Shelter

AWFUL music on weekends. Same beat all night for hours on end. Like listening to one song for an entire night. Gets 2 stars for the retractable ceiling

Get a phone number or at best answer the contact email… I was charged three times for one round of drinks and still haven’t received an email response after weeks… I used to love this atmosphere when it opened and now it’s become an overpacked jungle of drunks dancing on tables and an all out brawl with people to get to the bar and get drinks in a timely manner. Just regulate the number of people or expand the bar idk but it’s not working as is…

This place is pretty cool and their drinks are actually delicious. Plus one of the bartenders is *really* hot! lol. I come here a lot, it’s less hectic than the Saloon next door though still popular enough that there are a lot of people in there on a Sat night and it’s a lot of fun.

Shelter is a pretty significant step up for the nightlife in north county. This place is pretty small but tastefully decorated with a rather functional layout. The ambiance and crowd here is somewhat of a cross between downtown SD and the laid back Encinitas beach vibe. The bar is central but located near the back which makes it difficult to get to when crowded on a Friday/​Saturday night. The DJ usually spins some pretty hip stuff, often pop but still gets the crowd into it. Would recommend Shelter to anyone looking to meet up with buddies as part of bar hopping or just to have a decent night out drinking, people watching and feeling the vibe…
Pros–
Location
Ambiance
Layout
Music
Stiff drinks
Casual
Cons–
Gets REALLY crowded
Small
Parking
Pricey drinks

Nice place. But as another review stated, I was charged TWICE for a $ 29 bill. Unacceptable and I will not be back.

Every drink took seriously 20 minutes or more to get. Unless your a screaming bitch at the bar they are not keeping track of who is next for a drink.

What a swanky spot and a lovely addition to the Encinitas nightlife!
I loved their drink selections and the seating is very accommodating for big groups, which we had. It looks like there is a club scene here, too, because I spotted a DJ booth and, once they remove the tables in the middle of the room, there is ample space for dancing. I didn’t stay late enough to find out, unfortunately.
Our service was very good! We had a friend who was unsure about what she wanted and ended up not liking one of her drinks. The waitress was quick to make another suggestion and offer up substitutions to make it better for her and was not yucky about it at all. Sweet!
I can’t wait to come back in the summer when they retract the roof. It’ll feel like an outdoor patio and make his place all that more cool!

I gave this bar TWO stars in December of 2013. Now I’m downgrading it to ONE star. Why? The cocktails were undrinkable. Seriously, bartenders. Learn to make a drink. You already know how to flirt with your co-​workers. Instead, focus on what you’re being paid to do.
Additionally: OBVIOUS drug deals still going on at the bar. I mean BLATANT. And, since that’s the element here, we now saw an actual «working girl» and her «driver». This is NOT what Encinitas should be known for.
There does not appear to be a manager taking charge here. Just a bunch of ‘kids’ running the place. Running amok. Running it into the ground.
It’s a crying shame.

I’ve had fantastic and terrible experiences here. There is always a line to get in and the bouncers are either friendly or rude. I had my drink taken out of my hands mid sip because I had «had enough» even though that was my only drink of the night… The actual bar is really pleasing with the retractable roof. Only downside is not letting people outside after (midnight?) to sit by the fire with a drink. All this being said it is still my go to destination for a weekend night out. Music is perfect (loud house) and the crowd is a mix of young adults and Middle Aged people.

One star for the space. Zero stars for the service. I had just sat down at the bar on a Sunday night at 9:30pm and was talking to a guy and a girl I had just met 20 minutes earlier. I had a drink at another place a couple hours ago but because this couple was more intoxicated than me, the bartender (was he named Miles?) said he couldn’t serve any of us. A few minutes later after some discussion between the guy and the bartender and Miles asked us all to leave. Here’s my take: it’s late on a Sunday night and the employees here just want to go home. The whole place was dead except for 2 others. It was really bizarre. Enjoy getting off work early, guys.

I used to love this place, it’s a fun night out and a great place for a bite to eat, especially on a beautiful day. Unfortunately, nowadays if you get there past 10 pm the line is an hour long. That’s disappointing, especially for a regular who loved going there. The owner is a nice gentleman who also owns the little dive bar next door. The staff are all competent and friendly. The fact that it’s impossible to get in later in the night is such a drawback. I definitely won’t be going anymore unless I’m out really early. One other cool thing I should mention is the ceiling, it’s retractable and on beautiful nights it gives the room a great vibe. Beware of the wait, that’s my only warning.

Cool place to hang out on Sat. night.
Same drinks, same stools taken by the same pretentious people the only difference the original starry night ceiling which could be very consoling if you are in waiting or you date is too much distracted by Gin& Tonic. Number the stars.

Shelter is awesome! My girlfriend and I were walking around Encinitas on our anniversary and stumbled upon this really modern, cool looking bar. I had to see what it was all about. It was a Saturday afternoon and wasn’t too busy. We grabbed a seat a the really cool booths and Luis came over with some menus. They were offering a brunch but we were just looking for drinks. I had the El Guapo and my girlfriend had the Citrus Sour which we both loved. Luis is an excellent bartender and really put some time and effort into each cocktail.
The vibe of this place is what I enjoyed the most. Open roof, comfortable booths, great drinks and some chill music playing made it a perfect afternoon.
I would definitely recommend this spot and can’t wait to comeback at night!

