SHELTER Encinitas — Restaurant in Encinitas

I don't' know why I still come here on weekends. The notion that's it's upscale is becoming less true. Aside from being packed like everywhere else on Fridays and Saturdays it's getting run down and it's major flaws are showing.

Honestly I'd rather pay a cover to clean up the joint. It's not the ladies, they are always dressed well and I still see beach gear here. It's basically everything else about Shelter is now shining through.

The surprisingly narrow walkway near the bar outlet, the hole in the middle of the floor, the poor selection of DJ's which I knew would happen because that's really why everyone was standing around bored, the fact that half the guys in here linger at the bar. If you want to people watch, do it from the sidewalk and don't take up space. Bathrooms need more attention as the place gets packed. When you get service is good cocktails. I think they could probably cover their fresh ingredients while there are dozens of people hovering at the front waiting for their turn to order. I understand it taking guys a little longer to order, but watching women wait 30 minutes for a drink it ridic.

The narrow walkways are a design flaw, the undersized bar space should really have and house 4 systems for 4 bartenders. The bouncers are cool, but what does it really take to lock down a booth or just find space to post up at. M&K's are $9 and beers are $8, that's twice what BP sells them for.

Bartenders are not minted. Things are not overly strong like Saloon, not using poor base ingredients like 1st street, but also not as crafty as I thought they once were. Solace does a better job of that.

Weeknights only or come early and get a booth. It's only loud with the roof closed, I prefer it open. If you've got something that separates you from everyone else, use it or people will forget about it.

Still in their soft opening phase as of 10/24/13 the grand hasn't yet been scheduled. More to come when it's official.

As many nightlifers has seen the construction going on next to Saloon for some time now. With the opening it robs the Saloon smokers of the usual 25 feet away smoking grounds.

The crowd is very different from the usual 1st, D and Saloon dwellers and that's a good thing. It's nice to see some blazers and heels instead of beards and bangles. Less yuppie than the crowd can be at Union. There is nothing wrong with the music played next door, but the music played here is just more refined, much more old school hip hop, less club bangers. It goes along with the decor. Fancy, reminds me much more of places like Stralite, Bailiwick's and the like. With the wooden walls all around and the accent lighting the real gems are the massive screen on the wall, oh yeah and did i mention they have a retractable roof. What? I thought only sports stadiums had retractable roofs. Remember this is still Encinitas and eventhough I'm from Oceanside we love out outdoors.

Nothing wrong with bellying up to the center bar, but i prefer the side leather booths, they line the walls and give you a great view of the bar. They do have tall tables in the front. and the bathrooms are on the right. I know they are in the soft opening phase and trying to work out the kinks, but their high quality drinks have no kinks to work out and frankly it's a pretty well oiled machine as is. A perfect amount of craft beers, but i don't think they are going to steal the hop heads from EAH.Bar tenders are great as are the staff. Prices for drinks and beer are pretty good, nothing over the top. The glass windows in the front are nice to show you all the fun everyone is having, unlike the half blocked windows of most of the local bars (aside from Union with their roll up doors)

North County now has a classy place to go for latenight, without going all the way...

I was dancing hanging out with my friend and some random agressive dude who had nothing to do with anything at all (maybe it was a bouncer it was unclear at the time given lack of uniforms) and his affiliates grabbed him (by the neck) and myself and attacked us pushing us outside. I am very confused as to why. Maybe I was mistakenly affilated with another situation. Perhaps because i’m about 5’ 8” and my friend is 5’ 6”, we looked easy to pick on. Although we paid 20+ dollars for drinks and tipped, the bouncers (who we didn’t realize were the instigators at the time) and the police in Encinitas were no help at all . Dom, one of SHELTER Encinitas’ bouncers blamed my friend (I think inappropriately) for the situation claiming he was “Drunk” and therefore it was his fault for being assaulted?Dom works at a bar which sells alcohol to increases people’s BAC leading to drunkeness and my friend didn’t even exhibit any innapropriate behaviors so I don’t this characterization was fair and maybe was just a means to “shelter” him from responsibility. Dom was confused when I asked him as to why I was grabbed and pushed out of the bar. I would recommend avoiding SHELTER Encinitas at all costs. This occured Friday April 19, 2025, 1 - 2 am PST. I’ve never had an experience like this in my life. It’s an unbelievable scenario from my perspective as I expect better from humanity. I am writing this after the fact and we are extremely disappointed/frustrated with the situation. I am hoping for at the minimum, an apology from SHELTER Encinitas as would be expected from a business whose customers are being physically assaulted...

Traveled to San Diego for the first to visit my friends from across the country and was in the bar for 2+ hours not doing anything (completely sober) and was standing on the back patio next to my friend and a manager walked up to me to check my ID and said it was fake and took it to the GM who checked it and said it was fake when it is my government ID and only way to get back onto a plane. I proceeded to show my setting personal info with my birthday and name along with my birth certificate, credit card matching, and a photo of my passport. They then tried to take my ID and kick me out and I finally got it back and they kicked me out into the back alley as a 21 year old girl completely alone behind the bar until my friends found me. They were so rude and need to do better about checking IDs because multiple people there were underage with fake IDs and clearly they can’t check an ID. Worst experience ever 0/10 and a miserable night for me being my first time in the city in...