. We ordered drinks and were not asked if we wanted more, nor were our waters ever refilled. When our meal finally came, the fries were cold, we asked for ketchup which never came and had to get up to ask a busser for it another 10 – 15 minutes later. The waitress was covering too much area and they seemed super short staffed for any day let alone a holiday.
I understand that things happen, running out of some of the menu items, being busier than normal due to NYE, host working their first day, short staffed etc, however none of these should be the customers problem when paying for a dining experience.
We did speak to a manager who apologized and took a bit off of the bill, we did mention that our food was cold but we were very hungry at that point and just ate it.
The restaurant it self is great visually, and the drinks were fantastic. The food was good, but seemed a little pricey. Our server was friendly when she came around, but she couldn’t keep up with how many tables she had.

Had Dinner last Night at Masters. It had been a while since our last visit. Linda and I were very pleased with the great service, cozy atmosphere and great food.
I’ve been on a medicinal, High Nutrient Vegan style diet for about 5 months and frankly it’s been challenging to find a restaurant that serves or cares about serving high quality nutrient rich foods. Although Masters menu selections didn’t reflect the exact ingredients I was looking for, the Server (Ashley)and the Kitchen went out of their way to provide a wonderful nutrient rich meal.
Amazing.
Thank you Masters and your awesome Staff for going the extra mile for me. Can’t wait to go back.

Omg never again! It took over an hour to get our food. Even while we waited there was no check in from the waiter or refill on water.
They were out of almost everything on the menu & they kept proudly apologizing and saying they were really busy and backed up. Ummm duh! It’s Saturday during playoffs, ya think?! I was not impressed, the food finally came & it was just ok. Kinda pricey and no check in after a few bites. Needless to say, we won’t be back not recommending this place. LTH is sooo much better!
I’m mad I waisted my money on this place.

This place is GREAT.
I’ve been here a bunch of times, and find myself craving their food.
Here’s the breakdown:
The Mac n’ Cheese is STUPID GOOD! Best thing on the menu.
Brunch here is better than anything in, or near Oceanside.
Cocktails all look like they are pictures out of a book.
Everyone is really nice, and I haven’t really ordered anything that I haven’t liked.
Atmosphere is relaxed.
I like the fact that we can all sit on the community couches in front and have a few drinks after we’ve had dinner.
Very nice touch. Oceanside needed something like this.
See ya Sunday for Brunch and Football!

I’ve been to Masters quite a few times, I’ve just never posted a review! This one is based on my latest experience on January 9^th, 2016.
I had my birthday lunch here, called the day before to make a reservation for 24, girl who answered was super nice, Ireland I think her name was. She had great customer service, so far so good! Received a call the morning of confirming our reservation and they were just as nice.
The service was awesome! Our server, Justin did such a great job catering to our table. It wasn’t too busy, so I don’t know if they typically split the checks per party but he did for us, it made life easier considering we had families, singles, and doubles, thanks again for that!!! Justin, was the real MVP.
The food. I ordered a variety of appetizers for the table, brussels sprouts, truffle fries, onion rings, and the 3 different flatbreads all were delicious! The brussels sprouts were a hit, there were a few more orders made within our party-​they had a nice bite to them, the bacon added such a nice touch to each bite too. I’ve read a few different reviews and one recurring factor was the kale salad, so I ordered that as my entrée. I ABSOLUTELY LOVED IT! I added chicken (additional $ 6) to the salad, it didn’t need it all, I just had quite a few drinks, so it was really for balance. ;) The salad itself was huge, shareable for sure! I’ll be coming back for that! I had a bite of a friends mac and cheese, and man was it good too!
There’s a few parking spaces right next to the restaurant I don’t know if that’s their designated parking lot, but theres maybe 10 spaces. Street parking is your best bet-​just look both ways when crossing! Hill street can get a little busy, especially on the weekends.
Masters, is perfect for Oceanside! We’ve been needing a place like this here!

Food: lots of tasty dishes here. Truffle fries are crisp and salty. They can feed 3 – 4 people at least. Brussel sprouts are very tasty and come w small strips of thick bacon. Onion rings and the sauce are delicious. Their flat breads are also pretty good and come w about 8 slices. I shared a chicken club sandwich for my meal today. Bread had great moisture w a bit of a crunch. Chicken was tender and not dry. Avocado was a little scarce on my section. Lettuce was fresh. The sandwich was $ 16 and comes w truffle fries.
Service: all the staff were super friendly and helpful. They were very accommodating for our large party. All the orders were put in correctly. Plates were cleared timely and drinks were refilled promptly. Food was served at the perfect temperature. Tables were reserved for our large party. The place was not busy at all on Saturday for lunch. We did not have to wait at all.
Atmosphere: large open setting w lots of different seating. There is outdoor seating w heaters overhead and a TV outside. Bar section w bar height tables for 4. Booths w seating for 4. There is also seating along a wall that have pillows at your back. These tables can be reserved for a large party. There are large TVs in the bar area.
Parking: street parking was not an issue on a Saturday around lunchtime. All parking is free around here. Just look out for the street sweeper signs on the area.

