The Henry — Restaurant in Carlsbad

I am hoping once the restaurant works out the kinks of being new that I will change my rating to 5 stars! I was really excited for this restaurant to open up in Carlsbad and the location where it's at as well. I went on a Sunday evening with a girlfriend and there was a 45 minute walk up wait. There is the a great shopping area surrounding the restaurant to pass the time, just be aware on Sunday they close at 6 PM. Host Staff - Very friendly. Waitstaff - Friendly, but not very timely. Maybe was overwhelmed a bit and might have had too many tables is all I can think of for the lack of service he provided. He seemed busy running around when we did see him. He greeted good and took our drink order, but he actually did not deliver them. Took awhile to take our food order. He did not deliver them either and did not check back to us. We had an issue with my shrimp being ice cold when delivered. We sat next to the servers POS stand so asked them for help. Other people came back to check on us, and the manager (Iamaya) stopped by and was very helpful and made it right by comping the salad and app we ordered and offered as well for a drink on the house. He brought the check but was completely unaware of the manager comping items and we had to let him know. When the check came back the drink was not comped but everything else was she said. I didn't really want the app or the drink comped so I didn't bring it up. Food - was Ok - had some issues but when was corrected it was good. I had a shrimp caesar salad and my friend had the salmon. The app was the pretzel with the cheese fondue - it was ok.. the fondue was too thick when it came and had a hard top crust like it had been sitting in the window too long before coming. Drinks - I had ranch waters, and they were great. My friend drank a non alcoholic drink they make with pineapple and she said was good. Manager was wonderful and helpful. Overall this place has a lot of potential and next time I will try more items. I will be back to...

“Henry” Series, Part 1 So by a show of hands, how many of you just knew that the launching of this series was inevitable? 🙋‍♂️ I’d often thought of how much I’d like to explore this narrative, but just hadn’t found the right opportunity to set it into motion. That all changed once I heard that “The Henry” was opening in North County San Diego.

Although both breakfast and lunch options are available, it is while promoting the dinner experience that “The Henry” shines the brightest. When asked to capture why the nighttime ambiance feels so elevated two of our Review Team Members suggested that the true character of this space is only fully revealed by the warm lighting tones singularly reserved for the dinner patrons. These lighting differences create a slightly upscale, yet comfortably casual vibe. A place where your favorite pair of jeans seamlessly coexists with a designer martini.

While settling in at your table I recommend an “Amalfi Spritz” or “Hank’s House Blonde” to accompany your “Umami Brussel Sprouts”, “Short Rib Potstickers”, and/or “Pretzels & Provolone Fondue.”

When you get serious about entrees I’d recommend the “Scottish Salmon”, “Bolognese”, and/or “Korean Prime Skirt Steak.”

You won’t want to end your night without including dessert and I’d recommend the “Warm Croissant Bread Pudding”, “Chocolate Fudge Pie”, and/or “Molten Butter Cake” (all of which pair nicely with a “Hank’s Espresso Martini”).

If you happen to be navigating the dating scene there is an intimate lounge area near the bar that offers a genteel atmosphere and the acoustics lend themselves well to determining just where this is, or is not, heading.

Reservations are strongly recommended and your dinner experience here will not be inexpensive.

After careful consideration I am pleased to announce that although no formal association currently exists, “The Henry” has established itself as a worthy namesake.

And that’s…Henry’s...

Went to The Henry for brunch for the first time this morning. Overall had a pleasant experience, but the food was, unfortunately, hit or miss. That said, the staff was very friendly and accommodating - the hospitality was truly top notch.

Random quibbles: the restaurant was quite loud, food took a long time to reach our table (and multiple items were lukewarm or cold when it did), and we were quite surprised at the lack of fresh OJ for a spot that so highly touts its “scratch kitchen.”

Details of each dish we ordered are below:

Cinnamon Sugar French Toast: absolutely the best dish we ordered. 10/10 delicious, absolutely worth it.

Yogurt Parfait Bowl: tasty, fresh, would order again. Small portion given the price.

Huevos Rancheros Enchiladas: very disappointing. Overly salty and overpowered by the molé sauce. Definitely not satisfying for someone expecting a traditional huevos rancheros experience. Served lukewarm at best didn’t help either.

Chicken Tortilla Soup: almost cold by the time it got to the table. Decent flavor, but hardly any chicken. Overloaded with tortillas. Pass.

Breakfast Potatoes: truly fantastic, some of the best I’ve had.

Guacamole: good, fresh, well-seasoned, satisfying chips. Would order again.

Roasted Turkey French Dip: super disappointing. “Roasted Turkey” is almost laughable - it was 100% Boar’s Head deli meat. Horseradish flavor and the jus was decent, but couldn’t salvage the miss from what should have been freshly roasted turkey.

Will definitely come back and give it another shot, probably for...