About
Nestled in the Mid-Mission District of Oceanside, at the entrance to downtown and within walking distance of the beach, is the neighborhood-loved gastropub Flying Pig Pub & Kitchen.
This “flip-flop” dining establishment boasts great Southern food, a cozy yet lively atmosphere, a fun open sidewalk-facing bar, and streetside outdoor patios.
So popular is the Flying Pig that they were named one of San Diego’s Best Restaurants of 2022 by San Diego Magazine. Even though they are located north of San Diego, that is quite the honor considering the enormous number of culinary delights that can be found in North County and San Diego.
After a full day at Legoland in Carlsbad, my sister-in-law and I stopped in at the Flying Pig Pub & Kitchen because I love unique restaurant names and unique food.
This cool gastropub had ample seating indoors with an L-shaped interior bar and sidewalk-facing bar, in addition to outdoor patio spaces. During peak hours this place can get busy so you may have a short wait. If you do, it will be well worth it!
We parked just right around the corner off Mission Ave. and had a very short walk, but I noticed there was a lot of on-street parking all around.
Since it was getting a little chilly we opted to sit at the sidewalk facing open-air bar top area—it was fantastic…warmth from the inside, fresh air from the front, and stellar people watching. Definitely the best spot in the house.
After looking at the menu the Pig Burger caught my attention (a 50/50 mix of pork and beef) as did the Truffle Fries, and Brussels. My sister-in-law wanted to try their version of the Deviled Eggs so we quickly put in our order as well as ordered two of many California beers on tap.
Right after we ordered I overheard one of the servers telling other patrons about a Happy Hour Menu so I quickly grabbed one. Turns out they have Happy Hour from 2:30 PM to 5:30 PM and everything we had just ordered was featured on the happy hour menu but at only $7 each!
I called our waiter back over and we canceled our dinner order and ordered off the happy hour menu instead. Luckily he hadn’t put the order into the kitchen yet so it was a minor adjustment he happily made for us.
Chef Inspired and Neighborhood Approved, we scored stumbling upon Happy Hour and I will definitely be returning and recommending it to my all friends and family!
Vibe
Flying Pig’s vibe is chill, laid-back, welcoming, and great for everyone in your group!
Though not huge, the interior space is very warm, inviting, and filled with immense character—a mish-mash of all kinds of fun, funky and vintage items. Nothing matches though everything comes together making it a comfy place you want to return to over and over again.
In fact, I spoke with a couple visiting from out of town and this was their third visit to the Flying Pig in as many days as they had been in North County San Diego. That speaks volumes considering all of the great food within walking distance in O’side.
Flying Pig Pub & Kitchen: Menu & Drinks
In addition to dinner, this crafty gastropub also serves lunch. Similar to their dinner menu when it comes to ‘sides’, the lunch menu also offers a variety of sandwiches like the Fried Chicken Sando, Shrimp Sando, and Grilled Pork Sando just to name a few.
Their dinner menu, which seems to be the most popular has local faves like the Hushpuppies with Shrimp Butter, Cheesy Grits and Bacon, Collards, Beef Fat Potatoes, Mac ‘n Cheese, and the best Grilled Duroc Pork Chop in the area.
This menu does seem to offer something for every palate including the Pork Shank, Shrimp & Grits, Seared Salmon, Fried Chicken Thighs, and the famous Pig Burger (a 50/50 mix of pork and beef with cheddar cheese, bacon jam, and fried pickled tomato). Their dessert is a daily creation and you can bet that it will be delicious!
And at $7 each, their Happy Hour menu offers some incredible selections.
We tried a bunch of things from this menu—the Truffle Fries, Crispy Brussels (white cheddar, garlic dressing, and bacon…though bacon is not listed on the menu), Fried House Made Pickles, Marinated Deviled Eggs with Bacon, the Wedge Salad (with Pig Dressing) and the Smash Burger (listed on the happy hour menu as the Pork Burger with ‘626’ sauce, provolone and pickled red onion).
The beer went down nicely with the fries and sprouts and then I ordered a Bee’s Knees (gin, lemon, and honey) but substituted the gin for vodka—it was delicious.
They also have a host of other cocktails and red and white wines, with the house red and white, well drinks, and all beers listed as part of the Happy Hour menu.
What an incredible bargain!
And If you’ve never had deep-fried pickles, I would say give these a try! I would absolutely order them again.
Local Tips
- While there’s plenty of dining space, this local favorite can get busy. Prepare to wait just a bit during peak hours.
- The Flying Pig Pub & Kitchen has one of the very best Happy Hours in the area which I found out quite by accident.
- There’s plenty of on-street parking all around this cool pub.
- One thing I do love about O’side is that they really promote local breweries, focus their menus around seasonal ingredients, and utilize as many local sources as they can when creating their everyday menus.
- They have different hours for the kitchen and bar, so make sure to check their website.