Omg! This is hands down one of the best restaurants in San Diego! I can't believe people are not talking about it! We came here to celebrate my birthday and it is perfect! It is located in the famous Rancho Bernardo Inn! The restaurant has a large formal dinning area, large bar, and even outdoor tables. The ambiance is somewhat formal, but can also be a relaxing dinning experience. Their 3 or 4 course menu is an absolute steal! The price is so reasonable for the portions they offer in each course. This is basically restaurant week menu everyday! We ended picking the three course meal, which has more than enough food per person! Omg, my first course of the jumbo shrimp was so amazing! I can't believe they served two shrimps!!!!! It's perfectly charred on the outside, yet tender and juicy inside. So good! I would just come and have that for dinner! The branzino was great too. Man, I was so impressed by their desserts! They offer very very creative desserts. I highly highly recommend ordering their desserts. They are much better than other restaurants at the same price range. We had such an amazing evening. I will definitely come back again for all occasions. read more

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Unbelievably incredible value! Their pre-fixe 4 course meal for $89 includes regular sized entrees! The place, the service, and the quality of food is outstanding. This deal is almost a steal. I had the scallops and pork belly duo and my sister had the fish, both were perfectly cooked! The dessert was the perfect finish. We came on a Wednesday evening and it was not busy at all. read more

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We love coming to Avant at the Rancho Bernardo Inn for happy hour. The Parker House rolls with the different flavored butters are a must, and the service is always great. They also make fresh popcorn daily, with a different flavor each day, which is such a fun touch. It's one of our favorite spots for a relaxing happy hour. read more

AVANT Restaurant - Parker House roll with seasonal butter, Woodfired Waggy beef steers and popcorn. - New American Near Me - San Diego, California

We went for happy hour in the bar on Saturday. Great service, knowledgeable bar staff. Limited selection of drinks but what they offer is good quality for the price. Stylish surroundings. read more

AVANT Restaurant - Menu - New American Near Me - San Diego, California

Enjoyed our dinner seated at the bar this last time and really enjoyed it. The bartenders worked in Pam. They were super accommodating fun to chat with and the overall experience great. The food was outstanding. The winter menu has many options and everything we tried was delicious. From the New York strip the salad and the desserts we would definitely come back for those same items or explore a little more on the menu. It seems you can't go wrong. read more

AVANT Restaurant - New York Strip - New American Near Me - San Diego, California

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My husband and I decided to try this place and we had a wonderful experience! We both chose the four-course prix-fixe menu for $89, and everything was beautifully presented and delicious except the lobster bisque, for me it was a little salty for my taste, but I loved all the other dishes. The service was fantastic from beginning to end--attentive and friendly. Overall, we truly enjoyed our dinner and will definitely be coming back! read more

AVANT Restaurant - Four Course West Coast Oysters Hamachi Lobster Bisque Burrata & Beets SRF Black Label NY Strip Grilled Whole Branzino Parker House Roll - New American Near Me - San Diego, California

This is best restaurant in the Inland North County. The service is wonderful. The food is flavorful. We have gone twice this year to celebrate special occasions. Our first visit in January we ordered the Lamb Chops which were amazing and cooked medium rare as is proper for Lamb Chops. The Salmon was cooked perfectly. Not over cooked. Skin was crispy. I cannot express the flavor in words. The second time we ordered the special 3-course prix fixe. For appetizers, the lobster bisque was sultry and the grilled shrimp prawns can with two huge prawns with roasted vegetables. The pork chop was cooked perfectly and not dry at all. It is easy for restaurants to make thick cut pork chop dry. Not at Avant! We also ordered the Beef Wellington (a special that was not on the menu). We didn't realize the Beef Wellington was sized for two people, hence the huge up charge. Beef Wellington was cooked medium rare which how its supposed to be prepared! The crust was more like a pipe crust than puff pastry. The pate is mushroom with swiss chard. I need to address another Yelp User's review of this restaurant complaining about the Beef Wellington: 1) If you dont like your beef medium rare, DO NOT order the Beef Wellington. Ask Chef Gordon Ramsey! Medium is considered over cooked in a Beef Wellington. The meat gets dry and tough. 2) The Beef Wellington is a special (typically on the weekend) with limited quantities and is not on the menu all the time. I heard the restaurant manager let other tables know the limited quantities and he needed to know ASAP if a diner was considering the Beef Wellington. 3) Please also note that Beef Wellington takes to 30 to 40 minutes because there is a 15 to 20 minute rest time. So be sure to order appetizers also to tie you over! The service here is fantastic! Blaine was great! The atmosphere is nice in dark woods. Just the right lighting. We are so glad to find Avant for our special occasions. read more

