My boyfriend and I came to Elephant Bar for the first time last week and had a really good experience. We had driven by a few times and had always wanted to check it out, solely based on the name. Then, we received coupons in the mail, so we decided we definitely had to give it a go. My first impression was of the decor, and I loved it! There's a big fake elephant's head in the corner (great photo-op), and lots of other touches like zebra and giraffe-printed ceilings (definitely my thing). It's a great place to bring any out of town visitors, which I plan on doing in a few weeks. I didn't realize it was a chain at first (never had one where I'm from), but after going I got the impression that it's a step-up from Applebee's.
On to the food. A little pricer than I would have liked, but again we had a coupon ($7 off of $25) so can't really complain about that. I ordered a diet roy rogers and the wok sweet and sour tofu dish. My boyfriend ordered a burger with fries (I forgot the specific type). The temperature of my dish could have been a little warmer, but the taste was great. Very satisfied. The bf loved the burger. His only complaint was that the side of fries were too small, and I agree. There was only a handful, with a lot more room available to put some more. We still had room for dessert, and after our waitress suggested the Elephant cookie, and I'm so glad she did. It was amazing. I'm literally salivating right now thinking about it. It is a very large, oversized cookie, with 2 scoops of ice cream on the top. The cookie is warm, gooey, and delicious. I would go back, even if just for the cookie. I think it was $6 or so, but was worth it in my opinion. Our total bill after the coupon was $22, which for our entrees, my drink and the dessert was a great price for a date!
Our waitress was very bubbly, nice, and fun to talk to. Thanks Elephant Bar, we'll be back!
Had the Southwest BBQ Chicken Salad...... It was the most awesome salad I've ever have. The wonderful favors popped in my mouth and the dressing was beyond yummy. This wonderful salad was low in CALORIES. This was a summer special but hope they put in on the menu.  Mary  Oceanside, CA
Review Source:Got there at 6:59pm just as happy hour ended, which was a blessing in disguise and allowed us to mull over the extensive food and drink menu. Â Rib-eye and shrimp combo is more than filling for 2. Quick seating for a Friday night. Service was alright. Â What stole the night was the 7-days a week lunch menu for $6.50! Already planning to return for lunch and happy hour.
Review Source:I have lived in San Marcos for almost 4 years and my first (and last) visit to the
Elephant Bar was in June 2013. Â Our steak was very small and the vegetable
was brocolinni, what ever that is. Â The vegetable was also tiny and without flavor.
The french fries were ok. Â I asked two times for extra napkins and then the waiter brought us only two 4 inch by 4 inch black napkins. Â I almost laughed out loud as
I was expecting two large dinner paper napkins. Â I was not pleased with the
food and the service was not great. Â I was very disappointed. Â I just remembered about the iced tea, Â it was like mostly water.
food was great, menu is big but a lot of the dishes seemed like the same thing just slightly different. service was atrocious. there was a big party near by but i feel like our small table was ignored. took over 5 min for them to clear the table and then find chairs, then another 5 min for menus and drink orders. it wasn't for a lack of staff cause there were plenty of staff members walking around
drink menu was a little depressing. food was good like i said and desert was lovely. service would make me question going back
I only come here when it's Happy Hour, other than that, it's not worth it. Their menu is too big and the food seems like its microwaved.
Their Happy Hour is Monday - Friday 3-7 pm and Every night 9pm - Close. Their drink specials and happy hour food aren't bad at all.
I like to get:
- Chicken Tenders w/ fries
- Chicken Lettuce Wraps
- Sweet Potato Fries
- Tempura Salmon Roll
- Korean Beef Tacos
Let me remind you, this is all on their happy hour menu and I only come here for their happy hour. I have tried many items on their menu, only because of family dinners and celebrations...and most of the time I didn't have to pay for dinner mwhahaha..thanks Dad.
This place is cool for a late night drink and bite to eat. I like going when it's not crowded. For the most part their service was been good to me. If you haven't tried their happy hour I would give it a try, especially since they have happy hour daily. Cheers!
If you eat good food, then you will never have to eat bad food again - @DmagicP
Went here lastnight for the first time after legoland... food was ok not great for the price... ordered citrus chicken and chicken and tofu stir fry with brown rice... was told they were out of brown rice so settled for white... no flavor veggies were crisp, the best part about our meal was the kids meals chicken tenders and mac and cheese... garlic bread wasn't very good either...
