The Red Rooster

Best burger in town! If you're looking for a bite to eat & a causal dive bar to hang out in, this is the place. atmosphere. Table & juke box. Friendly staff. Small place. Cash only but they have an atm.

Great burgers/food and a great atmosphere. Nice small place to grab a drink and a meet up with a friend or two. Cash only place (they have an atm though) and pay as you go so they don't really do tabs or anything. Simple, straightforward. Can't beat that!

Long time well established beer and burger place. My family's been coming here for 3 generations.

So welcoming and the friendliest staff! The burger is totally underrated, one of the best burgers around town. Love this place, especially now that they take credit/debit cards! If you ever stop by when Kate is there, you won’t be disappointed, she’s one of the most hardworking bartenders I’ve ever seen & never ceases to make us smile!

I love little off the map beer and burger joints. The Red Rooster has one of the best burgers in town. Top it off with a really cold beer and you’ve got me! If you are expecting fancy… this is not the place. It does have a classic old bar atmosphere, and that is what makes it great.

Awesome dive bar with an even better lunch special. A cheeseburger and brings for something like $14. The burger is awesome.

Food was excellent and service was great. tots need to be tossed with salt out of the fryer. but my favorite spot for a good burger and beer.

The Rooster Burger was awesome! One of the best burgers I've ever had! Grilled onions and hatch chilis made it exceptionally yummy. Will definitely go back again, and try the fried mushrooms; note, however that they are a cash-only establishment.

Great burger and beer joint. Pretzels are very good too.

+1

Same great food and beers, now after 60 years taking cards, more TVs, and better than ever. Classic Oside.

My favorite Oceanside Dive Bar. Great burgers.

Best burger in town. The tatted up baddie pouring beers is an amazing cook and could get it any time.

Seriously one of the best burgers I've had in Cali so far! Also the onion rings are pretty great. Just remember this is a dive bar and what else would you expect from the staff except to be rough around the edges? Just talking to a few bartenders and being friendly, you'll find that they are actually pretty cool.

Main thing to note: This place is CASH ONLY (they have an ATM). Came by kind of late on Halloween night praying that they were still serving food. Luckily at midnight they were still allowing food orders. We were informed we had to have the 'Red Rooster' burger. It was awesome. 1/2 pound burger with green chilies and a great bun. Tots looked strange, almost like they had breadcrumbs or something in them, but they were delicious too. They had about 10-12 beers on tap. Sarah the owner was incredibly friendly and made sure we were having a good night. Overall, I would lump it in with a neighborhood/dive bar genre. Next time we're in Oceanside will definitely be swinging by.

This is the most enjoyable and laid back local bar and grill in San Diego County. The service is friendly and fast. The beer is cold. The food is just right and the patio firepit is cozy. Also, it's the only patio bar in SD with its very own plump of ducks. I only wish it was closer to my house.

This restaurant is welcoming. Felt at home when entering the bar/restaurant. A small menu but the food list is solid. Good and delicious choices to choose from. Definitely a spot to hang out with some friends. Family friendly spot. The staff is busy but helpful with assisting you with your choices. They do not accept credit/debit cards but there is an ATM inside. The food is amazing and I definitely tried their famous Rooster Burger. The price for the menu are affordable within means. Check it out and try their famous Rooster Burger.

One of O-side's greatest little (hidden) gems. 4 stars for the atmosphere is not a dig, it's a compliment to this local, historic icon and awesome little dive bar, where it's the perfect place for a low key hang out, play pool or sit outside with your drinking buddies under the shade and or firepit at night. Beer selection is just the right amount of local favorites, and the Jukebox is always playing the good stuff, too. Thee consistently best charbroiled burger, cooked right before my eyes I've ever had. Totally recommend the fried mushrooms too!! Served with a tray of extra toppings and condiments that you can add as much or as little as you'd like next to this perfectly cooked American staple

Easily the best burger/dive bar in North County. A small, low key spot to get good food and cold beer at a good price. Staff is always friendly and the vibs are always good.

