3 /5 Henry Lopez: I recently visited the new Crackheads in Oceanside with five friends and two kids. My initial reaction was the immense amount of sand everywhere (see attached photo). If you have kids, be prepared for sand. I can imagine what the designers were going for—the “bring the beach to the restaurant” vibe—but it felt like a hit or miss. The sand was everywhere—on the grassy area, the seats, the tables. Everywhere.
After entering, I found a table and patiently waited for a server, but no one came. I recommend a sign clearly stating that there is no table service and that all orders must be placed at the bar. It’s best not to assume that customers will automatically understand that when they sit down, no one will come to take their order. At this point, I decided to go up to the bar to grab a drink. The wait was long (around eight minutes) before I got the bartender’s attention. I was surprised there were only two bartenders working on a busy Saturday afternoon.
Despite the long wait, when the bartender greeted me, she was attentive and kind. She was incredibly busy but made a point to give me her full attention and even waited as I grabbed my friends’ drink orders. I appreciated this. Our drinks were solid. We ordered three mezcal margaritas, two hazy IPAs, and a blonde ale. We were all satisfied and had no complaints about our drinks. We didn’t eat at Crackheads but were surprised by the variety of options they had. Overall, I would recommend this place but would advise people to be aware of the sand and expect possible long waits. Drinks are great and nice ambiance, but you will NOT be served!
