Le Coq

★★★★☆ 3.8 (58)

"The Rooster is supposedly the last full-service restaurant that local celebrity Chef Malarkey and his business partner will be opening. It's ironic that one of his earlier eateries in downtown La Jolla is the same venue that has been converted to Le Coq. As noted by others, there was minimal signage on the outside of the building. You could see the faded words 'Herringbone' on the north side of the structure, but nothing else indicated this was now the home of Le Coq. A half dozen odd-looking concrete seats in the shape of an open hand adorned the front sidewalk. Where were the rooster statues?My initial impression of the interior was that it felt understated and mundane compared to its predecessor. I found the lack of flair to the interior and exterior decor to be disappointing. For a last hurrah, I expected more pizzazz to note the presence of this new high-end French steakhouse. We were seated at a two-top table in the middle of the dining room after checking in with the hostess. The ambiance felt dark and cavernous instead of what I hoped would be a cozy, intimate setting.On to the food... the two page menu was designed by Executive Chef Monsod. A six-dollar baguette with a choice of five different butters was at the top of the left page. Cold and hot hors d'oeuvres made up the rest of this part of the menu. Entrées, steaks, and sides were listed on the right page. My francophile dining partner and I decided to split a baguette with Pamplie butter which was a rich, artisanal version flown in from France. The bread was warm and pillowy soft. You could tell it was freshly baked. It turned out to be my favorite part of the meal.We also split one of the hot appetizers in the Onion Tart. A round savory pastry contained short rib, caramelized onion, and gruyère cheese as the filling. The crust was a bit dry and overcooked. My friend's entrée choice was the Roast Chicken which featured half of a cooked bird resting on a glacé with a lemon to squeeze on top. The preparation looked fairly plain for a price of nearly $50. The meat was tender though.I selected the Duck Breast for my main course which was served as two pieces of meat with tamarind purée drizzed on top, Some kumquat slices were added along with a piece of chicory. This last component was roasted endive leaves that were soaked with the puree to mask any bitterness. I would have preferred a different vegetable to pair with the duck, perhaps a squash or other root vegetable. For $65, a third slice of meat should not be out of the question.The service from the waitstaff was solid. One staffer went around the tables to ensure our water glasses were filled. Some of the prices were inflated though compared to similar caliber French restaurants in town. The premium may have been for the reputation of the chefs. Overall, I couldn't quite elevate my rating of Le Coq to a four star level as there were areas of our dining experience that fell short."

Carlsbad French Pastry Cafe

★★★★☆ 3.8 (348)

"Always greeted when you walk into this bakery. This morning, I opted for a cheese danish. It looked pretty in the pastry case, but still wanted to confirm it wasn't a cream danish. It looked silky buttermilky cream.I ate it once I got to work. Indeed, it is on the creamy side, and also sweeter than cheese danishes typically are. I prefer the version that is not as sweet and creamy. I wouldn't order this one again for myself. I paid $4.10 for my danish."

Champagne French Bakery Cafe

★★★★☆ 3.9 (188) • $$

"5/5 Caramel macchiato - expensive but delicious! Not too sweet until the end when you realize all the caramel sank to the bottom :)5/5 Cinnamon roll - made with croissant pastry dough rather than yeast donut dough. Much lighter and fluffier. It was good! Not heavy at all. 2/5 Dark roast coffee - you take it yourself from a pump. The coffee comes black and you can sweeten it yourself if you so choose. The dark roast wasn't very dark at all, more like medium. Not that good if you're looking for dark roast but not bad if you like medium to light roast. Great service and lots of outside seating in the shade or sun. Very cute place!"

