Craft Kitchen

Finally, a place in La Mesa/​east county that has amazing food. Kid friendly, perfect breakfast. Fresh ingredients and friendly staff. Will be coming back a lot!

Great service and good food. Dylan is a good server. Cute to. fast service, ate the shrimp taco and fish taco. Or was good. I will be back.

Love this place. The food is always good and reasonably priced. The beer selection is decent and rotates regularly. My favorite thing is that draft beer is served in three different sizes so you can get a 4 ounce taste of a selection before going big. It’s a smaller place that can get crowded but there is a long bar and good amount of seating. It’s casual and loud enough I can take my baby and not disrupt anyone.

I’ve been coming here since it opend and it always had been good but lately they have been lacking in service. They lady taking my parties order asked 4 times to repeat the order and kept messing it up she seemed very confused on what to do. It took 30 min just to receive our food and it wasn’t that great it was cold and not very appetizing and something that made me very mad was the lady who brought out food spilled my ranch all over the table never said sorry or offered to clean it up or grab me another one she just walked away. Next we went to order beers from the bar area and the lady was very rude and kept ignoring us and visiting with friends we finally order our beers witch took another 15 minutes to receive them.

A North Park feel in East County.
I was looking for places to eat for brunch with a nice ambiance, and decided to check this place out with a friend.
It is a small place with an industrial feel. Their menu is small, which is great because I did not feel overwhelmed on what to get.
I got chicken and waffles and a cold brew, and my friend got the farmer’s plate. When our food came out, it looked so delicious! Their portions are not huge, but it is enough to keep you satisfied.
My chicken and waffles were mediocre. My chicken was a bit too fried and waffles were a bit too burnt. Their syrup helped with the dryness, and I was not a fan of their gravy sauce. The gravy was a bit too buttery for my liking. The strawberries in this helped with this dish. I think if my food was not too burnt and dry, it would have been perfect.
My friend enjoyed his farmer’s plate. Their plate was plated beautifully and the colors were there. I wish I had gotten the farmer’s plate instead!
One thing my friend and I agreed on about this place is the service and their damn cold brew. Sweet and attentive staff, and cold brew smooth as hell.
Definitely try their cold brew! I freaking dream of it…

Normally I thoroughly enjoy this place. Today was unfortunate. Craft kitchen is growing in popularity and struggling to operate at full capacity.
We order sliders, a veggie burger, and Mac n cheese. After waiting for 20 minutes our food arrived without two sides. About the time we finished one employee came by to apologize the sides weren’t ready and said would still bring them And refund them. About 30 seconds later a second employee stopped by to tell us we had to choose refund for one of the sides or get the food. We took the refund and left unhappy and out a couple of bucks.
Craft kitchen — love your food and beer, but please step up your ability to keep up with the restaurant full and when you make a mistake it’s most frustrating as a customer to get mixed feedback and then be asked to accept no food an a partial refund.

We were excited for this place.
A long wait — not their fault. Packed house. Got our hopes up.
Server fumbled the menu.
Drinks — had to hunt them down.
Food was good. Not wonderful, but good. Took a while.
Lay out is — horrible. It’s not cozy, just crowded.
Bill — had to hunt them down.
Which would have a normally genteel me give them a 3 star.
I mean, a busy night — perhaps an off day with the staff. It happens. I would have come back.
But, they charged the wrong card.
And the wrong amount.
OVER what we were supposed to pay, even with tip. And it wasn’t a «oh that’s a 3?». It was clearly just off.
I’ve got the signed copies to prove it.
It was only 5 bucks — but it’s end cap.
You can’t talk to the menu, you can’t serve drinks with out reminders, your lay out is at best confused, you cant get a bill to wrap up the night and then you charge over.
It’s the ‘only’ thing like it in a few blocks, and has a visual appeal — don’t let that fool you.

Great service from a man named Blake. He made our experience worth it ! The food is also great compared to other breweries

We just got back from a very nice dinner at Craft Kitchen. How it works is that you place your order and pay, including tip. Then you find a seat. It’s a small restaurant. It was packed. Had to wait a while for a table to open up. That was a little awkward.
We ordered salads, pizza, the meat, cheese, and fig board, and lobster macaroni and cheese. The food was all very good. Plenty of beers on tap to choose from as well as special sodas. It’s a fun little place.
Our food came out at different times which is a pet peeve of mine. There were four of us. Why is one of us waiting for their entrée? And the meat and cheese board came out last. I thought it was the app?
I will be back. It’s a refreshing change in the restaurant landscape.

Try The Pupil IPA from Societe! Great beer. The fried Mahi Mahi taco is OUTSTANDING! he corn dogs are good but don’t fill up on them! So much other great food and beer to sample! Great atmosphere as well. Overall a great experience, looking forward to coming back and trying more beer/​food.
Barrio from Thorn St. Brewery is good too.

