Public House

My friends and I stopped by here for a quick bite to eat. I had the pomegranate salad which was very filling. My friends ordered the basket of fries which is large enough to share between a few people. Good selection of beer and neat location.

The ambiance was wonderful. Really enjoyed the patio and our server. That’s all the positivity I can muster about this place. Which is disappointing because we visited the restaurant on the advice of a local that we trust.
In glancing at the menu, my first thought was «this must be an inexperienced and overzealous chef.» Trying too hard. Way too hard.
I ended up getting the Kobe/​duck burger because they were out of the only other thing thing on the menu that looked mildly appealing. If I would have been able to taste anything other than the massive amount of balsamic on the burger it might have been enjoyable. But it wasn’t. I like balsamic (and regularly buy high end balsamics) but for $ 16 I would’ve liked to enjoy the flavor of the Kobe or duck or beets on this burger, too. The fries were also covered in vinegar and so were the brussels we ordered as an appetizer. Too much sugar. Too much vinegar. On everything. It was very disappointing.
It wasn’t worth the money and there will not be a return trip.

Been coming here for years.
Food, staff and atmosphere always 100% on point…
Thanks Heather for a great time.

Fun place to eat with friends. Live music. Lots of good food to choose from.
Parking close is the only downside, but there is public parking not far and then you can walk around Old Town Temecula after dinner.

Such a cute spot in the heart of Old Town Temecula! We stopped by for lunch before heading over to the wineries, and were greeted by very friendly staff. It’s a fairly small place, but luckily it wasn’t too crowded so we were seated immediately.
The food here was pretty good! Some of the highlights that other Unilocalers had previously mentioned were not offered on the lunch menu for the day (I believe they switch up the menu depending on what’s in season). Per the waitress’ suggestions, however, we ordered the reuben and the special fish of the day (salmon over mashed potatoes). We also ordered some root vegetables. My favorites were the salmon and veggies! Everything was very fresh and well prepared. Not overly seasoned, which I appreciated. Portions here are really big, so you definitely won’t be leaving hungry.
Parking was a bit difficult to find at first with some of the construction going on, but they do have a space near city hall and free street parking.

Environment: A
Service: A
Food: THE WORST
$ 70 dollars worth of crap. The beer was the only good part of our meal.
Never again.
Ever.

Came here for a birthday dinner with a group of four. We had a reservation and were seated outside in the sub-​40 degree weather. Originally, I wasn’t happy about this since we I made the reservation we were not asked if we preferred indoor or outdoor seating. I didn’t think to request indoor seating as I had never been to the venue before.
Our table was near an area heater and gas firepit. Our server also checked for us for indoor tables available, saw none, so gave us all blankets.
Menu is tightly-​focused with only 4 – 5 items for appetizers, then entrée salads, then main courses. 3 different desserts. This is my kind of place. Every menu choice was well thought-​out and everything looked delicious.
We ordered the beef tartar [A] and brussels sprouts [A+] for appetizers. For mains, wife ordered the gnocchi [A-​], in-​laws ordered the duck stuffed pork loin [A] and seared albacore special [A], and I ordered the duck confit and wagyu beef burger with beets [A+]. House fries with the burger were very good. I was offered ranch or ketchup as dipping sauce, which seems like a missed opportunity for some house, homemade dipping sauce. I asked for something of the sort. Our server suggested the roasted red pepper coulis that came with the albacore. This sauce worked perfectly with the fries — should be a core sauce option for the restaurant in my opinion.
For dessert, maple bar had 86’ed so we all got the chocolate torte [A+], which came with shaved hazelnut chocolate and port reduction cherries as a topping. This was divine. Everyone loved it.
Service was impeccable — enthusiastic, knowledgeable, and quick.
Beer selection was really outstanding. At least 30 craft beers on tap including Russian River, Alpine, and even tap pours of Hangar 24 Pugachev’s Cobra for $ 12 for a 12oz snifter pour. For those knowing about this beer, it is very rare and pricey at any venue. This was a good value. The flavor on the beer was on point, hinting to their staff knowing how to maintain and serve kegged beer properly. Proper glassware to boot in globes and snifters for this imperial stout.
Overall, this was a 5-​star experience and we will certainly be back.

