CARiN de RiA

Cute little Filipino restaurant close to the walkway. Would recommend for those who are looking for good home cooked Filipino food as they have the staples. Portions are small and prices a little high so would keep that into consideration when ordering. Their best thing on the halo halo. Wasn’t a big fan of the calamansi juice, but loved the guanabana juice although pretty sweet.

Unpretentious and authentic Filipino food. The owner teaches the staff how to cook recipes not just for the restaurant, but so they can use them in their personal life. Angel took incredible care of us and shared cooking techniques for the dishes we ordered, to illustrate what makes their food so much, in my opinion, superior. The pork adobo and sautéed green beans were comforting and satisfying. This place should be voted best Filipino restaurant San Diego!

Encinitas has a lot of your typical places to eat, but we happened to come across this boutique Philippino food spot on a side street off of PCH/101. It features an open storefront, indoor & outdoor seating & a homecooked feel. We had a very tasty chicken soup which they served in a bowl large enough to share (they gave us smaller bowls for that) and we even had leftovers. We also had chicken adobo & a large platter of pancit (noodles) w chicken. Everything was delicious, quick & excellent service. You have to try this one! Oh, we also shared 3 scoops of locally made ice cream.

Very pleased with stumbling upon this gem near the beach! I wanted authentic Filipino food and after reading a few Google reviews, I knew I had to drive and try this place out. The menu is fully stocked with Filipino beers as well as in house. Really enjoyed the Ube coconut Porter, which was suggested by the server. It wasn’t bitter at all, but it did have depth in flavor! We ordered the lumpia and it wasn’t oily at all, I almost wonder if they’re using avocado oil there or maybe a better alternative than vegetable or canola. There were a lot of dishes to choose from, but we got the sizzling sisig which was full of flavor and served up on a hot plate. Definitely need to come back and order some of the main dishes. Will report back and update my review then! Otherwise, go check it out if you’re thinking about it I highly recommend this spot for good service great food and the perfect ambience off of the main road. Oh, and try to walk to the beach afterwards—you’ll be full!

Such delicious meals, very helpful, kind service! The soups were hot and a big bowls! So wonderful, we sat outside on a beautiful Encinitas afternoon, enjoying the sun and slight breeze too.

Family owned and run authentic food. I went here when they opened years ago and I was super impressed. I recently started working in the area again and I am glad to see they are still going strong. I went back in for dinner and I can see why. Excellent food excellent service! Get the Red Horse beer with your meal! 5 stars

I usually rate my filipino restaurants based on 3 items - lumpia, adobo (not pictured) and the halo-halo. The lumpia (original) was flavorful and wasn't overpowered by the oil they cook it in - some restaurants' lumpia unfortunately comes out completely saturated in oil which takes away the flavor. It's good lumpia when you don't have to dip it in the sauce to get the flavor, but the sauce was good addition. The pork Adobo (not pictured) was soft and tender, and the broth poured over white rice was not too sweet nor too sour. Adobo depending on who makes it can go one way or the other, and this one was just marinated to my tastes. Pork was tender and easy to cut, compared to some restaurants where it can be chard sometimes. The Halo-halo was a bit underwhelming as it lacked the necessary amount of ingredients like milk, sweet beans, and tropical fruits I'm accustomed to from home back in the Philippines. But I can't fully knock it because this dessert is unique to each filipino restaurant that ive visited, so I'll let you be the judge. As a bonus, I did try the nilagang baboy (boiled pork stew), and the broth had the right amount of sour for my taste. The broth wasn't overwhelming, and when poured over white rice, it complimented it well. Good portion of meat to vegetable ratio, and the pork was nice and tender - similar to the adobo. However, I was really aiming for the broth and it did its job. This a nice little restaurant with decent seating and the service was good. Granted I came during the slow period, but nonetheless I had good time eating there. They also had a happy hour special which I wasn't able to partake, but found out after I already ordered. Only one bathroom which could be a situation if the place gets busy. Other than that, I recommend going here.