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We had a perfect dinner. The food was delicious, good mix of traditional and moderately inventive, and the flavors were all on point. Also pretty healthy portions. We each got the 3-course prix fixe and it was a very reasonable price point for that quality. Service was great. They were very attentive but not over the top -- exactly the right calibration for an elegant but not overly stuffy restaurant. There was a high attention to detail top to bottom. Really couldn't ask for anything better. A lesser restaurant would know they have a semi-captive audience at a beautiful resort -- but the Avant waitstaff and kitchen take their craft seriously and delivered on a beautiful evening. read more

AVANT Restaurant - Lavender + strawberry dessert - New American Near Me - San Diego, California

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This restaurant sits in the Rancho Bernardo golf area. Getting to the restaurant is easy, even for the walker (for handicap). Inside, there's a big table that sits 6 where we sat, my MIL couldn't navigate the steps down to the restaurant main area. Thanks to my MIL, we got to sit at the first table. Our server was very attentive and friendly. He got us our drinks in record time despite how busy the restaurant was. Our meals were fantastic. I had the jumbo presents 3 gigantic prawns were so filling. I also ordered a Caesar salad which was also generous and delicious. My side is mushrooms were simple but fragrant. I don't think anything we saw less than a 5-Star. Definitely will go back again. read more

I was invited to the James Beard dinner and got to enjoy the 6 courses by different chefs. Of course it was all amazing and I was surprisingly very full by the end of it and I certainly didn't need a glass of wine every course but loved the dessert wine at the end. Amazing experience to say the least and cool to see it all come together. read more

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Came the week before Christmas and had the best dinner on the patio. Heaters were warm. Food was perfect. Parker house rolls didn't stand a chance. read more

AVANT Restaurant - parker house roll niman ranch pork chop foraged mushrooms crispy brussel sprouts mishimi wagyu new york pave - New American Near Me - San Diego, California

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Amazing birthday meal here! I was a little nervous cuz I saw some people on here say that the chef (Sergio Jimenez) had left - & I couldn't find anything out about the new culinary team on their webpage. But it turned out to be just as fab as our first visit! The menu lists the new Chef de Cuisine Matt Martinez (technically Sous - but as second to the executive chef of all the hotels in this chain). Chef Matt came out after our exceptional meal and we got to tell him how much we loved it - thank you! Definitely one of the best restaurants in San Diego County right now, in my view. Ok - to the meal & experience! Patio: super cute, love the view and the vibe. At first we were cold - but then the heaters really started cranking - and they are powerful here! No worries about dining outside here in the winter. Service: Amanda was a great server. Warm, knowledgeable, on top of things! Drinks: I tried the American Theorem last time. This time I got the All Puffed Up. My server last time warned me off this one - but it was 100% my style (as someone who loves orgeat and complex cocktails). Served in a cute pufferfish mug: courvoisier vsop cognac, cointreau, orgeat, lime, bitter truth pimento dram, east imperial ginger beer, cinnamon. Absolutely worth sipping the whole meal. Appetizers: of course we got the parkerhouse rolls here: $10 for 4 (3?) of them - but they're so delicious with their accoutrements (sea salt, crème fraîche, bourbon honey butter) that who can complain? Salads: sweetie got the wedge. A huge pile of fat, to be honest LOL. It was tasty but not the world's healthiest salad. I got the BEET salad. Someone on here said it was the best salad they ever had. I wouldn't go that far... but I'd be lying if I said it wasn't *delectable* and interesting, and I ate every bit. Under the greens and beets you see in my pic is a super tasty fromage blanc that worked really well with the salad. I was in the plate-cleaner club on this. Entrees: Keep in mind, as some folks have said, that they are not huge portions - and that though they come with small sides - you really need to order sides on their own if you want more. I got the Icelandic cod which was just overall delicious. Loved the miso beurre blanc, loved the brick dough, the cook of the fish, and the little cauliflower florettes. YUM. My sweetie got the lamb. He enjoyed it if not as much as me. The panisse that was the little side there was strongly fennel-flavored - which I liked but not as much him (but an anise panisse is cute to say, is it not?). Dessert: they brought me some cute truffles and a little crème brulée ramekin for my bday. But we also ordered the peanut butter chocolate dish and the tarte tatin. Each was yummy even if we didn't love every component. The best thing about these two desserts is that they were perfectly *salted*. We often think about sweetness in desserts, but each of them had a nice savory quality too. Sophisticated, not cloying. I loved my meal and the experience, and getting to meet the new Chef was fun. Highly recommended for special occasion dining or just if you're feeling posh and want something delicious and interesting! read more