Review Source:I enjoy Elephant Bar, and it's usually for the jambalaya. However, I decided to venture out and try this steak stir fry dish, which was horrible. The veggies were still watery and the flavor was not on point. I should have gotten my usual, but unfortunately did not. My fiance enjoyed his pasta dish, which had shrimp and chicken, I believe. It is expensive, but I only will go back for that jambalaya.
Review Source:Love E Bar! We frequent this location about every few months as a family. Ie also begun coming here with my best friend when she visits from Thousand Oaks & when we celebrate a birthday for my husbands side of the family as well (large groups) The only thing I can say say is bothersome is how the server constantly seems to be ready for you to pay and leave. I guess maybe I just like to chat and visit longer than they'd prefer!
Review Source:Needs a new manager IMO. Server didn't know what was in my sandwhich, kitchen didn't either, seasoned frys had zero seasoning. Zero.
They did end up comping my meal, but the waitress was arguing with me, the manager never came over either.
The manager should make sure his servers know the menu, and the manager should make sure the kitchen knows how to make what is described on the menu.
Elephant Bar and Grill is one of mine and my family's favorites. We've been going here since it opened and I've rarely been disappointed.
Last time I went here, I was informed that the chef had changed :( Some of my favorites were taken off the menu, but my absolute favorite, the chicken tender platter, was still there thankfully. I got soup and salad that time, and they can't really go wrong there, so it was decent.
I love the atmosphere and vibe in Elephant Bar. The decor is so different and looks as if they put so much effort and thought into making the restaurant not only known for good food and service, but for their look.
I know Elephant Bar isn't absolutely amazing and to die for, but it's perfect for friends, family and business outings for lunch or a dinner.
PLUS, the staff is normally very pleasant and the food arrives fast and fresh.
I highly recommend Elephant Bar & Grill.
A friend and I came here to grab a quick drink and a bite to eat so we hit the bar. Id say it was a bout 60 percent occupied, I know they have seen buiser.
Our bartender either didnt care we were there or was more concerned about what time she got off. She was slow and seemed like she really needed to take a nap. Our drinks took about 10 minutes and to clear our plates once we were done was not even a question. They sat their until we left.
The bar area next to us was full of dirty glasses that she looked at a few times but never moved them. It wasnt untill the GM had to come and wash them. It was a little sad. He seemed to be the only person in the bar area with energy and a personality.
The food was good and so were the drinks. I wish the manager was taking care of us the entire time instead of our service but hey what are you gonna do. He cant do everything.
If you avoid this place at noon or around 6, you will have a better experience. Once they get crowded, service slows way down, and it gets pretty noisy. We like to show up at 11 when they open. Immediate seating, prompt service, food comes quickly, and you can pay and go fast. The food is varied. Some of their wok dishes are way too salty. Most everything else is good enough to keep coming back. Been here 4 times recently, and never disappointed. Friendly staff. Clean! Food arrives hot. You can pay more and get less, or you can have a decent time at the Elephant Bar in San Marcos.
Review Source:Dropped by their happy hour times supposedly from 9 to close. A small group of us were able to find a seat in the bar at 930 on a thursday night. Happy Hour menu had a wide selection of food. I only had the fries but the korean beef tacos and the Ahi Tuna are definitely on my list for next time.
Review Source:First off let me just say...I yelped this restaurant before showing up and still decided to give it a try...needless to say it did not surpass my expectations.
I came here with my family on a weeknight...and it looked pretty busy...although it did not take a long time to be seated.
As an opener we tried the Korean Beef Tacos and the Creamy Macaroni and Cheese. The Korean Beef Tacos were ok...but way overpriced for just 3 tacos at $9.50. The macaroni had plenty of cheese but the noodles were overcooked (almost as if it has been reheated). I'd order neither again.
I ordered the MisoYaki Fired Grilled Salmon for $16.50. The salmon was dry, it had no flavor, and the vegetables that came with it = gross.
The service was S-L-O-W. If you plan on checking this place out, bring a book! It took forever to get the check.