Crown Bistro

★★★★☆ 4 (526) • $$

"Found this place on a whim as we woke up wanting to eat some place we've never been.This is located on a busy road but surprisingly the venue wasn't that busy. We arrived around 11 and had a 30 min wait to be seated. We didn't go deep inside but there seems to be three locations to sit, immediately outside by the sidewalk, in a shaded area between the outdoor seating and indoor seating, and then inside. Sidewalk seating had 3 tables, shaded area had 6, and unsure how many are indoors. I say this because as we waited there wasn't ANY shade to wait and there were only 2 umbrella shades for 3 tables and that could be (& was as we waited) really unbearable in this San Diego sun / heat.Once we sat down, our waitress took our order almost immediately and was nice and patient. We ordered what you see in the pics and I will say - the French toast is FILLING! Corned beef hash tasted a bit off to me...like, grainy almost, and we both didn't get our eggs cooked to how we asked but no biggie.Overall - I'd try it again because their lunch menu looked really good but overheard they only serve their lunch menu Mon-Fri.Nice way to start the morning!"

L'atelier de Paris

★★★★☆ 4 (163) • $$

"Ambiance - cute cafe and decor..you emerse into Paris when u enter. Reminds me of the cafes in Paris. Plenty of seating outside too.Service - fast and friendlyFood - got thr veggie crepe and salad and It was good size and fresh. It was ready in ten minutes."

Tapas & Beers

★★★★★ 4.6 (446) • $$

"I've been to Tapas & Beer 4 or 5 more times since my first visit last Fall. Anyone who I have brought here has loved it! Reservations aren't necessarily needed, but can be made on Open Table. This is a super convenient spot to have dinner if you're going to the Civic Theater. I absolutely love this downtown restaurant. The service is always outstanding and the food consistently delicious. I still love:- Mushroom and Brie toast-Garlic shrimp (ask for side of bread)-prosciutto flat bread -sausage flat bread -white sangria Happy Hour saves you a couple of dollars. A few things to note: -it's downtown, so if you sit on the patio. You may have homeless people loitering nearby -double check your bill when you scan your bill. Sometimes the app total isn't accurate. There's a great selection of beer and wine."

The Whaling Bar

★★★★☆ 3.9 (61) • $$$

"This vintage lounge of the La Valencia Hotel in downtown La Jolla is now back in action after a decade hiatus. Given the history of the "Pink Lady", it's a surprise that this bar was shuttered for so long. The property is nearly a century old, and lots of famous people like to come here and hang out. A local restaurant group (SDCM) has taken ownership after spending over a million dollars to spruce up the interior. The size of the space remains the same with an unmarked set of doors facing Prospect St to the right of the hotel's entrance.The central bar had ten seats while wrapped around the perimeter were booths and tables that could hold another 40 patrons. I came to check out the reintroduction of this place during happy hour which runs from 3 to 5 pm daily. There is a small menu card dedicated to that period which had five cocktails for $10 each and a set of five martini bites. You could order alcoholic beverages off the regular menu during this time but not food. The latter was disappointing because there was an item or two I wanted to try from the lunch/dinner offerings.I sat at the bar and asked for a mocktail which ended up being a strawberry, lime, and soda water concoction. It turned out to be more expensive than one of the five regular happy hour cocktails. From the martini bites, I chose the Whipped Buttermilk Ricotta. This was a plate of Italian soft cheese mixed with aleppo, lava salt, dill, and tarragon. Two pieces of grilled focaccia bread were included. It was a decent pre-dinner snack yet pricey at $17. You will likely need to make reservations outside of happy hour because the initial buzz will last a while now that The Whaling Bar has returned to the LJ scene."