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Very good food, good staff. We ordered scallop, prawn and wagu ribeye. Can't ask for a better food and service. We also got served a little birthday dessert which was "icing on the cake". Drink is a little strong for me but i like it!!! read more

AVANT Restaurant - SRF Black Label NY Strip - New American Near Me - San Diego, California

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Came here on a whim to celebrate my midweek birthday. The service was amazing- it was all hands on deck, it was a full bar but we felt like we were the only ones there. I was excited to try a bunch of things on the menu so we ordered the things that caught my eye. The flavors were underwhelming. Just bland. It was very disappointing. They surprised me with a crème brûlée which was delicious! Maybe i'll just come for dessert next time. read more

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Very good experience at Avant. Atmosphere was relaxing and not loud. Both my wife and I got the 4 course meal and enjoyed each course. Bluefin crudo and halibut were the highlights for me. read more

What is heartbreaking is when you go back to support a business again after having a nice time the previous visits over the past years. My friend booked reservations for her Sagittarius birthday celebration (two or three of us in attendance were also birthday girls) dinner with her closest knit girlfriends. I even invited my friend who likes to discover new people & good places. She hadn't met these ladies yet and my friend included her as a plus one in the reservation. I was the first to arrive just minutes prior to the exact reservation time and I found the hosts' booth and let her know I was there for that reservation. She offered to take me to a table with menus. However I opted to wait in the lobby for my friend (as I mentioned hadn't been there before). In a rush all of the ladies arrived. I was intrigued by the holiday decorations so I snapped a few shots. Very festive and beautifully done. We greeted each other by the host station and waited for her to take care of other guests that came in right after I did. She then led us to the bar area and had us separated in two different booths...huh? What happened to our party reservations? My friend was more than upset because she requested a very particular table and it was confirmed prior to our arrival. Apparently the table was given to someone else and after speaking tirelessly to the manager (or maybe owner? I'm unsure). He blame-shifted and attributed it as to a host error and didn't offer any real solutions for us to all to be together. Thus the bad review for this particular visit. I always try and see how the business handles their guests, particularly in these types of circumstances, before rating an experience. After having food and drinks here before and my friend being a regular customer as well. Our goal whenever going out is to genuinely support a business not tear it down. Yet because of the lack of a true care, accountability for the mistake, & no true resolve we all decided to unfortunately take our support and fun gals elsewhere. We definitely left feeling bummed but also good in our decision to try someplace else. And the next place did great In receiving all of us at one table. read more

