Junk House Gastro-Pub

Let me start off that the food was amazing. The beer and beverage options were also varied, reasonable, and delicious. However, the service this particular night was horrendous, particularly at the bar. I ordered drinks, and the bartender who will not be named, was actively ignoring all the patrons. I was probably standing at the bar for a solid 10 minutes before she even acknowledgded my existence. When I ordered a certain type of drink, she gave and charged me for one that wasn’t listed on the menu, that I didn’t know they had, and was conveniently the most expensive. I also noticed that another guy asked for his check about 3 times, and she just didn’t get it.
However, our server Troy saved the night. He decided to come over to us and ask if we had been helped. When we said no, he said he would take care of us. Troy was extremely serviceable, efficient, and nice. He never forgot about us, even though we were tucked away in the corner. Can’t say enough of good things about Troy, so thank you for saving my first experience at Junk House. Promote that Man!

Let me begin that since I’ve lived on Adobe Falls Road for almost 20 years, it is difficult for me to praise an establishment that has glorified the vandalism of the once beautiful Adobe Falls. I think I could give more stars if it weren’t for the homage to the trashing of the falls. As I walked to the restroom & saw 3 huge murals that showed off the trashing & graffiti-​covered rocks, I was not happy. That area was once an idyllic neighborhood secret but now it is filled with carloads of people who come to party & trespass & for a restaurant to condone that action is JUST NOT OKAY.
With that being said, my husband & I went down there for a bite to eat a few Sundays ago. We ordered the onion ring app. The dough was way heavier than I like & the onions were not cooked all the way through but the dipping sauce was very tasty… chipotle ketchup. My husband ordered the fried chicken. It was very tasty, juicy, & had a great honey sauce that came with it with crunchy veggies. I ordered the sausage plate. The polish sausage was very spicy, in fact, I ended up giving it to my husband & trading the chicken. The bratwurst was very tasty & I really enjoyed the potato salad that came with it.
All in all it was a nice dinner, reasonably priced. We both had a local brew that we enjoyed. I’d be much more comfortable coming back & supporting this place if it weren’t for the blatant glorification of the damage to the falls.

This place always amazes! From the great selection of beers to their amazing food I’m always satisfied. We bring our dog here often and sit out on the patio and enjoy good food and bottomless mimosas every Saturday and Sunday. Reasonable pricing a great atmosphere, dog friendly, good selection, what else could you ask for? I always get the chicken and waffles, and my fiancé the carnitas breakfast burrito… Amazing! Give this place a try, I promise you won’t be disappointed.

First few visits were decent however last night left something to be desired. They were out of 3 of the beers I asked for, so ended up having her tell me what was in stock (only 50% of the menu). Plus the service sucked. The waitress was mentally elsewhere the entire night. I’ll try them again in a few months and see if they got it together before writing them off.

I’ve seen this sign on the freeway for a while so I decided to stop in. It has a very cool industrial feel, which was cool. It also has the cool glass garage doors that raise if it’s warmer outside.
It was really loud due to the Golden State game for this trip, so maybe go during a non-​event night.
Our waiter was cool and gave us a few ideas. We went with the chicken nachos ($ 11) Cheddar Jack Cheese — Truffle Oil Cheese Sauce — Pico de Gallo — Salsa — Jalapeño’s — Sour Cream — Guacamole. Huge platter. Very tasty, lots of toppings and served really fast. The chicken was seasoned well as well. I’d definitely get these again.
We also go the Tri-​Tip Sandwich ($ 17). Grass Fed Sirloin — Baby Greens — Vine Ripe Tomato– Horseradish Cream Sauce — Toasted Ciabatta. I’m not sure if the Nachos overpowered the tri-​tip, but it wasn’t my favorite. The onion rings were a bit too greasy as well.
Beer prices were an average of 8 bucks a pint for microbrews, so a little higher than I like.
Overall, I had a good enough experience to try this place again. I will look into happy hour next time and see how it is.

If you aren’t a biker guy, the service here will be terrible. We waited 15 minutes, with empty glasses, for our waitress to come back when we wanted to order more drinks and instead she comes over with our check after we had to ask another waiter to get her. I had high hopes this place would be fun and it looked like they had great food but service is so important for an overall experience.