Came here in a Saturday morning and people are spending too long sitting at tables. Very poor seating so I sit at the bar with my sons and they tell me they can’t sit there because they’re not 21. So this is where we sit looking at a wall. I will not likely return because of the poor seating. Denny’s is right across the street. Food is decent but over priced. $ 8 for French toast?

I gave it three tries before writing my review, just to be sure each time want a fluke.
First visit: A few weeks after they opened, my sister and I tried it out. We sat at the bar and got wonderful customer service and decent, but overpriced, food (pretty standard for this part of La Mesa). We thought the French fries were good and uniquely seasoned.
Second visit: I brought my boyfriend here to see if they were improving their menu. I ordered a flatbread, that came out completely covered in red pepper flakes. I lifted the cheese up and it looked like they had dumped an entire second package of red pepper flakes underneath too. My boyfriend ordered standard bar food, wings. I guess they like their spice! He loves spicy food, but could barely easy two wings because of how spicy they were, even though the waitress said the wings he ordered were the medium of the the options. We couldn’t get anyone to come help us, so we ate what we could, since you pay when you order, and left pretty full plates.
Third visit: Ordered the lobster bisque special and a grilled cheese. How cam you mess up a grilled cheese? They didn’t! The lobster bisque was fine, but not worth what it cost. My boyfriend got a burger, which was fine, but again, nothing special for what we paid.
Overall reaction: You’re playing Russian Roulette going here.

Been here twice now. Giving it 4 stars for two reasons.
1.) Not a lot of seating. It’s a popular place and fills up quickly.
2.) if you sit at a table and not at the bar, you have to go up to the counter to order.
Food does not disappoint! For this reason, it deserves 5 stars. Tried the chicken quesadilla, pastrami on rye, burger and flat bread. Yum! Nice menu with good selection. Kid friendly. Good selection of beer and wine. No liquor. Bathrooms cute and clean. Friendly service! A welcomed addition to my neighborhood.

Hooray Craft Kitchen! Excellent new spot in La Mesa for breakfast, burgers and beer. Located right off Spring St and Palm (in an old ⁷⁄₁₁) Craft Kitchen has nosed it’s way into my regular East Cty rotation. Great HH and breakfast starting at 8am has quickly made me a fan!
WHEN YOU GO– Happy Hour here is legit. Beers as low as $ 4, several killer apps (coconut shrimp and homemade bacon wrapped corn dogs are stars!) and a generous tasting policy make HH wonderful bargain. Tasty burgers and solid breakfasts make CK a winner in my book. Stop by and say hello to Mike and Casey. They’ll make you feel like a regular on your first trip.

I’ve been here a few times now and I like it a lot because it’s small, they have great beers on tap and the food is very tasty. I usually sit at the bar but they do have a few tables but no outside patio. This spot is small and sometimes it can get pretty packed and loud.
The bar tenders are helpful and will give you samples before you buy. When I go Mike the bar tender is there and he has a laid back attitude which is always nice. I’ve had the craft burger twice and it was pretty good but I really liked the fried calamari.
They have several TVs to watch the games so that’s nice. Overall this is a cozy little spot to drink some great beer from around the county.

4.5 stars
Thanks CK you are my new friend.
The Craft Kitchen is a great new addition to La Mesa! You order your food at the counter then you can leave your tab open and order your beer at the bar.
After we killed some 12 wings, one burger, a tomato bisque soup, and an ahi tuna kale salad I had a chance to speak with Mike the manager and one of the owners. Very chill guys who gave me the rundown on the place and the lineage of the family business.
CK represents the San Diego craft beer community by offering over 30 local brews on tap, and some legit food. The staff was very friendly and attentive. The vibe and atmosphere is chill, laid-​back, unpretentious and relaxing. Can’t wait to return.

Craft Kitchen is a fairly new eatery that opened up in the La Mesa/​Spring Valley area last year. The building used to be ⁷⁄₁₁ but since closed down. Trying to describe Craft Kitchen in a sentence. I would say it is a bistro that serves real good craft beer and wine.
The décor reminds of a modern diner. Chrome chairs and bar stools throughout. Even the counter front itself is chromed out. My family dined here this day. We were greeted warmly walking in and sat at the counter in front of a large TV. Don’t remember what was playing on at the time. Wasn’t really paying attention. I worked a graveyard shift and wasn’t all there. I was thirsty and hungry though.
Ordering a beer. The selections were many. Found a Pilsner that I really enjoyed. I ended up ordering the same later in the meal. The sandwiches are pretty good. I ordered a pastrami sandwich. It came out on thick toasted rye bread. The pastrami was very flavorful but I thought the Dijon mustard was a little heavy handed on the sandwich but it was still a good sandwich. The added coleslaw made a huge difference. For me, next time I will ask for no Dijon and the pickles on the side.
The service is great. They make you feel welcomed. The atmosphere is very laid back but the employees are on top of there game. A real nice eatery that my family will continue to come to. Worth a try.