I chose Masters for my NYE dinner as it was recommended by friends and had great reviews.
1) The food here is Good, a bit pricey for what it is but tasty
2) The Drinks here were excellent
The reason for a poor revue is due to the overall experience here.
We had reservations, however we were sat at the bar after a half hour when we could have sat there all along as it was open seating
The waitress was covering too much area, when we stated we needed a minute to order it was over 15 minutes before we could get someone to take our order, We ordered drinks and were not asked if we wanted more, nor were our Waters refilled. When our meal came, the fries were cold, we asked for ketchup and had to get up to ask a busser for it 10 – 15 minutes later
I understand that things happen, running out of some of the menu items, being busier than normal due to NYE, Host working their first day, short staffed etc, however none of these are my problem when I pay for a dining experience.
I did speak to a manager who apologized and took a bit off of the bill, I did mention that my food was cold but we were very hungry at that point and were going to eat it (Cold Fries, Bone Marrow).
The restaurant it self is great visually, and again I have zero complaints against the taste of the food or drinks

I attended a fantastic YEE a few months ago here…‘dinner with the chef’. The food was so delicious, I decided to come back. The menu is seasonal, always changing… and always good.
It was pretty empty when we arrived on a Wednesday night. The layout here is perfect. One side of the restaurant is the bar/​cocktail area and the other part is a typical restaurant layout. The front area is open (it was an old garage renovated into a restaurant)…great breeze!
Hana was our server, easy-​going, no rush attitude which is always welcomed. Who wants to rush through a fantastic meal anyway? Defeats of the purpose of the social aspect of eating, right?
For starters, we enjoyed the winter spiced pork belly. Three nice sized bites. Our entrees consisted of their spiced brine pork chop and beef stroganoff (Hana’s suggestion– and it was perfect because I was craving pasta!) Dessert was a baked cranberry crumbly top melt in your mouth and warm your belly type of dessert. No clue what the name was since I stepped away from the table while it was ordered. It came with ice cream.
Oh, and two drinks. Master’s and Mule… plus a beer.
All in the all, the meal was delicious. The menu is limited but that means the culinary staff really focuses on these dishes and knows what they are doing. I’ll definitely be back!

Very cool space.
The layout, design, etc.
Eclectic cocktail menu, and the happy hour offerings were great.
I had the «75^th Street Fizz», crispy brussel sprouts with bacon, and a couple of oysters. (Beer chaser, of course)
All of it was lovely. I’m only giving it 4 stars because my food was cooked before my drink was mixed. Lame. And no, it wasn’t crowded, and they had 3 bartenders.
Also, for those final 5 minutes before HH was ending, the entire wait staff was hob knobbing in the kitchen, I had to get the hostess to order my beer before time expired. You guys ought to fix that.

First time here. Pleasant atmosphere.
The positives :
Good food.
The kids mac and cheese as well as the kids pizza were both very good. The Master Burger is one of the best burgers I have had in a long time. The truffle fries it comes with are very good as well.
The in between: it is a bit pricey, however the quality of the food does not disappoint, so one could argue, it is worth the price. I did expect the the burger to be a bit bigger for the price paid, however I was plenty full so can’t really complain either.
Negatives:
The waitress did not offer to refill our drinks. She was very friendly however so I think she was just having a moment; we’re all human.
Overall, it was a pleasant experience, we will definitely be back. Looks like a good place to come for a date as well. Drink menu and apps look good.

The dining menu is fairly small but has a nice selection of small plates, few sandwiches and some entrees. I think there’s probably at least 1 item everyone would like. Price is $ 16 for the hamburger but it comes with truffle fries.
Everything looks good on paper and was perfectly executed on the plate. I had the catch of the day (salmon). It was cooked through and was moist, mild and flaked apart with a light press of my fork. It was surrounded by pomegranate seeds, chopped root veggies and buttered herbs. There was cubes of fried polenta that I didn’t care for much. Crunchy outside and soggy center. The cubes were topped with fried salmon skin which was my favorite part of the dish!
They had a great cocktail, wine and beer selection as well.
Our server Justin was outstanding and made sure that we had a great experience every step of the way.