Parc Bistro-Brasserie

★★★★☆ 4.4 (875) • $$$

"ON POINT SERVICE ! My wife and I don't get down to San Diego much these days now that we live in Irvine which is 84 miles way. However when we have to make a trip such as to our dentist in Bankers Hill we like to catch up with some of our fav restaurants in the area. SO ! On Friday after our midday dental appointments at Dr Chau we walked up here for lunch. It was better to our car in its metered parking spot because parking can be very hard to find in this neighborhood. And the walk will do us good ! A hostess named Rylie welcomed us in friendly manner when we arrived at the front entrance. We like to dine indoors most of the time and it was a hot day...too hot for the sidewalk patio. We gestured towards a bar height table beside the front window...our usual fav spot. No many familiar faces around except for Jeff the long time server here...he seemed to winging it on his own. The lunch menu is not huge but always interesting. CRAFT BEER ! I seldom drink alcohol with lunch but I remembered the lovely Duvel Belgian Ale I enjoyed here on a lunch visit not that long back....served in a colorful Duvel glass. I saw on the beverage menu they had Duvel 6.66 on tap so I asked Jeff our server for one of those and 2 glasses of iced water. BIG SURPRISE ! Jeff returned quickly with my Duvel 6.66 Belgian Blonde Ale in a generic tall glass and placed it in front of me. I asked him why it was not in a Duvel stem glass.....they have all been broken by the patrons he replied. WHATEVER ! When I pay $10 for a Belgian beer on draft in an upscale restaurant I expect the matching glass. Anyway the beer tasted good but there was little point taking a photo of it....it could have been anything. FOOD ! Our COMPLIMENTARY fresh baked Artisan Bread & Olive Tapenade turned up fast courtesy of food runner Tomas. Of course it tasted very delicious ! We liked the sound of the Lobster Arancini Starter ( Lobster risotto croquettes, spicy harissa sauce ) so we kicked off with that. ENTREES ! When you like something on the menu a lot it is hard to change....my wife ordered Wild Mushroom Ravioli ( Organic wild mushrooms, ricotta cheese, tarragon cream sauce ) and I stuck with Steak Frites ( Sliced flat iron steak, sautéed spinach, shoestring fries, peppercorn sauce ). Of course our server Jeff asked how I would like my steak cooked...medium rare thank you. The Lobster Arancini starter hit the table faster than a speeding train courtesy of Tomas the food runner. VERY DELICIOUS ! We tried a bunch of Arancini during our recent vacation in Italy.....love it ! There were a lot of diners on the outdoor patio....not so many inside. At some point I asked Rylie the hostess if Varo the owner was in the house.....he is busy I was told and then corrected me that it is Garo. DAAAH....I should have known that. Our entrees arrived in good time again courtesy of Tomas the food runner. Their kitchen chef & co know their stuff.....our meals tasted as good as on our previous lunch visits. We decided to pass on dessert even though we love what they serve. Just before we left a very well attired woman popped over to our table too say hi....Leticia Mazeron the GM. We enjoyed our lunch immensely !NOTE - Of course with 20 million views of my Yelp reviews and pics world wide in 2023 I can tell you what is great !IF YELP REMOVES THIS REVIEW THEN IT WILL BE REPORTED TO THE BBB FOR EXTORTION !"

Wormwood

★★★★★ 4.5 (344) • $$

"Made a reservation through tock for a party of 6 on the back patio for dinner, easy and no pre-payment required. Our experience was divine (minus finding parking but that's because street parking is notoriously bad in this neighborhood).The food and drinks were delightful for the most part. Service was above and beyond and all the staff were kind and attentive (thank you Wormwood!) They even moved the heaters based on our requests with the outside temp.Scallops are ordered per piece, wish they had a scallop entree. Wormwood is known for their absinthe and our cocktails were well made. I ordered the black cod and the fish was delicious. The quinoa was average. My husband got the steak and some pieces were too chewy for my liking but the hash brown potato was the best thing on that entree plate. The bread and butter was worth the price and our vegetarian friend enjoyed the mushroom pasta."

Saint James French Diner

★★★★☆ 4.4 (145) • $$

"Saint James French Diner is an American diner meets French bistro with a full bar and a charming French-inspired interior. SERVICEStaff were very attentive and friendly. DRINK5/5 Wink and a Nudge (spicy, smoky, fruity, sweet):Mezcal, Strega, passionfruit, guava, Thai chile. Mon amour gave me a spicy red wink and a nudge. FOOD5/5 Sunday Supper Special:Filet mignon (tender with savory gravy), bed of angel hair pasta with spicy tomato sauce (delightful with Parmesan), seasonal vegetable medley (asparagus, root vegetable cooked to perfection)This vraiment délicieux visit will have me coming back for more! :-)"