This is a legit "dive bar" with friendly, old school bartenders and staff, a pool table, good music, back patio with a fire pit, respectably clean bathrooms, a good beer list and a damn good burger! They've also got other food and I've attached a photo of the menu. The Rooster Burger is well designed and the man knows how to cook: spot-on medium rare! The beer is wet and cold and the fries have both salt and pepper on them. Very good stuff.

Can you say greasy spoon??? This little bar serves typical bar fare. We tried the Rooster burger and some onion rings. The burgers had a nice char grilled flavor. The bun was toasted. There were several condiments brought to the table to add. The burger itself comes with grilled onions, grilled Ortega chilies and cheese. Very nicely done burger. The onion rings were awesome. Come if you don’t mind a dive bar experience. The staff were all very pleasant and attentive to check back with us.

Tyler absolutely killed it behind the bar! He’s bartending, grilling, DJ, fryer repair - you name it! Solid burger! Onion rings were crispy and tasty! They rep some good local breweries. I’ll be back!

I've been here twice since moving to O'side. My burger was perfect and juicy both times, and the second one was cooked by a vegetarian. Great burger with a slice of green Chile, sautéed onions, and a slice of American cheese. Buns toasted and you get an assortment of pickled items and 4 sauces. I got the frings cause who wants to chose between fries and onion rings. It's a tiny dive-ish bar with nice staff and yummy food.

Loved the charbroiled cheeseburger , mini corn dogs and tater tots.we washed it down with an ice cold beer.the female bartender provided good service considering she had to do it all serve and cook I would definitely recommend the red rooster for a quick bite and a cold beer! .

You've got to check out what all the hype is around this Rooster Burger! It was my first time here. Pebbles was our amazing bartender. Hands down all the way around. All I got to say is Cockadoodledoooo!

Great people, peaceful crowd, and not your average bar food; its freaking yummy! I love this place and I'm definitely coming back to stay. And no viewers, I'm not a robot. This is a real review about a real bar. So if you need to drink or relax somewhere you can love and trust then you should head over!!!

Daniel Cheung

This restaurant is welcoming. Felt at home when entering the bar/restaurant. A small menu but the food list is solid. Good and delicious choices to choose from. Definitely a spot to hang out with some friends. Family friendly spot. The staff is busy but helpful with assisting you with your choices. They do not accept credit/debit cards but there is an ATM inside. The food is amazing and I definitely tried their famous Rooster Burger. The price for the menu are affordable within means. Check it out and try their famous Rooster Burger.

Michael Walker

Easily the best burger/dive bar in North County. A small, low key spot to get good food and cold beer at a good price. Staff is always friendly and the vibs are always good.

Sam Diego Mejia

One of O-side's greatest little (hidden) gems. 4 stars for the atmosphere is not a dig, it's a compliment to this local, historic icon and awesome little dive bar, where it's the perfect place for a low key hang out, play pool or sit outside with your drinking buddies under the shade and or firepit at night. Beer selection is just the right amount of local favorites, and the Jukebox is always playing the good stuff, too. Thee consistently best charbroiled burger, cooked right before my eyes I've ever had. Totally recommend the fried mushrooms too!! Served with a tray of extra toppings and condiments that you can add as much or as little as you'd like next to this perfectly cooked American staple

Erik Basil

This is a legit "dive bar" with friendly, old school bartenders and staff, a pool table, good music, back patio with a fire pit, respectably clean bathrooms, a good beer list and a damn good burger! They've also got other food and I've attached a photo of the menu. The Rooster Burger is well designed and the man knows how to cook: spot-on medium rare! The beer is wet and cold and the fries have both salt and pepper on them. Very good stuff.

Suze Collins

Can you say greasy spoon??? This little bar serves typical bar fare. We tried the Rooster burger and some onion rings. The burgers had a nice char grilled flavor. The bun was toasted. There were several condiments brought to the table to add. The burger itself comes with grilled onions, grilled Ortega chilies and cheese. Very nicely done burger. The onion rings were awesome. Come if you don’t mind a dive bar experience. The staff were all very pleasant and attentive to check back with us.