Very average. Totally disinterested waiters. Took awhile to even get a drink and longer to get food Waitress more interested in chatting to co workers than coming back to ask me if I wanted another beer! my husband does not drink so normally Coke is free. Craft beers are not cheap! I paid $ 8.64 for a glass! Here a glass of Coke is $ 3!!! Wifi is good — but got to give your email address so wait for the free offers!!!

Burger was yuuuummy. Great beer selection. Very open restaurant. Can be loud and a little off the path. Follow signs.

Not the best place in the world,
But I’d go back again.
Cocktails are a little pricey for what little glasses you actually get here tho. Keep in mind!

The name says it all, at least to describe the service we received on our 1^st and LAST time there. Originally we were turned off by the GHETTO looking sign in a graffiti style font we saw from the freeway when the place first opened and decided not to check it out based soley on that. Recently, we wanted to watch the UFC fights and after reading the reviews on Unilocal thought we would give the spot a try.
I called ahead to confirm they were having the fights and the person that answered said «Yes, but its really packed», almost as if to say don’t even waste your time coming down. We blew that off and decided to check it out. 1^st impression was that the parking sucks, with lots of hotel parking all around that you cannot use. We parked down the street and walked, maybe it was just an off evening. Then upon going inside we were not acknowledged by anyone for quite a while, although quite a few employees walked past us while we were standing there with 2 other couples that also just arrived.
We finally were able to secure seats at the bar and ordered our 1^st round. This came quickly along with most of the other drinks, however when my wife ordered a water it took over 10 minutes to get that to her. The bartender finally gave her a water and said «sorry we were out of glasses» However during that 10 minutes (we were sitting right in front of the well) we watched her pour multiple other drinks (in the same type of glass) for other patrons and waitresses. Maybe because she wasn’t going to get tipped on it is why she lagged, I do not know.
The other thing that turned us off was they were hosting a party of 80 in one large section of the restaurant. As the party started showing up they directed them to that section. However there was an Senior Citizen couple that was still finishing their dinner while this was happening and we saw the staff trying to get them to leave before they were even done eating to make room for the big party! The old man was having none of it, and told them that they would leave when they were done and ready to leave. I mean really? Is that how you treat your customers? Is the big party more important than them?
Sorry Junk House, your food may be amazing and your beer selection great, but we will not be back to spend time or money at your place of business.

Home sweet home has its perks.
Any day of the week is great day to stop in and grab a bite to eat. Lets not forget the beverage selection to wash down the tasty menu.

The ambiance is completely sports bar, however, lots of men and women patrons. So it’s loud with music and cable. Some people were friendly. The waitress was cool. She advised me on my drink of choice the rest of this trip… Because the mojito sounded weird. What Caribbean country grows blackberries? Ewwhhh! Right!!!
I didn’t want to eat anything. Then, I thought salad. And so, Bistro Burger, bun-​less and extremely well done with side of salad came out my mouth. However, the burger was medium cooked and on a bun. The onions were like a marmalade (sweet) versus caramelized (salty & spicy).
I ate half of everything. It was okay. And I’m sooo buzzed right now. Is this Miami? WTF… San Diego! Omg-​omg that’s right, San Diego! Goodnight!

Given its freeway frontage road adjacent location, jammed between 2 motels and a stone’s throw from SDSU, I was expecting a diamond in the rough.
And while the place is pleasant and the staff are nice, I was shocked when I got the tab. I don’t know anyplace in San Diego charging $ 6 for well drinks, except trendy spots in highly popular, high rent entertainment districts.
It might explain why this place was barely 30% full on a Sat. night. It’s only a 10 minute hop from home, but I won’t be back.

I love the food and atmosphere here. The staff is attentive and polite and the restaurant is spacious and well laid out.
The Junk House Mule is a refreshing drink and you really can’t go wrong with any of thier special cocktails.
The Salt and Pepper Calamari is a delicious appetizer and really they are all good.
I enjoyed attending «Cards Against Humanity» game night it was a riot :)

Very cool spot! Super yummy cocktails and brunch. Churro chicken sandwich is bomb. We’ll be back!