The environment seemed very busy, with waitresses and waiters zipping by. Our waitress seemed as though it pained her to smile. Maybe this was an off night for her, maybe she was given too many tables to cover, or maybe she just didn't want to be there...who knows!
The bill came to around 70 dollars for 2 adults and 1 child. If you have cash to burn, no taste buds, or time to kill, come here YOU WONT BE DISAPPOINTED. Otherwise...you may have a more pleasant worthwhile experience hitting up a fast food joint.
And if I haven't spelled it out already: I will not be coming back.
It's a chain, but I do love Elephant Bar, so when I realized that I stupidly planned to have lunch at the Flying Pig which isn't open for lunch, my friend suggested just meeting at Elephant Bar and so we did.
I've always liked everything I've ordered here. Â This time wasn't different. Luckily my friend and I like the same things so we went for sharing. Â we had the coconut shrimp, ahi salad, and chicken lettuce wraps. Â We both had the white sangria and shared a creme brulee for dessert.
it was a yummy lunch and the atmosphere was nice, quiet and dim and relaxing. Â
The only negative was that we wanted the spring rolls and when we ordered them, we were told they were out. Â I don't understand why they don't tell you ahead of time what items they are out of at a restaurant. Â Other than that, our service was awesome and attentive.
I'll eat at Elephant Bar again...and again. Â It's definitely tops as far as chains go.
How can they get five stars? Â They can't... it's the chain thing, the uniqueness is lost when it's repeated.
A really nasty dinner tonight in San Marcos I'm sorry to say. Â The Seared Ahi Tuna Rice Bowl (brown) was absolutely horrible! Â The tuna pieces were really small and so salty I could barely eat them. Â I should have sent it back, I just wasn't in the mood to hassle. Â No, I will not be back there ever...
Review Source:Used the 2 for $20 deal and what a deal it was!
It comes with your choice of appetizers OR a dessert and two main courses. We got the chicken lettuce wraps as our appetizer, the orange chicken, and their schezwen chicken and shrimp. I also ordered a small side salad because I needed some greens in my life.
Chicken wraps: The chicken is cut up almost to the size of ground beef. The meat was sauteed and over seasons. The flavors were rich but a little too rich. It comes in a dark soy sauce like flavor, some pickled veggies and a peanut sauce with four lettuce pieces. The dish although quiet flavorful was also enjoyable. I only put a small amount of chicken per lettuce wrap because it was too flavorful.
Orange Chicken: Definitely had an american kick to it. It was cooked with bell peppers and some other assortment of veggies. I like the asian version better.
The schezwen chicken and shrimp. A reasonable sized dish with ample amount of shrimp. It was cooked in a dark sauce, which tasted too "dark" for me. If that makes sense? haha
Overall, pleasant experience and total bill was $28 for two people.
Just had a great family dinner here! The menu has a good variety so we all found something we liked.
I got the Crispy Chicken Teriyaki with fried rice. Everyone at the table tried some from my plate and really liked it. I would order it again.
Elephant Bar reminds me of The Cheesecake Factory, because of the extensive menu and the casual yet nice ambiance. Family friendly at both places, too.
The Strawberry Lemonade was actually really good and worth a mention! My dad also got the Strawberry and Banana Freeze... I tried some and it was yummy.
I used to go to the Elephant Bar in Santa Barbara and loved it because it was good food, good sized portions, and the staff was always very helpful and nice. Â
I had never been to this location before and was up in San Marcos so I decided to give it a try thinking that it would at least be comparable to the Santa Barbara location. Â I was wrong.
