The Lab Collective Restaurant Review

Oceanside, CA
dine-in

"TLC’s Oceanside restaurant location gives you that true San Diego vibe." - The Lab Collaborative


4.40

Great

Food/Restaurant rating breakdown

Service icon

Service

4.5
Likelihood of us eating here again. icon

Likelihood of us eating here again.

4.5
Cleanliness icon

Cleanliness

4
Taste icon

Taste

4.5
Value icon

Value

4.5
Location icon

Location

4.5
Presentation icon

Presentation

4.5

Food/Drink We Tried

Seafood Linguini ($28)

Seafood Linguini ($28)

4

Great

Menu was not descipt about the inclusions: had 3 shrimo along with salmon & scallops.

Lab Cadillac ($16)

Lab Cadillac ($16)

4.5

Excellent

Double Barrell Reposado from Herrudara, with Grand Marnier. Delicious with tajin rim.

Chili Lime Wings ($17.50)

Chili Lime Wings ($17.50)

4.5

Excellent

These were made just how I like my wings. Not fatty at all.

Birria Short Rib ($32)

Birria Short Rib ($32)

4

Great

Tasty, just wish there was more meat.

Bhakta Century Sour ($18)

Bhakta Century Sour ($18)

4

Great

Bhakta 1928, Lemon, Rosemary Lavendar Syrup, & Egg White

Summer Rehab ($16)

Summer Rehab ($16)

4

Great

Gray Whale Gin, lemon, palm sugar, Elderflower, cucumber, mint, cranberry

Paloma ($18)

Paloma ($18)

4

Great

Dahlia Cristalino, Grapefruit, fresh lime, agave, Campari, soda water

Turkey Chili ($7)

Turkey Chili ($7)

4

Great

Nice rich Chilli

Fried Chicken ($29)

Fried Chicken ($29)

4.5

Excellent

Huge portion size

Chicken & Honey Mustard Salad ($23)

Chicken & Honey Mustard Salad ($23)

4.5

Excellent

Sub fried chicken, good flavor & tasty honey mustard dressing.

Potato Leek Soup ($7)

Potato Leek Soup ($7)

4

Great

Bottom Line

Verdict

This place was a real find. We loved the generous portions, friendly staff, and convenient location close to our hotel and the beach. The prices were also very reasonable for the area. We enjoyed everything we ordered, especially the Chili Lime Wings, Fried Chicken, and Chicken & Honey Mustard Salad. The Lab Cadillac cocktail was a standout too, perfectly made with a delicious tajin rim.

While the service was generally good, it did slow down a bit during peak hours, which is understandable. Our only real disappointment was the Seafood Linguini. It was tasty, but we expected a heartier dish with more seafood, given the price. Overall, though, we had a great experience. This spot offers good food, good portions, great prices, and good service. We'll visit again on our next trip to Oceanside.

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