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Date night at Rancho Bernardo Inn with drinks and an appetizer to start AVANT, then finishing the night with dinner Veranda. From the moment you walk into the resort, you feel a sense of elegance and retreat. At their restaurants, they design menus around the seasons and use ingredients ‍picked fresh from their onsite Chef's Garden. AVANT has even earned a Forbes Four-Star rating. The Veranda has Mediterranean flavors with a Southern California twist. The outside seating at Veranda offers a stunning view during the day and transports you to an exceptional dining experience at night with a fireplace, beautiful lighting, and live music on the weekends. We ordered: AVANT Woodsman Old Fashioned (Japanese whiskey, jasmine lemongrass, bitters) Wood fired wagyu beef skewers (Happy hour menu) Super cool that they have a menu specifically for Old Fashioneds! The service here was truly a 10/10! read more

AVANT Restaurant - Wood fired wagyu beef skewers (Happy hour menu) 10/10 - New American Near Me - San Diego, California

If I could put this as 0 star review I would. I have a good friend with peanut allergy who was assured her food would have no peanut oil or other contaminants, but after the first bite need an epi pen. As she lost consciousness, her family tried to get the staff to call 911 as they tried to bar her family from calling. No one called and a 2nd epi pen had to be administered and still no ambulance. Her family finally got her out of there thankfully. So if you have a food allergy or medical condition this hard skip, as they will block you calling 911 and lie about making your food safe. read more

NO! Food is a 3/5. Service is a a 4/5. Plates are very very small and expensive. If you are under 4, this place is great

My wife and I had an exceptional dinner here celebrating our wedding anniversary. We started with a few drinks in the bar, which had plenty of seating at 5:30 on a Friday. My wife had the Summer Thyme and quite enjoyed how light it was with a nice herby undertone. She has a thing for marigolds and this happened to have one as garnish, extra points. I had the Woodsman and it was ok but not what I expected. All of the flavors were there but it wasn't harmonious. The Japanese whiskey was a bit bitter and lemongrass didn't blend in. Moving on to dinner...amazing meal! Hamachi crudo was nice and fresh, punch from the gooseberries with chile contrast was fun. Our favorite dish was the octopus. Perfectly grilled and tender served over chorizo polenta, this would be an amazing lunch on its own. The whole branzino was perfectly cooked and stuffed with aromatics (citrus, thyme) that carried through the fish. The caviar and creamy citrus sauce added to the goodness. Brussels sprouts were well cooked with a few chunks of bacon and apple, nothing special but still delicious. For our anniversary they gave us a nice dessert treat. Each of us received a mini crème brûlée with blueberries and two truffles. Both truffles were delicious, can't remember what was in them. It's an interesting space with the large bar and recessed dining room. There's a lot going on including people watching sports at the bar, golfers grabbing a drink, people next to us at dinner looked like they just came in from the pool. Not being judgy, just an eclectic environment for a high end meal. read more

Depending on where you live, driving up the 15 Freeway to Rancho Bernardo and the Rancho Bernardo inn can be quite a trek indeed. The Rancho Bernardo Inn is low slung and very 70's in style, in a GOOD way, There is a spaciousness to the property that is enviable. The gardens at the Rancho Bernardo Inn are lovely and extend to several wooded acres. However, they lack the colorfil flower displays of, say, the nearby Inn at Rancho Santa Fe, in Rancho Santa Fe. Avant Restaurant is located at the very front of the Inn, on the left as you enter the parking lot. There is an initial bar upon entering the dining room, and then the restautrant is located just behind. The hostess was kind and efficient I was seated at a comfortable booth near a window in the main dining room. The wine list is remarkable, and failrly priced. And don't miss the signature after dinner coffee drink read more