I have been to this place about a half dozen times and I have less fun each time I go.
I have a long winded story but the bottom line is they are trying to make as much money as possible, which I understand, but they will end up alienating a lot of clientele in the meantime.
Fun if you and your one friend or girlfriend want a drink but don’t go with a group. It’s not gonna work.
It’s sad because it has all of the fixins to be a dynamite spot.
Oh, and they don’t have a phone. What is that about?

Disclaimer: I’ve only been here for lazy weekend afternoon drinks, never as a night spot. That being said, I really dig it. The roof retracts, giving you that nifty outside drinking feel from the comfort of a cushy lounge area. Imagine that you’re in one of your friends’ back yards. A friend that makes a TON of money and has really nice stuff.
The drinks are good but appropriately priced for what they are. That’s a nice way of saying that drinks are walking towards expensive. I want to reiterate that I view pricing from a relative perspective. If you’re looking for the cheapest possible hangover, just go next door to Saloon. If you want to embrace something nicer for a night, this is a great option.
That being said, be aware that this place is a step up on the classy scale from the rest of the drinking establishments in the ‘Nitas. This isn’t a bad thing, but it’s something to be aware of. One thing that is impressive about Shelter is that they strongly resist the urge to be douchey. There is high douche potential, but the door guys are really nice, the bartenders are friendly and helpful, and you just never get the impression from the staff that you’re not welcome unless you’re wearing $ 300 worth of clothes and driving a 6 series.
So why not 5 stars? There’s just no secret sauce. They make craft cocktails that are delicious, but there are better options for craft cocktails in North County. While the drinks are appropriately priced for the establishment, the establishment is the most expensive in Encinitas. It just doesn’t have that «it» factor that’s so tough to define. I’ll definitely continue to come back, but this isn’t true love, it’s just a crush.

I hate giving bad reviews but I had such a negative experience that I felt the need to say it on Unilocal.
My boyfriend and I came here for his birthday a couple of months ago (per his request). After waiting in line for about an hour the bouncer decides that the place has reached capacity yet two minutes later proceeds to let in about 7 people who had just arrived in a limo.
We decided to call it a night after that and have not been back ever since. Its unfortunate that a business thinks its ok to treat their patrons this way.
In my 25 years of living in Encinitas I have never encountered a more pretentious place …

Soooooo it’s called «Shelter». First time here & pretty cool look but chances are it will fade into the past in about 5 years. Not sure if it’s an oxymoron given the fact that there is no roof (no shelter) but hey, if you can see through the pollution you might catch a glimpse of the bigger dipper.
The music is fitting but I think the clientele is confused. I look around & see some people dressed like they belong in ocean beach playing a shitty guitar with three strings trying to gather enough money to go get more crack. I also see people dressed like they are at a VIP venue in Vegas after hitting a big win on roulette. Crazy!
Anyway, not too bad. But, if you order a Moscow Mule after 9pm they will Serve it in a mason jar… A fucking mason jar. That’s because they are worried people may steal the copper cups… Between you & I, I think it may be the Ocean Beach crack heads.
Happy trails mofos

This bar has an open air removable roof! What you say? I say you go into a bar but can see the sky!
I came here Saturday for EASTER weekend and boy was it packed! Now I remember why I never came in before, because you literally are shoulder to shoulder with someone everywhere around you! But after finding some friends with bottle service, this place sort of took on a similar feel to a friend’s backyard! I loved it.
The drinks were flowing, there was lots of beautiful People and the dj wasn’t bad. Although, no one danced (not enough room I understand) it was still very «party like».
I liked it and I’ll have to be back. If not for the party, then at least for the cute bartenders ;-)

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 1^st 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.

Who knew that Encinitas had a club scene!!! not me!
We were out celebrating Valerie M.‘s birthday.
The evening started at Cucina in Del Mar… familiar scene… i know what to expect
We UBERed to Red Tracton… piano bar… Samoan bouncers (whoa! are we in PB?) oh no… we weren’t…old people galore! what a hoot! didn’t even matter one way or the other… we were a large group of peeps… not sure who was part of our group and who wasn’t…we talked to everyone…
we thought we were moving the party to Syrah downtown… but someone suggested Encinitas and because is so much closer we Ubered to Shelter.
it was a downtown style club on a much smaller scale.
we headed to the back of the room to meet up with our party… this was the polar opposite of Tracton… young…like 22 – 27 young… beach town surfer style… like my days at UCSD.
no cover charge, attractive staff, friendly staff, attractive patrons, good music, good drink selection. My only suggestions… no dance floor!!! probably good that i didn’t get out and dance (even though i’m a fabulous dancer… after a few drinks)…i would have so been Elaine (remember that Seinfeld episode. ha!) but seriously .some of those tables need to be moved to create a dance floor. People were trying to dance in any corner they could find.
So here’s the funny part of the night… this young man approached me… and said hello… he knew my name. i was so confused! i was like «how the hell do you know me?»…he told me his name… oh goodness… i used to babysit this child… i have seen his bare booty and now i’m at a club with him… holy moly… i feel old.
we closed the place out and headed home… or at least i thought we were (the 20 some year old attitude somehow caused us to end up at Denny’s)
would like to return a bit earlier in the night and have a more coherent experience here