L’orangerie

★★★★★ 4.6 (17) • $$

"L'Orangerie a french restaurant bistro opened recently in Coronado. Taking the corner space of the Coronado Historical Association building with towering columns.The noir et blanc striped outdoor umbrellas are eye catching. Turns out, owner and chef Philippe is a Francophile from France, happened to be standing at the entry, cordially welcomed Me inside. I chose outdoor seating with my furbaby Fendi. Most places with outdoor seating are pup friendly but I prefer the outdoor area to be spotless and clean as this place was.The service staff and my waiter Matt were nice attentive and knowledgeable about the menu, which was mostly French cuisine, which is always my favorite. Although, there are at least three other french restaurants in the area, I wanted to support this new restaurant and try the owner chef's take on french dishes.I'm guilty, I usually prefer pescatarian and chose the seared salmon. Presented nicely with fresh local organic ingredients, I was impressed with how exquisite the flavors enhanced the salmon's subtlety. The menu evolves seasonally and I look forward to returning to try other dishes. The french baguette slices ordered with the ordered homemade french butter is a must. Pomme frittes ie french fries with the ordered homemade Mayo for dipping was irresistible.From the wine menu, the Maceratoin, an orange wine from Alsace region in France was surprisingly perfect for a restaurant called L'Orangerie, meaning the orange grove. There are no orange groves in the area, but the restaurant is located on Orange Avenue which is restaurant row in the Coronado area. Locals and tourists walk through this avenue and makes for amusing entertainment while wining and dining on fantastique french cuisine at L'Orangerie. A very nice first impression, Recommend!"

The 3rd Corner

★★★★☆ 4.4 (1100) • $$

"On my recent re-visit, the reception at the Third Corner had improved. Specifically, the aggressive and unpleasant "hostess" from my last visit was no where to be found. I was seated at a corner table by the window overlooking West Point Loma Boulevard and perused the menu. There are two dining rooms at The Third Corner: The "White Room", where the white wines and sparkling wines/Champagnes are stored; and the "Red Room", where the red wines are stored and where the bar is located. I like the bar itself, but the handfull of tables in the Red Room strewn along a banquette lack charm and the feeling is that of "Siberia". Accordingly, I would be sure to request to be seated in the "White Room".Although several waitresses passed my table numerous times (often calling out "corner" to warn other servers of their presence), no one approached my table for 15 minutes, despite the quiet room and the early hour [5:30 pm]. There were no apologizes or explanations when the waitress finally attended to the table. The specials of the evening were a good Roasted Red Bell Pepper Soup and a Grouper with Red Wine/Butter Soup. I enjoyed them both. I noted the male kitchen waiter would deliver food to the tables by holding out the various dishes in the air saying to no one in particular "Short Ribs?", "Scallops?". He expected the guests to raise their hand as to each "call out", as if the Third Corner was "auctioning off" the food. It would be much more professional if the Waitress who takes the order would identify customers on the order by 1, 2, 3, 4. etc, so that current unprofessional "auction presentation" could be avoided. The after-dinner Irish Coffee was good and properly made. There is a small parking lot along the West Point Loma Boulevard side of the building. If those few spaces are taken, parking can be a nightmare."

Little Frenchie

★★★★☆ 4.2 (657)

"When in Coronado, one of my favorite restaurants is Little Frenchie. Serving mostly french selections on their menu. They've perfected the usual french dishes: escargot, french onion gratinée soup, steak frittes, moules frittes and more. Everything is Trés Bon. I like the fact that they open earlier than most in the area. At 9am you can have breakfast ie le petit déjeuner and it's not crowded. Like most restaurants, when there's too many diners, attention to service declines. Otherwise, this bistro is very popular for it's outdoor dining where you can enjoy french food while people watching, a very frenchie fun thing to do at Little Frenchie. Recommend."