I completely judged this place. You’d think I would have learned «not to judge a book by its cover» anymore. I judge by the name, the font, the broken sign off the freeway. But, this place is great! My friends really enjoyed the meal and I had to tweak mine (since I’m vegetarian) but they worked to find something for me to eat.
I will definitely be coming here more often.

I recently tried Junk House for the first time simply because it’s close to home. However, I was happy to discover that there’s another great restaurant in my neighborhood.
This gastropub looks like an old mechanic’s shop that was converted to a restaurant and I mean that in the best possible way. The industrial meets old school diner vibe with a dash of a craft beer tasting room mixed in is a breath of fresh air compared to your typical restaurant décor.
The menu here is definitely eclectic, with some twists on down home comfort food. An absolute stand out for me was the Junk House Fries, with bacon, Parmesan cheese sauce and scallions. Of course I added carne Asada to mine (I mean total no brainer). I was also a fan of the Fried Chicken Sandwich, with a fried chicken breast, pickles, and a beer mustard sauce. We also tried the Chorizo Mac n Cheese, but it was missing that rich cheddar flavor and fell a little flat.
There’s also an impressive beer menu and some great craft cocktails. I had what was essentially a dirty martini with blue cheese olives and it was fantastic. My friend ordered a whiskey drink complete with a piece of bacon and a cherry and was definitely a fan.

My first visit to the Junk House, the service was great but the food was just okay. Not that the place needed to redeem itself but I wanted to give it another try. This time I came with the family. Who by the way are picky eaters. Drives me crazy.
One good thing about the Junk House. They have a great selection of beers and wine. They also have a full bar. So your alcoholic beverages are covered. I ended up getting a Lagunitas IPA to go with my food.
I ordered mini corn dogs and panko fried onion rings for appetizers. I especially enjoyed the onion rings with the BBQ sauce that accompanied it. The rings had great flavor. The panko really made the rings stand out.
I also had for lunch the tri-​tip sandwich with a side of fries and their homemade ketchup. In my last review, I stated that I am a big fan of their ketchup. Sweet and tangy with a little bit of heat. A hearty sandwich filled with tri-​tip, a mild horseradish sauce, lettuce, tomato on a ciabatta bun. Very good. The Junk House definitely didn’t skimp on the tri-​tip. Which if they did the tri-​tip would get lost in that thick ciabatta bun. I definitely would have that sandwich again.
I usually don’t get dessert for lunch but the son wanted to try the stout float. Peanut butter stout (I am guessing from Belching Beaver) poured over vanilla ice cream topped with a whiskey soaked cherry. Being a big peanut butter fan especially a Belching Beaver peanut butter stout fan. The dessert was a winner. I will never see ice cream floats the same ever again.
The service again was amazing. Very friendly, attentive. The staff is trained very well in customer service. Kudos all around. Other places can learn from their staff.
One thing to note. On the dishes with mustard. They can get a little heavy handed with the dijon. I found that out two visits in a row. If they come on the actual meal just ask them to put the mustard on the side. Problem solved.
This being an updated review. I really had a great lunch. The family also enjoyed themselves and would love to come back. If you haven’t eaten here yet. Give it a try. Off the 8 near Waring Road. Just look for the graffiti sign near the freeway. If you are going west on the 8 going toward the 805/​Mission Valley. You can’t miss it. The place has made me a believer.