How did we even find this place?! Unilocal of course! We were in unfamiliar Brad B. territory and needed a place with good beer, good food and kid food, in that order. Unilocal to the rescue. You walk in and use the restroom. Oh wait, that was just us.
Back to the restaurant. You go over and take a look at their draft list. Then walk over to order your food and drinks from a counter. Both husband and I got the Craft Burger. And guess what? They have gluten free buns! YES! And a side of really yummy garlicky salty parsleyed (it is a word now!) fries. Choice of American or Cheddar cheese (cheddar please) or you could upgrade for $ to sweet potato fries. Don’t! The regular (free) fries are SO good! S got a mac & cheese and D got the fish and chips with more of those delicious fries.
And the beer list? MAHVELOUS dahling! I got the totally popular and totally delicious Mother Earth Horchata Stout. So good! And husband loved the HOPPY IPA choices. This place made everyone happy and the people were super nice! Try it. You will like it! Check out my pictures for other menu options!

What a great find! I don’t usually find myself out around east county, but when the occasion arose, boy am I glad we found Craft Kitchen.
It’s located on an inconspicuous street corner with a small parking lot. We arrived on a Saturday afternoon so they were offering their brunch menu as well. If you’re looking to sit at a table, you just order at the counter and leave your tab open while you order your drinks at the bar. If you sit at the bar like we did, however, you’ll get full service.
Speaking of service, everyone there was nice and friendly. They had plenty of taps ranging from a reasonable $ 4-​$ 7. Good selection of harder-​to-​find beers and your usual go-to’s. On this visit, I enjoyed a Council Three Berry Beatitude and the boyfriend had a Karl Strauss Under the Stairs (Fig). The tap listings also list the size of your pour so you won’t be surprised with your selection, and you also have the option of getting a half pour.
For food, we ordered the bacon wrapped mini corndogs to share, which come out looking identical to the ones you used to find at Craft & Commerce. They even come with the same cheese and whole grain mustard dipping sauce. Don’t be fooled though – they are JUST as delicious as the ones from Craft & Commerce (and since you’ll no longer be able to find them on the new menu post-​renovation, this is an excellent option if you’re ever feeling nostalgic)! You’ll also find them for the same price, at $ 7 for 2 or $ 13 for 4. They are large though! I definitely recommend getting an order of these. The batter is crispy, very well flavored, and the bacon and sausage go together beautifully. Seriously yummy.
I also ordered a side of mac & cheese ($ 7) which was MUCH larger than I anticipated! The menu says they’re creamy, which they’re almost right about. My dish came out pretty watery, and the cheese sauce was so loose that it lost most of its flavor. Largely bland, but incredibly filling. I allowed the noodles to sit for a few minutes longer, stirring between intervals to allow the sauce to thicken up, but I also knew time was against me since the noodles would also become soggier the longer I waited. Would probably pass on this next time.
Boyfriend ordered the farmer’s bowl ($ 10) off the brunch menu, which included a mix of seasoned potatoes, peppers, onions, sausage, and had eggs on top. The dish was piping hot! The potatoes tasted good though, and his belly was full by the end of his meal, so I wouldn’t judge a book by its cover. The bowl may appear small, but it’s dense!
All in all, a solid spot in east county for some beer and food. Wouldn’t hesitate to return if I were ever nearby again.

Wow. A legit, modern and classy beer drinker’s beer bar in La Mesa. Who knew? I guess it’s about time something like this should pop up.
You wouldn’t think to find something this nice off of Palm Avenue in La Mesa but sure enough, here it is. This place is modern, clean, and serves great beer and great food.
I came here for lunch on a Friday and it wasn’t too busy, there was plenty of seating at the huge bar and several tables. You place your order and pay/​open a tab at the counter and then take a seat wherever you want, or just do the full service thing at the bar. I took a table.
The bar is huge and they have 30 craft beers on tap, which is a huge accomplishment in itself. Over the course of my lunch I had Novo Brazil’s «Rio Pale Ale» and sampled «Under the Stairs» from Karl Strauss and «Liliko’i Kepolo» from Avery but they had tons of great ones to choose from. Too many to choose from for just one sitting.
They also serve some solid food options as well. From what I hear they have a pretty good burger but I’ve been having my fill on those lately so I opted for the Pastrami Sandwich ($ 11) which comes with a side of garlic fries. You can also choose sweet potato fries for a $ 2.00 up-​charge.
The sandwich was excellent! Sizable portion, great flavor, the bread was nice and slightly toasted and buttered. The fries were just as good with a nice and crispy consistency and a strong garlic seasoned flavor. I was impressed.
The people working here are cool too, nice friendly and quick to clear your plates and glassware out of the way.
The overall look and feel of this place is pretty nice. A mix of wood accented with metal furniture, some subway tile behind the bar and chalk drawn beer signage with miscellaneous chalked artwork mixed in. Pretty classy in a trendy kind of way.
With all that said, I’m a big fan of this place. I’ll have to give their burger a try and check out their breakfast options too. With probably the best selection in the area, they’re guaranteed to have some excellent beers on tap that should please just about any beer snob.