This is a cool Gastropub but you might not be able to tell from the outside. It’s tucked away but a good happening spot.
The night I came was pretty cold outside and a little close to closing. I would have loved to have lounged outside but it was way too cold. Also wish I came a little bit earlier to have a few more drinks.
Their beer menu is very impressive. More impressive is how many beers they have on tap.
On to the food. So the menu changes every six months or so to reflect what’s in season. Had the semi sonic chicken. It came with mashed potatoes and kale. The chicken we was bonless had skin on, along with some pork belly. It was tasty and good. Would have maybe preferred no skin but that’s just me and easily fixed. The highlight of the dish to me was the sides.
The mashed potatoes was very creamy and had some pork belly in it too. The kale was cooked just al dente with some garlic.
Will come here again on my stay but I’ll come a bit earlier to relax and enjoy my time. Hopefully it won’t be so cold and I can enjoy the patio area.

This restaurant was a good halfway point between Eastvale and San Diego and worked out perfectly for a weeknight dinner with the bestie. It’s a cute small restaurant. It looked like their outdoor patio area was larger than their indoor seating area.
I loved the service we received. Our waitress was cheerful and very accommodating. Since I’m pregnant, I was definitely missing the cocktails and asked if there was anything she could bring me that was pretty and made me feel like I was out on a regular girl’s night without the alcohol. She came out with a delicious juice mix that had various flavors that blended well together, and also included strawberry purée. Mmmm. I was also reading reviews about the kobe burger that their menu indicated they didn’t cook over medium… I decided to ask anyway. She said they would totally accommodate me since I was pregnant. I ended up not getting the burger since my friend was going to order it and I figured I’d just take a bite from her. I went for the chicken dish with a wine cream sauce and pancetta. The chicken wasn’t great, but it wasn’t bad either. I would have totally devoured the burger. It was topped with a duck confit. The one bite I had left me wanting more. Their fries were served in a different way than I’ve had before. I believe it came mixed with salt and vinegar. Not bad.
I’d come back to try other menu items if I’m ever in the area again.

Had lunch here in a windy business downtime. But I can still tell our dishes were prepared in attention. Thank for that. I love the location and sitting in the balcony outside.

Came with a group of girls after a day of wine tasting. Extremely large portions-​everything can easily be shared. Food was good. Ambiance with live music was fun.
Cesar salad dressing was great and large in size. I ordered the Kobe burger ($ 17)and could hardly finish half. Medium rare is more like rare. They cook the burger to their version of medium rare so if you’re squeamish to the bright pink order medium.

My husband goes here every time he is in Temecula for work and has been wanting to share the place with me for a while. We finally got to go together and I must say, I was not disappointed. The service was on point and their patio has a great atmosphere at night (and I want to recreate the pallet herbs on the walls in our backyard!).
We tried to Bacon Sushi to start (soy glazed pork belly and rice on nori sheets), it was full of flavor and delicious. I had the salmon special and my hubby had the burger (his usual). Both were wonderful but the salmon stole the show in my book. Public House also has a great beverage menu — craft beers, carefully picked wines, and craft cocktails.
A great place for date night, girls night, or just a lonely meal while on the road for business trip. We even saw lots of families with smaller children enjoying their mac n cheese (which smelled delish!)

This was my first time in old town Temecula and I loved it. A group of us came out here on labor day for my friend’s birthday and we had to wait over an hour to get our table. But lucky we walked around and got seated probably 2 hours later :/​although we had a big wait for our food, the service was great! They sat us at the round table which was hard to talk to everyone we were with but we got to order our drinks and walk around to mingle. When the food came out it was amazing!!! The mac and cheese was to die for and the fries!!! I also loved their baby kale salad with grilled chicken! And their drinks were great too! The food is kind of pricey but sooo worth it!