Tl;dr Cool space. Great service. Not as gastropubby imo.
Neat sports bar off Waring Rd from I-​8 (or Alvarado Canyon Rd if navigating the side streets from the nearby trolley station).
Modern industrial touches throughout the venue centered by the L-​shaped bar, with tables flanking either side. Nice list of local craft beers. I noticed the cocktail program served in mason jars and Ball glassware. The liquor par is kept behind chain link fences, and depending from which side of the building, you can peek through the windows to check out beer kegs in the fridge or observe the team working the kitchen area.
Food was better as the evening progressed, but didn’t start off so great. I’m guessing the eclectic menu is a hodgepodge of owner faves. I’m not sure if the menu fully embodies skinnyish-​jeans-​ironic-​beard-​fixie-​bike hipster gastropub fare. The menus at Tiger! Tiger! or Blind Lady Ale House are my picks of the moment in this regard.
Junk House fries appetizer — overpriced and poorly executed. Limp potatoes garnished with few bacon bits and green onion sprinkles. I wanted to flip the table, but it was bolted to the concrete slab.
Ultimate grilled cheese sandwich: fair grilled cheese, but not yet extraordinary. Not as ultimate as the overstuffed monsters from another spot I visited. Ok, it was Melt (CLE, OH). Even Jack (in the Box) was shaking his giant clown head because he knows not to skimp on cheese on any ultimate sammich.
The Cubano sandwich & The Junk-​House burger: both tasty and I’m not even mad that they efficiently use the same lengthwise-​cut pickle for both. Good portion and taste. Some defectors may gripe about this sando’s Cuban authenticity, but the J-​H spin works for me since it’s not a common item around these parts.
Service was genuinely friendly, upbeat, and attentive. No, I didn’t issue a free pass because the servers are cute or wear tight pants. Our waitress was very helpful with menu questions and made sure about certain dishes for allergens. Table visits were timely to check on our group and refill drinks.
Junk-​House Gastro Pub is a-​ok, but may have identity issues. With the nice flatscreen TVs and effective sound system layout, it seems that they seek to capture a younger, sporty demographic. It’ll be a challenge with established spots like McGregors or Effins. The bar bites at Junk-​House are good, but some menu items could be tweaked in order to impress others while supporting the brand name, because I don’t think everyone quite gets the concept.
I do not know a chef worth their salt that would call anything on their menu Junk.

A Bistro Burger was in order when I visited this Gastro-​Pub, not to mention the two Primo Pilsners I enjoyed with the said burger. I asked for the burgers temp to be medium rare, and it came served on a pretzel bun, 8 oz grass fed patty, provolone cheese, arugula, bacon, caramelized onions, and stout mustard for $ 13. You can get fries or a salad for a side. I went for the salad.
The beef was prepared on the money at a perfect medium rare as I requested. The flavor of the beef was very good and it was juicy and tender throughout. The bacon, although only a couple of slices, tasted very good and was crispy with a bit of a chew. The caramelized onions were terrific. They were sweet and savory and tender to the touch. The provolone was a great choice with its nutty flavor and quick melting threshold and so was the arugula with milder peppery flavor. The pretzel bun was very good. It was very moist and tasted very good, but it was a little on the thick side, especially the top bun.
The side salad was simple but very good. It came with mixed greens and a light balsamic dressing. I little Pecorino and some house made croûton would of been nice to add some texture and a salty element: a nice alternative to fries.
I sat at the bar, and the young bar keep was keen. She quite the chatty young lady but in a good way of course.

Estaba a un lado del lugar que fuimos y decidimos entrar por unas cervecitas y a comer algunos aperitivos, fuimos recibidos muy amablemente por la hostess :) pedimos unas cervezas y yo decidí ordenar junk house fries y salt & pepper chicken wings, las papas estaban frías, desabridas ese color tostado no las ayudaba nada (no se sabia si era por doradas de mas o porque las volvieron a dorar por segunda vez) …fatales, aguadas ayyy no! Jaja la salsita las quizo ayudar pero tampoco tenia mucho sabor, las alitas estuvieron mejor la salsita tenia buen sabor pero estaban duras, costaba trabajo desprender el pollo y masticarlo no era muy agradable… refiriendome a la ‘atención’ … la mesera fue amable pero creo andaba perdida o nerviosa o yo no se :$ nos trajeron comida que no era para la mesa, pedimos kétchup y nunca llego, platos y cubiertos dobles, había mucha gente trabajando (en su mundo), la cerveza y el lugar me gusto mucho, se que el lugar es nuevo y espero que les vaya bien, pero creo en mi punto de vista ocupara cambios como la comida (que tenga mas sabor y mejor presentacion) aveces no importa si los precios están un poco elevados (pero que valga la pena) y el personal (que esten sincronizados) y no dejen enfriar la comida por favor! :p (otra mesa regreso sus papas por heladas también)