AVANT Restaurant - Dinner - New American Near Me - San Diego, California

For what it is, Avant is a lovely space with great food. For the price tag, I would expect a little more attention to detail and better service. My girlfriends and I had booked a dinner there to celebrate two of our birthdays and we were actually staying at the hotel as well.the server noted this, but never mentioned it again and never offered a desert menu or anything. To me, that's a huge miss because I feel like you could really honor your patrons birthdays if you wanted to. I'm not basing the review so on this, but it was kind of strange to ignore that. The food in my opinion was truly just three stars sadly. The rolls were the best part. We also ordered the melon and burrata salad, which was subpar. For the mains, we did the white fish, the duck, and salmon. The duck was undercooked in some parts which was odd - seemed almost rare? Perhaps it was meant to be. I've never eaten duck but my friend who gets it often said it was strange to have it served not fully cooked. Because we were sharing, it was too late to send it back as most of it was eaten by the time we noticed. Again, it was only probably 2/10 pieces that weren't cooked thoroughly. The biggest miss was that after receiving our cocktails and bread, I think we waited close to 45 minutes to actually get our main dishes. It was wild. We also noticed other folks getting served at different times and it was just not well done (pun intended) in my opinion. When the price is that high and when the expectations are that high, you have to deliver on timing, service, and food. One thing I did love was the watercolor cocktail menu. It was beautiful and I could've looked at it all night. The cocktails were delicious. But with the price tag, the lag in service, and the clear miss with honoring our birthdays (or even noting that we were celebrating), I would be hard pressed to return. read more

AVANT Restaurant - Parker house rolls. The best thing we ate. - New American Near Me - San Diego, California

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We always enjoy dining here. Pleasant view of the golf course on the outdoor terrace. And the service is impeccable!

We've been to AVANT twice for the Sunday Champagne Brunch. FOOD (4/5) The brunch features breakfast and lunch entrees, an awesome seafood bar, a terrific selection of cheeses and Italian meats, made-to-order waffles and egg scrambles, and very nice pastries and desserts. And they serve bottomless pours of Chandon sparkling wine -- definitely much better than most Sunday brunches in San Diego. Our favorites are the fresh seafood and the Chandon. Desserts are very good. SERVICE (4/5) Our servers have been very good. Servers at the seafood and dessert stations have been excellent. AMBIANCE (4/5) The overall ambiance is country club casual. Large windows overlook the RBI golf course. read more

AVANT Restaurant - Exterior -- Wecome Sign - New American Near Me - San Diego, California

4 Members of San Diego Foodies and Carlsbad Foodies attended the James Beard Award Dinner at Avant Restaurant recently. This is a wonderful experience because it clearly shows that different people enjoy different types of food. I'm especially excited by the plating of food. We all talk about the flavor profiles and plating as each dish comes out. So it's me, Stacy, Ana Marie and Trudy. It's a girls night out! Avant at The Rancho Bernardo Inn starts us off with a choice of two types of tequila mixed drinks. I pick the one that they say is less sweet. And it's good. Three different appetizers periodically come out. And that's a good idea to start an event where everyone is not off the wall hangry and thirsty! The GM could not have been nicer or done more for our group. He made sure we were seated together in a great location. I pictured this as group dining not assigned seating. But keep that in mind. Events at Avant are assigned seating. Make sure everyone who wants to sit with you, says that when they buy tickets! First course is Chef Casey Thompson. Stacy is doing back flips. This is one of her favorite finalists on Top Chef. Oysters, pork bone marrow, topped with golden caviar. The add perfectly curated toast points. Nice touch. It's so good. We are all speechless! I especially love oysters and caviar, so this is the star plate for me. They pair it pork bone marrow that is filled down the middle with marrow and meat. I have never seen pigs thick bones used this way. And this is something you can use over and over again, for presentation. Very talented way to present! Stacy says: "Divine.... The crisp clean flavor with briny caviar plus the pork bone marrow and shredded meat ... well more than a few of us wanted to take home and re-use those bones. Ana Marie and Trudy also enjoy this course. A quiet table says it all! 2nd course is created by Chef Jimmy Schmidt. It's sea scallop & lobster ravioli with a gingered froth. I don't eat scallops and I never understand what all the fuss is about when it comes to froth. And I am telling you this was an ah-mazing dish. Each course is paired with wine. Stacy says: "Rich" I agree. Ana Marie loves this dish and is so happy to be at a table where we can discuss each dish as it comes out. This is that kind of experience. 3rd Course is created by Chef Alex Seidel. It's an aged Liberty Duck Breast, franato rice, creamed ramps & strawberry. All of the people at the table that enjoy Duck Breast are enjoying every bite. Words like 'decadent' are shared. 4th Course, created by Chef Ruffo Ibarra & Chef Ron Fougeray is a wagyu new steak pave, pomp puree, onion, potato crisps with a Serrano Demi. Trudy who was raised on a farm just loves these last two courses. Meat is her jam! Ana Marie says: "Just perfect"! Some of us are really stuffed. The final and 5th course is created by Chef Marlia Tulchevska. It's a chocolate cigar with an edible paper cigar ring. It's filled with bailey's mousse, brown butter salted crumble, caramel chocolate ganache, plus a burnt orange chocolate gelato. For those of us who still have an ounce of room in their stomachs, the chocolate cigar wins hands down! Everyone at our table says this was a great girls night out! And I agree. My only regret? I wish I had eaten more of the cigar. Oh well. I'lll have to scout out Chef Marlia T. and see where she is making more of these! Best, Chef Marian San Diego Foodies Carlsbad Foodies read more