The general lay out of the restaurant is an open kitchen, bar to the left that is somewhat sectioned off from the rest of the restaurant and then a very large wide open dining room that allows for every conversation being had to meld into one annoying collective yell because no one can hear each other so they decide to just talk louder. Â
We were seated off to the side next to the wall that sections off the bar and greeted by our waitress after a few minutes. Â She asked us for drinks and I said I would just like water (Immediately I recognized a change in her attitude because she assumed this would affect her tip). Â My friend also ordered water as I was driving and my friend didn't want to drink alone. Â This did not please her either so she walked off without asking about appetizers or anything else. Â
Someone else brought us water and while waiting for our waitress to come back we decided dinner choices as well. Â Eventually she came back and asked if we were ready to order dinner, first we ordered an appetizer and our meals. Â We ordered the Chinese Wraps appetizer and I ordered a Chicken dish. Â The appetizer was decent although not nearly as good as the ones I had at the Santa Barbara location. Â The meal came about ten minutes later and upon first impression I was underwhelmed. Â The grilled chicken breast looked as though someone had pounded it to about 1/8 inch thick and then left it in the pan for a good two minutes too long as it was tough and dry. Â I cut off the dry outer edges and ate most of it, but was thinking to myself that I should have just gone to 5 Guys Burgers across the parking lot. Â Waitress checked in one time without actually stopping and then came by when she saw us about to be done to refill water and give us the check. Â
All in all the food was nothing great and I could have had a better piece of chicken from Carls Jr. and the service was also very lacking and the minute I did not order a cocktail I felt like the waitress wanted to just rush me out of there.
I had one of the worst meals of my life here the other day...
Firstly the server was a little obnoxious, while she was nice, she was trying to get us to party. "Lets get some cocktails, ya cocktails" blah blah blah. We just stopped for some dinner, it was a saturday night but we werent in the mood to party but she continued to push the cocktail thing.
I thought ok maybe Ill have a beer. Being a craft brew junkie the only beers I drink are IPA's. I asked what IPA's they have...none. Come on, if you are in San Diego..you gotta have an IPA we are hop heads here. She offered me something else but I declined. I know its not the servers fault but it did irritate me a little.
I then decided I would go ahead and try a cocktail, why not. I ordered a flavored martini. It was DISGUSTING! I have to say worst cocktail ever. Sugar water...no alcohol. I mean it was litteraly like drinking sugar. Makes me cringe just thinking about it.
We decided to order the garlic bread and marinara as an app and share the ahi tuna plate.
The garlic bread was ice cold, hard as a rock, and dry as a bone. Thank goodness for the hot marinara...that was the only way it was edible. It was so bad.
Then came the ahi tuna plate. We said we were going to share, so the waitress took it upon her self to split the meal on two plates. She was nice to think of that...but the way it was slopped onto the plates was SO unappealing! It was a mess on a plate. The rice was good, hard to screw that up, the veggies were ok, there was a mango salsa...but only about three tiny pieces of it on the plate. The ahi....it was so terrible. I couldnt choke it down! It wasnt cold, it wasnt warm, it was like luke warm, the seasoning was god aweful...and it was the CHEAPEST cut of fish I have ever seen. You couldnt chew it, it was all stringy. Ugh...makes me sick to think about it.
I wanted to complain, it was such a bad meal, I didnt think we should have to pay for it. My husband didnt want me to, he just said we know now never to come back...and we wont. Bad bad bad.
Ok, I dont understand why these guys only rank about three stars? The Elephant Bar is a dining adventure!!!!!! A lot of places do not have as diverse a menu because it is hard to do. Their asian food is as good as their American which is as good as their Mexican. The seafood is awesome, and I am a seafood snob!
   Ofcourse I take price into consideration when rating this fun place to eat. The price matches the quality of food served in my opinion, so I guess you could say my expectations were met, and for that the Elephant Bar gets a solid four stars from me.
Oh goodness. I really hope it was an off night for this location of the Elephant Bar & Restaurant. We (party of 4 adults) arrived about 1 hour before closing looking for a drink and dessert. The hostess ignored us, until we one in our party walked behind the counter and tapped her on the arm. He politely said there were 4 of us and she pointed to the bar. There was absolutely no seating in the bar so we returned to the hostess desk. She'd disappeared. She returned quickly, grabbed 4 menus and silently walked to a table. She put the menus on the table and walked away. SERIOUSLY!
We already knew what we wanted to drink, but it took ~10 min for a waiter to come ask. Then it took another 15 min for our drinks to be returned to us. Not missing our window of opportunity we ordered a dessert. The dessert took so long and our waiter was no where to be found, so we got up to find our waiter and find out where our dessert had gone. When the dessert arrived it was horrible! The ice cream had melted so badly, it had either been left sitting on a shelf waiting for so long or was the last of the ice cream in the barrel. Even though the ice cream was all melted, the cookie was still stale and the rest was a disaster. The next time the waiter returned he brought the bill and filled our waters.
