O'Brien's Boulangerie — Restaurant in Poway

Not being a local of poway I wasn’t sure where a good place was for breakfast but this cafe/bakery has amazing reviews so why not try it and let me say, I wasn’t disappointed. I pulled up to a HUGE building and thought to myself, this place is ginormous for a bakery/deli. Once inside I understood why. As you enter you notice a comforting color balance between the light grey cabinetry, dark colored seating and the white floors. You’re instantly greeted by friendly staff before you get the chance to lay your eyes upon the sweet, heavenly baked decadents they have on display. You had your mind set on breakfast but then you see all the treats you can choose from! The menu is the perfect size between too much to decide and could use a little more. Again, this place has that perfect balance. I had hit the gym earlier so I stirred up an appetite. I ordered the breakfast burrito and the egg white ham and cheese croissant. Not even trying to exaggerate, best breakfast burrito I’ve ever had and that’s being raised in south San Diego. Perfect balance between hash browns, egg, cheese and bacon. And the sauce they give you! The croissant was huge and the ingredients were fresh. I also ordered a latte which was superior to any coffee I’ve had before including Starbucks. The coffee barista Alex was cheerful and extremely knowledgeable. He’s the kind of guy that can hold a conversation with anyone and also has an amazing personality. After my meal, I chatted with the staff and came to learn this place is FAMILY OWNED! Not too many places like that anymore especially in north county. The General Manager Yvonne and her sister Sara the sales executive took me upstairs where everyone is welcome and i got to see the industrial size ovens which was so cool!! Turns out they’ve been in business for decades and had just moved from Escondido after being in Del Mar. They cater all across the county including Barona Casino, Board and Brew, and the Del Mar Fairgrounds. Their father, Edgar Escobar started the business in the late 80s and it’s been booming since. Not to mention the brother Eddie is the pastry chef!! Talk about keeping it in the family! I had to order some sweets and it was worth the sweet guilt. If I could give this place 10 stars I would. Definitely coming back for the lunch menu and more coffee and sweets! If you’re a coffee, breakfast or sweets lover, this place is the perfect fit for you. Prices meet the quality of what you’re getting. It’s not cheap but it’s not breaking the bank either and you get what you pay for. Check this place out you...

I have seen O’Brien’s in our ERA fliers every month here at work and have passed it a few times on my way home from work and always thought “hmmm, I should stop by there sometime”. Well, that sometime was now. I had the day off and my daughter had a hankering for a sandwich but wanted something different. No standard sandwich would do on this mother daughter day out. She had a bacon, avocado, tomato sandwich on thick cut freshly made bread with a side of freshly made kettle style chips. I opted for the heirloom tomato salad (which I did not fully read had beets). I have never been a fan of beets but this salad was so fresh and packed with fresh red and golden beets with plump heirloom tomatoes, and cheese all with a light and tart chive dressing. I have to say I may not have been a beet fan before but this salad may have changed my mind.

We bought a variety of goodies from the bakery case to bring home as well. O’Brien’s has everything from a variety to freshly baked bread to homemade pastries, cookies, cupcakes, and scones. The sourdough bread was crunchy on the outside and soft on the inside (perfect for sandwiches or just to tear and eat with soup). I think our favorite sweets were the raspberry almond pastry and the chocolate walnut cookies. Everything was delicious though!

O’Briens is open during the week as well as serving brunch (with beverages) on the weekends. A beautiful space, two stories so plenty of seating. They have a wide variety of food and sweets, something for everyone for sure. The iced tea is amazing and the service is as well. A pretty awesome place in the...

O’Brien’s has been a longtime favorite lunch spot for our family—especially for their consistently delicious desserts. However, I’m giving two stars this time based on my last two lunch visits, which unfortunately missed the mark.

On one visit, I ordered a tuna croissant with lettuce and tomato. The produce didn’t appear very fresh, and I ended up feeling extremely ill the following day. While I can’t say for certain what caused it (possibly the tuna, lettuce, tomato or mayo), I decided to give O’Brien’s another try before drawing conclusions.

Yesterday, we ordered two salads, and I immediately noticed the lettuce again looked tired—wet, limp, and not very appetizing. What’s more disappointing is that the salads seem to be primarily made with the same thinly sliced sandwich lettuce, which really detracts from the quality, presentation, and overall dining experience. It comes across as a shortcut, not the fresh, crisp greens we’ve come to expect. The menu prices continue to increase each visit which is also discouraging, and I really wish the quality of the food matched the higher prices.

Why not return these items? Bc everything at this place is quick and fast in a relatively small space, and it would make a spectacle airing out my grievances publicly, so I hope someone reads these reviews.

I truly hope the lunch menu returns to its previous standards. We have enjoyed meals at O’Brien’s for many years, but after two lackluster meals in a row, we’re starting to...