Patisserie Melanie

★★★★☆ 4 (138)

"Where do great chefs come from?Chef Melanie Dunn is not a TV cook or game show participant, so she doesn't produce whiz-bang, "look what I can do," flavor-free Insta-cuisine. Chef Melanie holds the Diplôme de Pâtisserie from Le Cordon Bleu in Paris, and she respects and builds on traditional ideas, processes and results.She's a marvelous cook, which requires training and innate ability, but muscle memory and talent will only carry a person as far as they can see. The best chefs are guided by a sense of mission, and something more: raison d'être.In chatting with Chef Melanie, I've found her to be charming, humble and sincere, and, importantly, enthusiastic about her personal purpose: through her creative efforts, to inform and educate.I assume she was so motivated before Le Cordon Bleu, through the many years she taught English at San Diego's Crawford High School. I know that now, she's in the business of suggesting that we "please try this thing you've never tasted before."I've learned a lot from Melanie Dunn, so, maybe great chefs come from Crawford's English Department.**********The original Pâtisserie Melanie was tiny, just the front of the live/work space that Chef shared with her husband, Axel Schwarz (another Crawford teacher) and their child.Happily, Pâtisserie Melanie survived the burdens that COVID-19 laid onto small businesses, and in 2023, Chef moved her operation to a larger space on 30th Street, with a kitchen full of high-end baking equipment and a dining room with seating for a dozen or so lucky diners. Any changes that occurred were good ones. The menu of baked goods has expanded a bit, and the place now offers some savory dishes, as well. Chef Melanie's is a varied menu of the usual suspects, and features some surprises, too.Croissant are there, of course; the original - all tuile-crisp and buttery - and pistachio and chocolate, too. But Chef Melanie wants you to try new things, so she makes almond and rosemary croissant, and smoked paprika & cheddar, and, when you're not looking, she'll bring out a chocolate custard roll called "pepito" that will make you regret, then rethink, your diet."And since you're exploring," she'll ask, "why not try a cannelé?" - small, custard-filled caramelized tea cakes from the Bordeaux region of France, lovely bits that are one of Chef Melanie's several unexpected masterworks.Pâtisserie Melanie offers a variety of macarons in typically Parisian fashion: floral in the springtime, spiced and dusky in the fall, and light and flavorful all year 'round.What else? Cookies and caramels, preserves and tarts, croques messieurs et mesdames, and whatever comes next.**********And finally, there's Pâtisserie Melanie's best seller, my obsession, the simple Breton butter cake called "kouign-amann."But before I discuss that KA (as I'll abbreviate the name), please allow me to present my bona fides:- I've eaten KA in 27 bakeries, in 17 cities, in 12 states.- I've eaten the best KA in America, at b. Patisserie in San Francisco. It's to my detriment that theirs was the first I ever tasted, because all others will compete for the #2 spot, forever.- I once bought two KA, to go, from Manhattan's Dominique Ansel, then shot uptown to Bouchon Bakery to compare them, side-by-side, against Thomas Keller's version. I spent $70 on Uber rides so that I could evaluate $17 worth of baked goods.*When I first read that Pâtisserie Melanie mades kouign-amann (specifically, "Kouignettes", the original kouign-amann being more like a cake than the hand-held version pioneered in the Bay Area in 2010), I rushed to Hillcrest, calling ahead to ensure the shop hadn't sold them out.I liked them then, and I've enjoyed them more as time has passed. They're butter-basted layers of slightly dense croissant, their edges palmier-like, crispy, and tenderer than I'd imagined. The rest of the bite is chewy, like good Italian bread.Each mouthful is a treat, as flavors mix and meld: yeast, caramel and dairy; a wisp of cardamom; pleasant hints of cinnamon and salt.And when I crave those flavors, Pâtisserie Melanie satisfies, and though I might still do so, I no longer need to visit San Francisco for a top-quality kouign-amann.**********b. Patisserie: https://www.yelp.com/biz/b-patisserie-san-francisco-2*Dominique Ansel won by a mile: https://www.yelp.com/biz/dominique-ansel-bakery-new-york?hrid=6rZALIHNkL-JJNFpWci7OABouchon Bakery: https://www.yelp.com/biz/bouchon-bakery-and-cafe-new-york-2?hrid=MwuB"