Have you ever had one of those days at work where you JUST NEED A DRINK!!! I’m sure we all have. Last week I had that same issue and just wanted to drink something during happy hour. This place was nearby and worth the stop.
I’ve had this place bookmarked for a few weeks and so I knew it was next on my list of places to try. We came in and wanted to sit by the bar for happy hour. I got red wine and my husband got a few different craft beers.
We looked at the menu and everything sounded enticing so we ended up getting food, more food than I expected to get, but it was fine because the food was so good. We got the roasted brussel sprouts, the lamb meatballs and the fig crostinis and they did not disappoint! My husband said it was one of the best brussel sprouts dish he’s had in awhile. It says a lot since I cook brussel sprouts for him rather often.
We decided to give in and order more food. I got the chorizo and mussels and my husband got the chicken club sandwich with parmesan truffle fries. Neither one of us could finish it so he took his home and I tried to finish as much as I can. This was the first time that I couldn’t finish my plate of mussels. They offered so much and EACH and EVERYONE OF THE MUSSELS were in the shells, no empty shells. KUDOS! The broth was delicious and went perfectly with the bread they had on the side.
Great place and cute, whimsical, rustic ambiance. I love that the layout is so open. What a great way to end your day. Definitely worth a stop!

+ great happy hour menu
+ truffle fries
+ wings
+ Kobe sliders
+ coconut shrimp
+ friendly staff
+ open space, hip restaurant, open view of kitchen
+ good sized menu, will keep me coming back to try the other foods
— greasy onion rings
— bad azz babas, sorry but not a fan

OH MY! The Old Fashions here are to die for! Served with quite a remarkable ice cube of the spherical variety and a black cherry, I would say this isn’t their first time making my favorite drink.
My party went in to Masters to grab a drink before dinner down the street. The place was pretty busy, but the bartenders were very accommodating despite everything. All of our drinks were world class. The atmosphere was very cool. Hipster trendy in the right ways. We only came here for drinks, so next time I will be wanting the full experience.

On the weekend, upon completion of an afternoon of vintage furniture shopping we decided to visit Master’s Kitchen. It was a good choice for a mid-​day meal as our timing was between the lunch and dinner hour.
We sat at one of the high tables in the bar area that looks out towards the lounge and to the coast. The environment was very low key, with music playing at just the right level and couple of people sitting at tables and the bar.
Our menu selections included:
The Rosemary Lemonade — w/​Gin
Sherry Marinated Fig Crostini — served with my favorite cheese… Humboldt Fog with basil and honey.
Chicken Salad Sandwich w/​Truffle Fries — the bread was lightly toasted — which didn’t feel like eating bread at all, as it was so light itself.
Buttermilk Battered Onion Rings — largest onion rings either of us have encountered in our life.
Signature Candy Bar Dessert — comprised of a chocolate mousse and a hazelnut crunch base.
The food and drink were thoughtful, well prepared and came out in a timely manner. We received attentive service from our server and the management checked in on us during our dining experience. We enjoyed the rustic décor and large garage doors that open up to the panoramic view of the Coast Highway. My primary suggestion is to make the cocktails a little larger (I felt the glass size on the lemonade was small) and have even more starter options that may pair well with the entrée dishes.
Good food, near the beach is a growing trend and I’m happy we now have more choices.
Clearly, they are mastering the art of food and drink here at Masters Kitchen and Cocktail.

Dr. William Masters, along with Virginia Johnson, pioneered research into the nature of human sexual response from 1957 until the late ‘90s. Whats that? The owner is Ryan — not William? No relation? Oops. Let me start over.
Masters Kitchen, a bar, lounge, and restaurant is located in what was once a drag car shop. A few steps from the beach in Oceanside, the focus is on California casual, farm-​to-​table food paired with a craft cocktail program.
Chef Chris G. cut his culinary teeth at Mister A’s and The Lodge at Torrey Pines in La Jolla. Here you will find fresh and local ingredients prepared in his artisan style.
The cocktail impresario here is Tommy S. — formerly of Chicago martini lounge: «The Department». Whether your pleasure is whiskey, vodka, gin, tequila, or rum, you will know that Tommy is in full charge of this «department».
We were seated facing the ocean, enjoying the cool sea breeze with the 2 full sets of roll-​up walls all the way open. Currently they have a menu of 5 classic cocktails and 9 craft cocktails designed to change with the seasons.
We began our journey with drinks and sherry-​marinated fig crostini topped with Humboldt Fog goat cheese. If our meal were to end abruptly, we would have been content (I don’t smoke, but get me a cigarette).
But why end abruptly, this isn’t a lab experiment. We continued forth with a chicken salad sandwich on brioche; Parmesan truffle fries; crispy buttermilk battered onion rings with house-​made ranch, and finished with the signature dessert (more on that later).
Everything was well-​prepared and savory. The chicken salad was tender, moist, and flavorful; complimenting the light buttery brioche bread. The extraordinary truffle fries and onion rings awakened our taste buds– a culinary ballad of crisp, tender, warm, and salty, offset by the cold, semi-​sweet dipping sauces.
Staff was very knowledgeable about the menu and delivered perfectly. You never want to hear the words «I don’t know?!» from your doctor, airline pilot, or dining waitstaff.
As a final note, don’t leave without getting the signature Candy Bar dessert. This is a milk chocolate and hazelnut mousse on a praline chocolate crunch bar. If William and Virginia were still around, your enjoyment of this dessert would break the machine.
#MastersAndJohnson
#OceansideFoodExplosion
#CandyBarDessert