We couldn't wait to pay our bill and get out!!! Never to return again.
It's local and it's easy, for that last moment happy hour fix.
I don't go here to have a full dinner it is very americanized - asian fusion, not something I go crazy over , but their happy hour is pretty nice, even better the late night happy hour is great!
I like coming here and meet my girls after evening classes, it is the perfect way to unwind and it has more of a bar feel to it, for when you want to stay local.
The lemon drop martini is delicious and goes down very very easy.
When I want something more desserty I go for the pina-colada, love it, but very rich, and filling!
The sangria is well done, I prefer the white one...however the red one would go great with lamb or red meat, as it is a bit drier.
I truly enjoy their sweet potato fries and the Seared Ahi appetizer.
I was not to impressed with the artichoke dip... a bit bland to me.
Nothing to crazy but a cute local hang out.
Good food, a bit over priced for what it is. We go there from time to time since it is so close to home. The Happy hour is definitely the way to go! (Please note that you have to sit in the bar area to get the deals and they don't offer everything from their menu for the happy hour).
The service is ok - hit and miss (I am talking about their main sitting area and not about the happy hour!). I noticed that their service is equally proportional to the amount you are willing to spend for the night. If you order a lot and expensive - they treat you like a God.
But if have one of those nights when you just feel like having a basic burger with fries and don't wanna drink - they pretty much ignore you. It gets hard at this point to get your server's attention. They are "busy" with their "money making, well tipping" clients.
And this is when I tip the most and make sure I am there to see the reaction! Last time for a $20 bill I left $10 tip. Maybe next time he will treat us with a bit more respect?! The look on the guy's face was priceless! He felt so embarrassed! He got $10 for showing at our table ONCE to bring the food and then to bring the bill!
Bottom line - Good food and above average price for the quality of the food and service. And the service depends on how much you are willing to spend.
Oh, I almost forgot - the place can get very loud!
Oh Yeah!!!
Great place and arrived just in time to watch my NY Rangers win game 7 in the first round of the NHL playoffs. Â Thanks for having it on Ele !!!
Service: Â Pretty good. Â Not great. Â We sat for at least 10 minutes before seeing any type of server. Â That's too long, PERIOD!
Once the waitress showed up she did a fairly good job. Â However, why do servers insist on replying "no problem" when you give them a "thank you"? Â That just pisses me off!!!
Food was good.... not great but good. Â
Food was served VERY fast so no waiting once the order was taken.
In the bar, tvs everywhere with a lot of different sporting events. Â Hockey, football draft, Â baseball, basketball all going on at the same time.
Good selection of draft beers including Sam Adams seasonals.
It's ain't gourmet but it's good. Â Enjoy the bar atmosphere and get there early.
The elephant bar is ok. The food always seems to be a huge hit or an even bigger miss.
They just have soo much on their menu that they can't do everything great.
However, their drinks are great (yummy mojitio) and their happy hour is fabulous. SO thats probably the only thing I will be back for....and maybe some creme brulle!
Great happy hour and usually can find seating no problem. The menu is ginormas and I think the bartenders do a great job with the cocktail list. I've sat in the bar and in the main dining section depending on the group I'm with. There is kinda slim pickins in San Marcos and this is the kinda place where there's something for everybody...buuut nothing no one else can't do. A crowd pleaser but not a wowza in my mouthza situation.
The Asian dishes are super Americanized and the flavors are not particularly impressive. I find the Beef and Broccoli to be much to salty. Everything is decent, "fine" but not better than that. They do soups and sandwiches well, and recently added a burrito with a red sauce that's tasty. Service is good too, have never had an issue in the many times I've been here.
Check out the happy hour, good value for what you get.
Oh, Elephant Bar...
The best time to visit you is definitely during Happy Hour, where you have great prices on both food and drinks.
This restaurant is spacious, and provides a lot of bar and outdoor seating. It also has a fairly diverse menu, allowing larger groups to be pleased with the options. The prices are pretty outrageous for the quality of the food, which is why I recommend going during happy hour.
The service is consistently good when I go - and there usually is not much of a wait. I just wish they would increase the quality of the food!
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