Mille Fleurs

★★★★☆ 4 (441) • $$$$

"We had a lovely time here. However, while the service is impeccable and the atmosphere is absolutely lovely, the food just doesn't justify the cost. Our dinner for two of 2 plates of bread, 2 apps, 2 entrees, a bottle of wine, a cappuccino, a desert, and a 20% tip was just shy of $300. Unfortunately, I think our money would have better spent at a nice steakhouse. Again, I can't stress the quality of the service enough. Relaxed but attentive, personal, and warm. The atmosphere was picturesque and romantic-- complete w a beautiful tile fresco fountain and gorgeous tree, coupled w lights made for a beautiful setting. But the food... the escargot was a bit overcooked in my opinion (rubbery texture), the crudo was absolutely overwhelmed by the avocado (which, although perfectly ripe, wasn't seasoned at all) in taste and quantity, my steak was ... fine, and the creme brûlée trio did not feel fresh. It was room temp at best and the individual teeny tiny portions made it really hard to get everything out. The bread was just meh. Overall: pleasant evening but way too expensive for what you're getting."

Madeleine Cafe & Bakery

★★★★☆ 4.2 (261) • $$

"Les gars here are really French, and I love ordering in French & getting my café croissant on when I'm on Cedros. New patio cover is making it extra lovely outside no matter the weather. Merci beaucoup!"

Cafe De L' Opera

★★★★☆ 4.3 (206) • $$

"This place was on my list to visit while in town and I'm so glad I made it by. I got in right as they opened so it was a few minutes to wait on the croissants which was fine because the smells coming out of that kitchen were heavenly. I ordered a coffee, a regular croissant and a pain au chocolat.A croissant fresh out of the oven is something everyone needs to experience lol. This was the best croissant I've ever had in my life. Soooo buttery and flaky. The pain au chocolate was equally as good and now I will be on a hunt in my area to find something that can even come close to Cafe De L'Opera.Definitely a must visit if you're looking for a bakery downtown. Kicking myself for only being able to come by once during my stay and not making time to come back."

The WineSellar & Brasserie

★★★★☆ 4.3 (287) • $$$

"Best wine and food pairing events! One of the only place in San Diego with wine and food pairing, like it should belong in Sonoma. We went to the staffs pick and got a 4 course food pairing with 7 wines. It was super good because we got 3 proteins! Started with an amuse bouche, then to a pan seared halibut, seared duck breast, 4oz filet, and ended with apple tartlet dessert. The proteins were excellent, it was like surf, fly and turf. The wines with the food was impeccable. Especially the Pinot with the duck. Amazing. And then the filet was cooked perfeeeeectly! Like perfectly medium rare and no gray meat. The chimichurri on it was amazing. The whole food experience was excellent.We love it and will be coming for their monthly wine and food pairing. They do such a great job."

Hunsaker’s

★★★★☆ 4.3 (94) • $$$$

"We have been here four or so times now, and will come back for sure. While we have had different experiences as far as service, the food has always been fantastic.The menu I believe is seasonal and constantly changing so I would suggest to check out the menu prior to going, I was a bit disappointed coming in to find they did not have what I "wanted" on the menu, what I ordered was great, just keep in mind to check the menu before you go.I really enjoyed doing the Chef's Mercy, which is a prefix menu that is chefs choice, just remember to state the things that you don't really want, such as soap, er cilantro for me.I love that this place is small, and right on Grand so that you can walk around after your meal.I can say that at this price point, I would expect the service to be a bit better, but ultimately we came for the food, which was delicious.I would have to add, that while it was nice to have the "live music", during one of our visits we were seated very close, and it was loud enough that we could not really have a conversation at our table, but again, food... great!"

Nature Forward Social Bistro - Cote d’Azur

★★★★☆ 4.2 (334) • $$

"Beautiful nearly opened with very nice decor and a French style environment. They are popsicles at the end and lots of lighting and green plants throughout the whole place. Came in early with a friend at around 10:40 AM, but the place is packed within the next hour. One thing I would say is that the service took a long time they were all lead to servers and overall it was a much slower service than expected. The food is good nothing to really rave about overall I would say that the quality seemed good and açai bowl that I got with banana bread was pretty good, but it did take some time to come. See pics, if I came again I would definitely prepare myself for the pace of the meal."

