Meraki

I had bookmarked this restaurant and it was the perfect place for my best friend and I to hangout & connect in a relaxing environment. This place also can be an event space, so something for me to note for a possible special occasion! Recs:Smoked Sausage & Mussels - This was topped with super yummy shoestring truffle fries with a savory broth. I know there were fries but many bread would be good to absorb the sauce. ‍Mushroom Mix Flatbread with Prosciutto - I loved the mix of fresh ingredients with the caramelized onions & mushrooms. It was still good as leftovers the next day. Titans Revenge & Day Spa - Both of these cocktails were so refreshing. I loved the meld of flavors which made these drinks the perfect beverage to sip on a summer day!Customer service was great and I liked that there weren't too many ppl when we came. Parking was plentiful.

Meraki is a new-ish spot out in the Golden Hill/South Park area that I believe is owned by the same folks who run Buona Forchetta. A few friends and I decided to try it out after work on a weeknight.Ambiance: the decor and set up here is very appealing and comes off as high end. I'm probably completely wrong, but I feel like the building was originally a warehouse that they converted into a full restaurant. There is an abundance of open space in the dining area, a section for the bar, and seating outside in the front patio. Surprisingly (and pleasantly), it seemed like a slower night as we were one of the few parties in, but I'm sure on other nights and as word picks up it is much busier. Service: we wanted to take advantage of the sunset so we sat outside in the patio area. Our server did a good job of getting our orders in, and had a good balance of checking in but not at a rate that was disruptive. He also made good conversation and had a story of moving to SD recently. Food & Drink: I didn't order the food so I can't speak on it, but my friends ordered three entrees and a side dish of fries. I had two glasses of wine and they were quite good and suited the vibe.Summary: this wasn't a super helpful review since I didn't have the food, but we had a great experience at Meraki. Drinks were good, ambiance was comforting, and service was fantastic. I definitely will give this place another try so I can give a full update on my review next time.

Gorgeous restaurant by the Buona Forchetta folks. The restaurant was big and spacious with indoor and outdoor space. The restaurant is so beautiful and I can definitely envision private events being held here. It surprisingly was not busy Saturday evening. We opted to sit at the bar and our service provided by the two bartenders was great! They have an extensive list of cocktails. We had the milk punch and a glass of wine - both were good. The food menu is not huge. We ordered the mussels in salsa brava, octopus salad, and the confit duck gnocchi to share between two people. All the food came out fast and hot. The portions were a decent size. The octopus was perfectly cooked and was my partner's favorite. The mussels were larger than the mussels I usually have but personally thought the sauce was missing something. The gnocchi was perfectly creamy and was my favorite but can be heavy (good thing we shared!). Happy to have found this new spot and excited to come back and try the other menu items.

Meraki is a restaurant and lounge in South Park that is the newest entity of the Buona Forchetta Restaurant Group. The structure used to be a Moose Lodge and has now been transformed into a multi-purpose space for events and entertainment in addition to the on-site dining capabilities. The parking was all curbside, but it wasn't an issue because this end of the neighborhood was away from the core business district. The inside could hold up to 200+ people while an outdoor patio had a capacity for another 30 patrons. At the time of my visit, several tables were set up to seat around 40 diners.A one-page menu featured small plates in the form of eight shareables, three flatbreads (pinsa romana), and three desserts. By design, it's not loaded with heavier entrees so if you are seeking that type of food, then Meraki may not be the best choice. For alcoholic drinks, there were ten cocktails, six beers, and a separate page of wines by the glass. I opted for two items, the Beef Cheek Empanadas and the Mussels in Salsa Brava.Three baked turnovers with a filling of beef cheeks slow cooked with plantain leaves were served with a dip of warm broth along with a cup of salsa macha. The hot sauce had morita and guajillo peppers as a base which packed too much heat for my taste buds. The broth was like dipping into an au jus that was just right for me. A baker's dozen of mussels was served with an orange sauce, salsa brava. The ingredients were extra virgin olive oil, smoked paprika, and tomato paste. The mussels were cooked perfectly while several pieces of grilled bread came on the side to help soak up the sauce.The service from the waitstaff was fine. The menu prices were in the normal range for a mid to upscale establishment. If Meraki can maximize its tremendous space, then the BF owners will have another hit on their roster of businesses.