I rarely give out 5 stars, as there is usually at least one or two things about a restaurant experience that doesn’t go the way it should. Service, ambience, the food obviously… But I must say my first experience at the Public House in the heart of Temecula’s old town district was truly a perfect restaurant outing with the family.
We were searching for a lunch spot after a morning matinée with the kids, and since we were close to old town we thought we’d start there. Parking was tricky, but that’s nothing unusual for that area so nothing to really complain about. The two hostesses outside the restaurant were friendly and helpful, suggesting we eat indoors since their outdoor seating has the higher tables and we needed a regular table that could fit high chairs for the kiddos. Since it was easily over 90 degrees outside and their inside seating was air conditioned, we were totally fine with that. As we walked to the table, the hostess kept up the friendly conversation, something typically only employees at higher end restaurants do. A nice touch.
As we got seated I noticed right away how comfortable everything was: the cushioned bench, the chair my wife took, and the a/​c after coming from outside in the sweltering heat. Some ice waters straight away from our very nice server was the cherry on top to getting our meal started.
The kiddos split a grilled cheese sandwich with fries, which they happily enjoyed. My wife got a very fresh and flavorful arugula salad with roasted corn, quesofresco, a lime-​based dressing with a spicy sauce to accompany it. She really enjoyed that with her vodka strawberry lemonade.
The absolute best part of the experience was my burger. The patty was ground wagyu beef, which was incredibly juicy and rich with flavor. A plate of that beef alone would’ve been sufficient for me, honestly. The burger also had a nicely cooked thick strip of bacon, cheese, lettuce, tomato, and mayo. The bun appeared to be brioche bread which was thin, toasted, and did its job perfectly: hold everything together and get out of the way of my meat haha… Truly one of the best burgers I’ve ever had.
The server was great, I think her name was Rachel. Friendly, good at small talk without lingering, and very attentive. All the staff was nice and friendly throughout, a sign of good management.
Great restaurant, we will be back! Even though we live 25 miles away.

After a recent trip to Europe I wanted a gourmet burger and this was the place. First of all the burger is HUGE, juicy and delicious made is premium beef «Kobe», cooked medium rare to perfection. It is served on a delicious bun with a side of crispy French fries and arugula. Best burger fix after my trip. I have also tried the bone marrow, which is served in the actual bone. It is like organic butter on bread, the bone is roasted to perfection and it gives the bonne marrow the rich luxurious taste.
They also have a variety of beer here that compliments the burger perfectly.
Great spot in Temecula, if you find parking, this place is in downtown Temecula so parking is a pain even during a late lunch.

Searched Unilocal!the day before we trekked up to Temecula to try out some vinegar/​olive oil tasting, grab a new H-​D shirt, and possibly do some antiquing… PUBlic House was recommended.
Temecula can be a crapshoot for eating out… in the Wine Country part, there are some pretty good, if a bit spendy restaurants… in Old Town, there are some overpriced joints, and some new (ish) up-​and-​comers. PUBlic is new-​ish, and really has a lot going for it.
Haley was our server, and she was one of the most pleasant folks that I have met on restaurant staff in a long time. She made a point to ask us our names and use them while helping us.
I had the Reuben… house cured, hand sliced corned beef, sauerkraut… incredible sandwich, really incredible… one of the best I have ever had. Came with a nice order of perfectly cooked fries.
My sig-​oth had the ½ order of Whimm Mac-​n-​Cheese, which I tasted, and it was pretty good.
I missed this part on the ABOUT page… and it bears careful attention:
«We warmly welcome your wee ones by offering accommodations to suit your needs and make dining a pleasant affair for your family and friends. We offer a menu „For the Littles“ that includes items that are tested and true to young people’s tummies.»
There was a table that arrived after we were seated (we sat inside, it was a cloudy, slightly windy day), 6 top… two young kids that did not sit still (as in standing on the seats and jumping up and down, including standing/​jumping on the table… who does that besides Tom Cruise/​servers at Coyote Ugly?) or shut up for the entire time that they were there… including occasional screaming bouts, and the adults did absolutely nothing to curtail this.
It was bad enough that the noise level in the restaurant increased from normal to loud in order to compensate.
If I had not been with my wife I would have made an issue, as it was, just got out of there a quickly as possible. Figured with a name like PUBlic House, it was a safe bet to avoid «the screamers»…no such luck… and something to remember.
As much as I liked/​loved it, will never go back.
Thanks for ruining my lunch, folks… hope I can return the favor sometime soon!

A welcome patio full of misters in the Summer awaits…
For starters, the Limey corny cheesey salad is light, fresh, tangy and a great way to begin.
We shared the Kobe burger and it did not disappoint. Served medium rare as requested, piled perfectly with bacon, cheese, lettuce, tomato… On the most decadent brioche bun. It was nothing short of fantastic.
The sidecar of fries was delicious as well, super crispy, no soggy ones in the batch. We had a difficult time having the plate taken away.
Live music and very loud on weekends, more quiet and lunchy crowd during the week. Mediocre selection of beers imo, some decent cocktails… But many on the sweeter side.
Bearded bartenders and plenty of hipster flare for old town.