Kingfisher

★★★★☆ 4.3 (503)

"I've been 3 times now and Kingfisher is just consistently good (despite changing of chefs). It's a great night out with friends or guests from out of town, albeit pricey. Have a reservation or show up when they open to grab a seat. Cocktails are delicious and they can also make a killer mocktail. Endless prosperity is so good, both as a cocktail or mocktail. Food is really very well done here. The flavors are bold, so come with appropriate expectations. I've enjoyed everything I've tried; they are great at maximizing flavor with herbs and sauces.. turning even the most simple dishes, like japanese eggplant, into a delightfully complex burst of umami flavor. The beef tartare, clams, whatever vegetable they have in season, congee... all delicious. For the mains, if you get there early enough for the duck and you have 3-4 people who love duck, definitely get it. Otherwise the seabass or pork belly are great options for larger entrees as well."

Champagne French Bakery Cafe

★★★★☆ 3.5 (647) • $$

"Ok, this place is super cute. The brunch menu is excellent and the pastries are delicious. I had a 1/2 sandwich (brie) and 1/2 quiche (spinach and goat cheese) and it was filling! I didn't have room for the lemon tart that I ordered, but best believe that I brought that home and indulged. The lemon tart had a tender crust/shell, and a smooth and creamy, sweet and tart filling. It took over 20 minutes for us to get our food, which is a lot, but it did not detract from my overall experience here."

The Smoking Goat

★★★★☆ 4.1 (1821) • $$$

"Casual enough place to pop in and get a table or bar seating for 2 (even on a Friday evening). They do take reservations if you plan ahead for it.We just wanted a little snack with some wine as we crawled around North Park. The pate and tar tar were a great start and very flavorful! We've had other stuff here before such as the truffle fries, but these were a nice addition to a relaxing start of the evening.Service was great! Our server was tentative and knowledgeable. We'll be back to hang out!"

Chez Loma

★★★★☆ 3.8 (515) • $$$

"Such a pretty historic spot. They now have happy hour during the week 1-5 pm. We stopped in and had a beer for $5, glass of wine for $10, and 6 lovely delicate oysters, 6 for $12. Worth a visit."

Café Madeleine

★★★★☆ 4 (525) • $$

"Had the best quiche in San Diego. It's not dense where I struggle to finish a slice of quiche because not only that it's dense but its overly rich. Cafe Madeleine's quiche is very light - very eggy - so much so that I could eat another slice or two."

Creme De La Crepe - San Diego

★★★★★ 4.6 (598) • $$

"I didn't realize Creme De La Crepe was a franchise until I clicked on their website. Hopefully, they can continue to succeed at this location which has seen numerous French and Italian eateries over the years. Parking in this part of Hillcrest was all curbside as there was no dedicated lot for this business. It was quiet when I came to their bistro setting as only one couple was dining during my visit.I started with the Jumbo Lump Crab Cake which was dressed with corn, cilantro, roasted peppers, arugula, and chipotle aioli. The cake was a little loose as there did not seem to be enough binder to hold the ingredients firmly together. The taste was perfectly fine though. I definitely wanted a savory crepe for my main dish so I got the Marine which consisted of scallops and shrimp in a white wine clam sauce. The pieces of scallop and shrimp were sizable, but I wish there were more than two of each. The crepe itself was large and made of buckwheat flour.At the time, there was a free Nutella crepe offered for checking in so that served as my dessert. The hazelnut spread was so delicious along with the generous powdered sugar on top. I think their sweet crepes and brunch offerings will remain the most popular items on the menu. This neighborhood is not short on breakfast destinations, but Creme De La Crepe is worth checking out for a morning meal."

Pamplemousse Grille

★★★★☆ 4.2 (551) • $$$$

"So apparently we came here just over a year ago on Oct 3, 2022 and I wrote a 3 star review. I read through my review and yes, I was spot on, and nothing has really changed. This is still very much a "3" restaurant in my opinion. When we sat down my daughter was looking at another table and seemed a little shocked. I glanced over and there were two ladies seated at a table with their backs to us and facing them, and what my daugher was shocked about, was their poodle sitting at the table on the booth side. That was different. The waitress was nice but not very friendly. The food was average at best. I feel like the prices are too high for the quailty provided. I do love their bread and the little cookies shaped like pigs that they service at the end when they bring the bill."