Went here for my sisters rehearsal dinner and was not disappointed!! The staff was very friendly and super helpful when setting up! It was raining so they quickly were able to accommodate us in the covered area upstairs which was gorgeous!!! The food was amazing as well! My favorite was the flatbread pizza! read more

Had a lovely brunch here to celebrate my birthday, and it was very satisfying! The inside of AVANT is classy and ample, with great natural lighting! There were more than enough options for brunch, ranging from traditional American breakfast foods to Crudo Bar, Dessert Bar, Omelette/Hash station, and a great Fruit/Salad bar! Oh, and don't let me forget the bottomless mimosas (servers were the OPPOSITE of stingy with the champagne, and would re-fill my glass just when I needed a refill)! The service was super attentive from everyone there, which made my experience a pleasant one! The complimentary dessert that I received for my birthday was delicious, and definitely stood out compared to other desserts (which were still delicious). I believe there are coupon codes for Buy One Get One online, which makes it fairly priced for two people (or more)! I would definitely recommend checking them out for brunch, especially for a quieter, more "classy" and "adulty" vibe than other restaurants in central areas like Downtown or Hillcrest! read more

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The evening started out just fine. The wine recommendation was good, the $11 bread was fluffy and tasty. But then...we ordered the beef wellington and waited the 40 minutes for it to cook. We specifically told the waiter that we wanted it medium (not medium rare as the waiter told us it is usually prepared). What came to the table was BRIGHT red. Clearly not medium which by the usual standard is pink in the middle. We touched it and the meat was cool to barely warm - so definitely NOT medium as it should be warmer to the touch. They took it back and returned several minutes later and now the wellington was still quite red in the middle and browner on the bottom. We really do not like rare meat. And for a $120 entree, we expect it to be cooked to the temperature we requested. OR, if they just cannot cook it medium, then tell us when ordering and we would have ordered something else. So we reject the second go around and asked for a manager. This dude had the audacity to say that that clearly RARE entree was 'how we do medium'. Dude - you do your own version of medium? There's an international standard on preparing beef. There are charts that some restaurants show you to make sure all parties are on the same page as to what they are ordering. If this establishment has their own 'version' of what is medium, then state that to the diners when ordering! What nonsense is that? So he says they are going to cook it more but we were done at this point. We had been there over an hour already and if the second go around wasn't matching our order we weren't going to wait around for more of this foolishness. So we said we were done and would pay for our drinks and $11 bread and leave. I will admit my husband told the manager he was insulted that he would try to gaslight us into believing that really RED meat was actually cooked to medium and was a little hot about this. Despite us wanting to pay for what we had consumed the manager lost his cool and bluntly stated that he would 'cover' the charges we had incurred already. We didn't find him to be professional in his approach and ridiculous in his assertion that this food was medium. I wish we had gotten a photo to prove the point but unfortunately did not. So...we left still hungry. But we did tip the waiter $30 as it wasn't his fault that the kitchen does their own 'version' of medium. read more