***3.5 STARS***
Public House is located in Old Town Temecula which is a pretty large area consisting of many stores and restaurants. The area was so crowded since it was a holiday weekend, but we were able to be seated within a few minutes.
The restaurant was pretty small on the inside with only a few tables, but they had a large outdoor patio area that could fit large parties and plenty of people. I guess, that makes sense since Temecula is typically on the warmer side so even at night the weather is perfect.
/​/​FOOD /​/​
Whimm mac n’ cheese: A blend of cheeses and toasted panko. They change up the ingredients frequently so sometimes they might add different meats or vegetables to the mac n cheese. On this night, they added green chiles to the mac n cheese. I thought the flavor was pretty good, but I can imagine that it would taste really good with some type of protein in it.
Reuben out in public: Roasted corned beef piled on griddled rye, with 2000 island dressing, kraut and emmenthaler swiss and served with house fries. I thought the flavor of this reuben was excellent. The fries were really good too.
Kobe on que: Grilled 10 oz. wagyu beef on a toasted bun with tangy BBQ sauce, topped with cheddar, candied bacon, romaine and a ripe tomato served with house fries. The burger was actually a little sweet which was a surprise, but it was still juicy and flavorful.
Overall, I thought the Public House was pretty good for the most part. Some of the dishes could have used a little more flavor, but it was still pretty good. They also have a decent selection of beers to choose from. I will definitely be back since I would like to try the bone marrow and the sweet ginger bacon sushi sounds pretty interesting.

Came here with a huge group. Although it was drizzling a bit we were outside but only table that could hold 15+ people. The service was good for our huge group.
No horsing around Kobe (5 stars) — amazing burger! Crispy string onions & a spike of horseradish sauce. Next time I’m in town I’ll def come back here to have this ! One of the best burgers I’ve had & def top 3 !
I tried a couple other dishes and they were pretty good but I’m glad I ended up with the burger ! Mmmmm ;)

Have you ever sunk your teeth into a gourmet hamburger and found yourself playing out Meg Ryan’s famous, lascivious scene from the movie, «When Harry Met Sally»? Mr. B played that scene well, with genuine abandon.
It all started by him ordering the inspired Kobe Burger. Indescribably tender, cooked to perfection (they refuse to cook to greater than a medium temp), some of the best mix of high quality beef cuts to have ever been ground together. He requested the burger with the horseradish sauce on the side, and a side of thousand island. The doubt over the horseradish was unnecessary, it was relatively mild and complimented the meat perfectly. I would have been jealous, except I had already committed to my own marvelous meatloaf meal.
The meatloaf dinner, a huge block of juicy meat, blended with shredded carrots and onions and seasonings, compared to my best ever «homemade» meatloaf of which I am most proud. It was meaty, very little filler, and sat on a mountain of amazing mashed potatoes, finished with a salad topping made of spicy arugula. The honey mustard drizzle was an elegant finishing touch. Beautiful food, another inspiration.
Try the Temecula Berry Patch Iced Tea if you are looking for a non-​alcoholic alternative. It is unsweetened and I can guarantee you, absolutely delicious. They also offer a nice selection of beer and wine, which I am unqualified to critique. However, Mr. B was happy with his glass of Zinfandel from the Ronzoni Winery, a local Temecula winery.
Public House is located on a tiny side street, in a small, cheerful, Turn of the 20^th Century Bungalow in Old Town Temecula. While in a very touristy part of town with parking challenges, it is quaint and fun in its own way. The hostess is perched outside in front. And since we chose to sit outside, she escorted us through a secret gate door to a friendly, large outdoor covered patio, complete with cozy fire pits and water fountains and tall tables. While the tables were tall, and the chairs were nearly bar height (something I *thought* I would not like), I was completely surprised to find they were exceedingly comfy.
Our server was extremely good, attending to us sufficiently but not overwhelmingly so.
If you think you cannot get good food and good value in a tourist’s venue, then take the challenge and come here. You will see how wrong you can be. And be prepared to bring a wheelbarrow of leftovers home for more orgasmic meals.