Tartine

★★★★☆ 3.7 (728)

"Tartine is so cute! I love the cafe feel of the indoor and outdoor seating. It's dog friendly too! They have peanut butter dog biscuits for .75 cents each. You can come here for a meal or just to enjoy some dessert and coffee.We stopped by here after lunch to grab dessert to-go. The cherry apple crumble is not too sweet, but so delicious and will fulfill your sweet tooth craving. The employees here are super welcoming and friendly.They even have table fans to keep flies away outside.. every restaurant should have this! It's brilliant."

Zinqué

★★★★☆ 4 (525) • $$

"We had 6 people to eat dinner at this restaurant. And we ordered a bunch of different things. I had a slow cook 3 hours chicken leg, the sauce is delicious, but the chicken is kind of dry. My friends foods look okay, but the fries and steak look too much fries with little bit steak. For that price, I don't think it's worthy. All the appetizers are so so, and desserts are fine, not great as well. I think their brunch are better than dinner."

The Flying Toad

★★★★★ 4.7 (81)

"Flying toad is the best restaurant I have been to in a long time! I love getting takeout and they always have new great menu options. Their drinks are delicious and in the prettiest glassware as well as a great wine selection. I feel safe coming here because they do follow covid guidelines."

Et Voilà French Bistro

★★★★★ 4.6 (831) • $$$

"I have driven by a gazillion times! I finally decided during the week to visit . Finding a parking space use to be easy but now it will always be an issue. Parking closer to the bridge is your best bet!We walked in, told the friendly hostess that we didn't have a reservation, and it was our first time. We were given a table in the middle of the dining room which allowed me to see everything. If we weren't in San Diego, I would think we were somewhere else. Salim took great care of us, but the whole staff works together to make sure everyone has a great experience.We started with the Reblochon Croustillant which had warm reblochon cheese in phyllo dough and came with some mixed greens, sooooo good! I always get the steak frites which will tell me more about the restaurant because some places do not get it right. This one was sooooooooo delicious!! Tender steak and that sauce was amazing! Had to dip my fries into it as well! When Salim mentioned the Grand Marnier souffle of the day, I had to have it and that creme anglaise was soooooooo goood! We enjoyed the meal with a great Malbec, Chateau du Théron. It was definitely a great meal for the first visit! I can't wait to come back! Oh, and they are dog friendly with a cute little patio out front! I'm sure Cako will approve!!!"

The French Gourmet

★★★★☆ 4.1 (1050) • $$

"TERRIBLE CANELE(2 stars)I hate to be the one to inform the public but you would think a French shop would execute a Canele de Bordeaux correctly - lies! My review was solely based on the caneles, their other desserts look more promising. I was craving a small pastry and walked in thinking in the back of my mind they might have a Canele and when I saw it, it looked terrible. The color was very off, they didn't look perky - they were tilted or slumped to the side, and you can see visibly the bottoms were extra burnt. And I still gave it a try JUST TO TRY. Call me a Canele de Bordeaux Snob/Connoisseur/Subject Matter Expert or whatever you want to call it... this was the saddest Canele I have ever eaten. 1) COLOR. Clearly they didn't use any bees wax of some sort to coat and caramelized the outer layer properly. The color was way too light. 2) TEXTURE. Based on the outer texture (as well as the inner), either the temperature and setting they use wasn't dialed in correctly or they didn't use copper molds. I say BOTH. Based on the shape and texture, I'm certain they used silicon molds. Cheap way of making these beautiful amazing desserts. The inside was nice and custardy but a little too wet and the outside was chewy and stale. You know when you refrigerate something that should be and it gets hard, chewy, and stale... that's exactly what the outer layer was like.3) FLAVOR. The inside had the flavor but the outside did not. All I tasted was a BURNT BOTTOM. This is one tiny pastry and the person helping me put it in a box. YES, a box. Lol. That's not necessary. You can just slide it in a tiny sleeve bag. When the box was handed to me for (1) Canele I said i don't need that big of a box and then she put it in a tiny bag. So wasteful. Until the next review..."