I had driven past this place many times in the past months and wondered what kind of space was being created. Then, I recently saw a video on Instagram about Meraki, showing that it had opened and that they had food and drinks. I was super intrigued because the food and drinks looked amazing & I love trying out new spots. My friend and I were driving around, looking for a place to have a glass of wine the other night. I had remembered that this new place had opened up, so we drove by, saw lights on and the place looked super warm and inviting. We were greeted by Alexis, the event planner, who was super friendly and welcoming. He quickly sat us and provided us with menus. Shortly after being seated, our server, Matt, welcomed us in and was ready to answer any questions we might've had and we engaged in a nice conversation. We each ordered a glass of wine initially, I got the sauv blanc (delicious) and my friend got one of the cabs which he enjoyed. Matt had great recommendations and encouraged us to try the Gambas Al Ajillo, such a great rec!! This dish was so tasty, I'll definitely order it when I visit again. We also ordered the Beef Cheek Empanada, but my friend is allergic to peanuts, so Matt and the chef accommodated and subbed the sauce (contains peanuts) for a bone broth sauce instead. This dish was very impressive too! I can't wait to try more of the food here. The space is very open and has very warm lighting which makes it feel cozier. This would be a great spot for a big group of friends to come hang out or for a date night! Very versatile space and I can see it being amazing for any event. Alexis spoke with us about planning an event here & the whole process seems to be very flexible and like they are able to accommodate anything you could want/need. You can even meet with the chef to create a specialized menu if that's something you're interested in for your event! All in all, I had a great first experience here and the space they've created is lovely! I'm excited to visit again and can't wait for more and more people to find out about Meraki.

We were looking for a fun places for drinks and appetizers but outside the Gas Lamp area because parking was difficult due to the San Diego Padres opening season game. With the help of Yelp we found Meraki located in South Park. My wife had friends enjoyed the red wine and beer they offered. We had several delicious appetizers. French fries with parmesan cheese, and fresh herbs (hold the truffle oil). The fries were along the lines of shoe strings size. The Beef Cheek Empanadas had three and were served with broth and spicy salsa macha with heat from guajillo peppers. My favorite was the Mushroom Mix. Cremini cream, caramelized onions, goat cheese, cremini, button and maitake grilled mushrooms, microgreens, soft herbs and truffle oil. The service was friendly and on point. The restaurant felt spacious and we were able to spend a wonderful time catching up with great friends. We would definitely recommend:)

We were walking by when we noticed the Meraki space was open for business. You can sit at the bar, an indoor table, or on the patio - all very open & spacious. They may not have a hard liquor license because their intricate cocktails don't contain "hard booze". Their wine list contains some nice choices at reasonable prices. But the real magic (for me) is in their food. We started with the beef cheek empanada (unctious with good sauces) & warm olive melange (crunchy almond, citrus zest, olives in oil). Their special of the day was roasted half chicken - OF COURSE WE ORDERED IT: juicy & well seasoned chicken accompanied by charred veggies and a MAGICAL orzo - I can't stress enough how delicious it was. It was all wonderful and I can't wait to come back. This really is a special place.

Wonderful food. Better service. We went in early, around 5 and had a wonderful meal and awesome wine. The charcuterie board was delicious and large, the caprese flatbread was yummy and the shrimp dish flavorful. The atmosphere was relaxing and welcoming. Tables far enough apart to make you feel as though you are dining alone. But wow! The service was above and beyond--super friendly, welcoming, and even accommodating of our 4 year old. This is a place we will come back to often. Can't wait to see how they grow!

While I have lived in South Park, I have eaten at at least 27 places in the neighborhood and can honestly say my experience at Meraki was exceptional. The seating, simple and pleasing design was comfortable, warm and open. Our server Matt was great. The cocktails we ordered were top notch. The food was outstanding. Portions were great. Octopus salad and mushroom flatbread really stood out with each bite have incredible flavor and could tell were made with thoughtfulness and fresh ingredients. I Was expecting to leave a little hungry and out a decent amount of cash but was pleasantly surprised to a very well priced date night with two cocktails, a beer, dessert and enough food for some leftovers. Cannot think of a place in South Park / golden hill that could provide a better all around experience!

Very cool ambience tables are spread apart. We went early opening and the service was good but slow. Food was da tasting so I'm giving 5 stars