Michael Lightner

Tyler absolutely killed it behind the bar! He’s bartending, grilling, DJ, fryer repair - you name it! Solid burger! Onion rings were crispy and tasty! They rep some good local breweries. I’ll be back!

debra colomb

I've been here twice since moving to O'side. My burger was perfect and juicy both times, and the second one was cooked by a vegetarian. Great burger with a slice of green Chile, sautéed onions, and a slice of American cheese. Buns toasted and you get an assortment of pickled items and 4 sauces. I got the frings cause who wants to chose between fries and onion rings. It's a tiny dive-ish bar with nice staff and yummy food.

Kathleen Honeyman

Loved the charbroiled cheeseburger , mini corn dogs and tater tots.we washed it down with an ice cold beer.the female bartender provided good service considering she had to do it all serve and cook I would definitely recommend the red rooster for a quick bite and a cold beer! .

Kameelah “Kameelah On The Go”

You've got to check out what all the hype is around this Rooster Burger! It was my first time here. Pebbles was our amazing bartender. Hands down all the way around. All I got to say is Cockadoodledoooo!

Burger was absolutely Amazing and the crowd was perfect, almost like a midwestern dive bar in a small town, I absolutely loved it

This is a dive bar. With that being said, the bar tender was SUPER nice. He took the orders, got the drinks and also cooked the food. We ordered a burger patty and cheese for our pup. He happily prepared it for us along with your order. Other than the onion rings, the food was good.

this place is so great . top 5 Burgers period . been all over the US searching for the best burger. This spot in Oceanside, California definitely takes the top five. Knocking pocket burger out of the top five. Tyler is so personable and so cool and he cooks this amazing burger. It’s unreal. I encourage everyone who roll through Oceanside to grab this burger. I grabbed two in two hours.

I lived at this place on Sundays in the late 80's. They always showed Raider games. I would tip my awesome bartender Dotty 30%. Great burgers. It was a beautiful thing, man.

Red Rooster is a staple of oceanside. A surprisingly safe and friendly bar, everyone there is chill and it's a lot nicer than you'd think from driving by. back patio includes a fire pit and a bunch of seating, menu is full of cool stuff like fried green beans and the classic rooster burger. they've got pool, TV's and a jukebox. it's also the only place open late in this side of town so you can't complain too much.

Dive bar perfection. Great burger. Good beer. Fire place outside. Good music inside. I came for the Tomi Tom Sho.

Scott Nicholson

I lived at this place on Sundays in the late 80's. They always showed Raider games. I would tip my awesome bartender Dotty 30%. Great burgers. It was a beautiful thing, man.

Justin Smith

Dive bar perfection. Great burger. Good beer. Fire place outside. Good music inside. I came for the Tomi Tom Sho.

Jack Erickson

Burger was absolutely Amazing and the crowd was perfect, almost like a midwestern dive bar in a small town, I absolutely loved it

hurley

Red Rooster is a staple of oceanside. A surprisingly safe and friendly bar, everyone there is chill and it's a lot nicer than you'd think from driving by. back patio includes a fire pit and a bunch of seating, menu is full of cool stuff like fried green beans and the classic rooster burger. they've got pool, TV's and a jukebox. it's also the only place open late in this side of town so you can't complain too much.

Peggy Diederich

Awesome dive bar with an even better lunch special. A cheeseburger and brings for something like $14. The burger is awesome.

Natalie Sabin

This is a dive bar. With that being said, the bar tender was SUPER nice. He took the orders, got the drinks and also cooked the food. We ordered a burger patty and cheese for our pup. He happily prepared it for us along with your order. Other than the onion rings, the food was good.