With family from out of town visiting us, I wanted to impress them by taking them somewhere they wouldn’t be able to get back home. After them perusing the menu, they decided on Masters, which was perfect for me so I could check another bookmark off!
We arrived a little before 4 on Thursday because we were going to Oceanside’s Sunset Market right afterwards, which starts at 5. Since us girls hadn’t eaten much during the day, we were looking forward to sinking our teeth in some decadence!
Upon arriving our host told us, do we want to the lunch menu or Happy Hour menu, and debating on which one we wanted, I just said we’ll take both! Then she said or you could wait an hour and eat off the dinner menu. I’m depleted from lack of food, don’t make things too complicated!
After my cousin headed towards the tables, the host said, «Oh no! You can’t sit there because it’s for dinner only.» I could see she was a bit frustrated with that but then we moved towards the bar section. After we got seated our server came to us and said,“Oh I’m sorry we’re not serving lunch, only Happy Hour!” **This is where I smacked my hand against my face** It’s already one thing where you come in with a set mind and know what you want to eat, then to have it completely shattered because you came in during those wonky hours.
So after a few hiccups, we just settled on ordering from the Happy Hour menu. While the Happy Hour list is a good list, when you’re dead set on a getting an entrée and have to order finger food instead, it didn’t really satisfy us. Yes we ordered 6 plates off the Happy Hour menu and my favorites were the Kobe Sliders and Truffle Fries. Most of the food is delicious, however all of it was fried and I wanted something more substantial, which I know they have because I looked at their food pictures before going. Granted they have one or two items that weren’t fried, but didn’t appeal to us.
The host and waitress were nice and pleasant in-​spite of the miscommunication! They also brought us a comment card on our thoughts to which I hope they take our comments into consideration!
Pros:
Variety of Happy Hour
Good Moscow Mule/​Beers
Pleasant Staff
Cons:
No Parking Lot– Street Parking only (which can be bad in Downtown Oceanside at night!)
Should serve lunch until dinner and have Happy Hour as an option
Slightly expensive for Happy Hour, but still get your money’s worth
Some miscommunication
However, I definitely want to come back and try their dinner and I’ll update my review then!

Welcome to the very best of the hipster trend! A nice, upscale-​looking place with a really nice ambiance/​feel, even for those that aren’t a huge fan of all things hipster (like myself). Booths have high backs so you don’t see any other patrons which gives a nice feeling of privacy.
Stopped by for a quick appetizer on a Monday evening, and unfortunately happy hour ended at 7 (the drink menu looked very interesting) and they had no specials going on.
Ordered the mussels which came with very buttery and crispy pieces of focaccia. Noms. The mussels were small and a lot of the shells were empty =(but the flavor was pretty good.
Everything on the menu is pretty pricey but it’s a nice spot and would make for a good date night/​outing. Will come back to try their drinks and entrees.

I don’t know why I waited so long to come here! It was GREAT!
Wednesday around 6pm was a perfect time to experience this place. It wasn’t crowded so we had the full attention of our server!
Things my friends and I ordered that I would HIGHLY recommend:
–Pork Belly Macaroni and Cheese, they were out of duck so they made a substitute, so yummy and still the same price!
–Truffle Fries, very good, portion was huge (I think they were $ 8, a little overpriced but you can totally share)
–Cheeseburger, fresh bun, cooked medium well, delicious. So juicy.
–Madagascar Vanilla Bean Vokda w/​Cranberry Juice, SO ORGANICALLY GOOD. They infused it themselves and it’s so different than say Stoli or Absolut. Try it!
–BOTH White and Red Sangrias, both equally tasty. The brown liquor (I think Grand Marnier) was a hit. Great addition to the drink!
All drinks are in the $ 8-​$ 12 area, most being $ 10 unless you get a fancy glass of nice wine!
The food also is pretty reasonable– appetizers/​small bites/​sandwiches are less than $ 15, but the dinners are $ 20+ I’d say!
The décor is of course adorable, they have exposed brick, wood palates, cute pillows, kick ass looking bar! They have patio furniture in the front so you look out onto the 101. Not the best view haha but a comfy one!
I will be back– their happy hour looks fun :)