I went to the Armenian Cafe for 2008 mother's day. The food was lousy and the host was rude. The price was way too much for the quality of food. In the end the host found a way to overcharge me by charging for an extra dish we did not order. I requested him to check but he will not listen. Overall, it was a bad experience. I will recommend everyone to stay away from this restaurant. I paid nearly $120 for lunch for 4 with no drink - just food and that too very poor quality food. I rate this restaurant as terrible.

The Armenian Cafe is located in the center of Carlsbad Village run by Eddy and inspired by his heritage. It has a small dining room – about 50 people and double that outside on a large protected and heated patio. The restaurant is very much cafe style. It’s a little run down, but boasts an A grade from the San Diego Dept. of Health (all restaurants must display their rating).

They are open for breakfast, lunch and dinner, with live entertainment, including belly dancers on Friday and Saturday nights. Hours: Tues - Fri 8am – 9pm and Sat - Sun 7am – 9pm, closed Mondays.

The menu is very complete. The name of each dish is in Armenian and Greek/Arabic with a good description in English. The region is heavily into lamb and the menu represents this.

We were there for breakfast. We had the choice of a huge menu. There are eggs as you like them, omelets and scrambletts - with traditional Armenian/Mediterranean and American fillings as well as lamb kebabs, souvlaki and pita bread. I had a three-egg meal with scrambled eggs, lamb kebab, cottage potatoes and pita bread. My wife ate the omelet with spinach and feta cheese. They were both excellent. The coffee was great and the service was wonderful. The tab came to $28 for this high-end, delicious breakfast. Wholly and highly recommended.

The food was excellent and well priced. We had the lamb and chicken shish kebobs. With dinner, you get soup, pita bread, rice, and veggies. They serve a dollop of creamy garlic sauce to dip the meat in. Fabulous for garlic lovers.

The restaurant is right across the street from the Carlsbad Inn and has outdoor dining with heaters.

Having to vacate our house for a few days during termite extermination, we got to pretend we were visitors in our own city. The Armenian Cafe is an established restaurant in downtown Carlsbad on Carlsbad Boulevard right near the ocean. There's a large wooden terrace for outside dining but in late September we chose to dine inside on lamb kebabs with middle-eastern pilaf. The bill for three was $55.47 before tip, a total that included 2 middle eastern beers and a soda-this place is budget-friendly! We are all hearty eaters but were full as this was a substantial meal. Service was prompt; 2 waiters were serving about 40 guests--most outside--while we were there.

This style of food is very healthful and my companions were pleasantly surprised by the beer-it was very good. Many downtown restaurants are more expensive than the Armenian Cafe so this is a good alternative for budget-conscious, cholesterol-watching diners. As in many beach towns, downtown Carlsbad has some tourist traps-as a general principle, the fancier they look, the more you should check if only fellow tourists are going into them. Ask locals; also don't be put off by plain decor,as smart restauranteurs here know they have to survive after summer's gone.They don't overspend on decor and concentrate on providing good value.