Jeremy Williams

this place is so great . top 5 Burgers period . been all over the US searching for the best burger. This spot in Oceanside, California definitely takes the top five. Knocking pocket burger out of the top five. Tyler is so personable and so cool and he cooks this amazing burger. It’s unreal. I encourage everyone who roll through Oceanside to grab this burger. I grabbed two in two hours.

Great burger, onion rings and beer! The burger was grilled on a charbroiler so, the juices from the burger dripped down on the burner and the smoke flavored the burger. Old school, very tasty! The onion rings were crisp and delicious. The beer was an awesome pitcher of Stone Hazy...delicious. burger, rings and beer...a perfect pairing!! The bartender and cook gave excellent service.

Hole in the wall dive bar. Smell of cigarettes and shame. Seems like a good amount of regulars frequent the bar. Interesting selection of movies being played with no sound and music being played.

A lovely tucked away bar scene for anyone looking for a decent burger and a round of pool. The venue itself was smaller than I'd imagine, try to keep your group to maybe 3 max to avoid issues with seating. Over all though the space felt very welcoming and the staff was very accommodating. The outdoor patio was a nice surprise with it's fire pit and plenty of seating, however the swamp river view was a tad off putting. Nonetheless, Red Rooster is a very enjoyable place to just chow down on a solid burger and relax.

It's a local hole in the wall but a great place to have a beer. And the rooster burger is so frickin good. Oh the the crispy tots 😋

Mah-Ree Nuh-Terr

It's a local hole in the wall but a great place to have a beer. And the rooster burger is so frickin good. Oh the the crispy tots 😋

Place is small and a bit outdated but the beer and the burger was good. Also got some tots and they were nice and crispy. Overall the place was okay. Definitely a place to try out once.

Carlos Quezada

Place is small and a bit outdated but the beer and the burger was good. Also got some tots and they were nice and crispy. Overall the place was okay. Definitely a place to try out once.

11/28/25: Updated review. The hubby and I stopped in today after not having been there for quite some time and I'm saddened to say it has gone downhill big time. As you can see from my original review, it used to be a great place to go for a good burger and beer. The rooster burgers used to be fantastic but the days of that appear to be over. Prices are high now, $17 for the burger and fries but you can't fault them for that because prices are high everywhere. What you can fault them for, is charging that for a frozen hamburger patty and frozen fries made with zero love or care. And service was basically non-existent. We weren't expecting fast service because we know there's only one bartender working and she has to cook as well, but I stood around for a good 10 minutes at the bar area looking like I wanted to order and I never even got eye contact from her. Seems like the bartender only has time for her regulars. Had to send my husband in to even get our orders in. And are burgers weren't cooked evenly. Half of mine was cooked to medium and the second half was clearly rare. So red I couldn't even eat it. Such a huge disappointment and bummer because we love to support our local small businesses. Cool local dive bar!! Just what you'd expect....small and dark, cool bartender, and a GREAT house burger! 4 stars instead of 5 is because it can be crowded at popular times and only 1 baretnder is working and she cooks too so don't go in a rush.

Not clean and building maintenance is very poor inside. No bathroom lock. Dirty behind bar. Cross contamination from bar tender being in rush for food add ons. No caps on dispensers and people are talking over them spreading germs on squeeze bottles and on the tops.

Leonard Aguina

Not clean and building maintenance is very poor inside. No bathroom lock. Dirty behind bar. Cross contamination from bar tender being in rush for food add ons. No caps on dispensers and people are talking over them spreading germs on squeeze bottles and on the tops.

Walked in and was ignored by the people who were "working" there. Waited for about 5 minutes for someone to at least make eye contact with me. The place was not particularly busy, but I got zero attention from the wait staff. Turned around and left. This happened to me on two occasions.

Hands down the worst burger I’ve ever had. Not sure if it was an off night because I’ve heard great things. Looked like the bar tender was tweaking.

wec4123

Hands down the worst burger I’ve ever had. Not sure if it was an off night because I’ve heard great things. Looked like the bar tender was tweaking.