The service and attention to detail is like no other!! We were able to try their new menu and I was very pleased. I had the scallops and my friend had the lamp and we both enjoyed our meals. **tip - need bigger plate for shared salad dishes but other than that, AMAZING!! read more

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My wife and I took advantage of an online deal for two for one Sunday brunch to celebrate our anniversary. Service was very slow in bringing us champagne refills and our check but the rest was self serve at the different buffet stations. They have a weird setup where the bulk of the food was in a corner area of their dining room, while the cold seafood was in the bar area and a third section in a different room altogether for the waffle and omelette station and desserts. We liked the fact that they had some expensive seafood being served by an attendant. It kept the wackos from ruining a good thing by dumping all of the crab on their plate. A bit of portion control let's everyone enjoy the lox and ceviche. Speaking of lox, very odd that they serve it, but not a bagel or cream cheese is served at a Sunday brunch? We still had a great meal for a fair price. read more

AVANT Restaurant - New American Near Me - San Diego, California

Went to the Sunday Brunch for my birthday with an online 2 for 1 coupon. We frequent the bar fairly often for drinks and appetizers but this was our first experience 'down the steps' into the restaurant. In summary the food and service was excellent and couldn't have been any better. Our table of 4 enjoyed absolutely everything we true. From the omelette station, to fruit/salad, raw bar, and various sides and entrees each was excellent and delicious. While I first thought the spread out layout was weird, I soon realized it was such a great idea. Omelette/desserts in one area, raw bar at the raw bar (this is their standard location at the end of the bar), and all the rest in the seating area. The genius of this is there is hardly any wait for anything you want and the restaurant was completely full. The raw bar had a line at times but that was it. Servers regularly checked in, remixed plates and our champagne glasses were never empty! Ever! We enjoyed a relaxing time (2+ hours!) and never felt rushed and always with plates removed and glasses full. In my opinion, while the food was fantastic the real star of the show were the attentive servers. They had a live musician playing really nice easy going music that was not too loud, but loud enough even though we were sitting just below a speaker. Really nice that you could listen, or have a nice conversation. In the end, we can't wait to go back. Thank you RBI! read more

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Quite a beautiful setting, not just the restaurant, but the Rancho Bernardo Inn at night is wonderfully romantic. We were greeted by two gracious and giddy hostesses who were enjoying their evening even during a busy time of service the restaurant. An impressive seating at the table with menu presentation, wine list on an iPad, one of the most decorative cocktail lists I've seen (looks like each cocktail was hand drawn by an artist with colored pencils), and finally an announcement and special offer (oysters, caviar, and champagne) that the restaurant was recently recognized and awarded 4 by Forbes Travel Guide. It was a dreamy and exciting start to our meal, but it was a roller coaster of an experience from here. We perused the extensive wine and cocktail menus for quite some time. Moments went by with no waiter or service. Upon arrival, our server seemed rushed (and maybe tired), quickly took our drink order and we inquired about water. Little did we realize that 'water' would be a constant theme (struggle) throughout the evening. In short, I've never experienced difficulty or the longing or need for water service from any other restaurant. I'd anything, water is refilled almost too frequently at many establishments. At Avant, lack of service especially water, distracted us from enjoying our dinner experience. As a diner, you want to be seated and let the dining experience unfold. All you have to do is enjoy. This was not the case with delays in our cocktails (my Smokin' Diamond cocktail had a single diamond ice cube that had melted and lost its shaped by the time it was brought to our table). A delay in our entrees (server apologized and told us 5-6 minutes) that really took another 15-20 minutes extra from when the server acknowledged the delay.The presentation was amazing (see photos) but the temperature was lukewarm, which doesn't give the dish full credit as how the chefs have intended for the diner. The Parker House rolls, Iberico Pork, and foraged mushrooms, were the highlights of evening. Forbes Travel Guide rate and award with a primary emphasis on service, then food, ambience, etc. Presenting and celebrating their recent award is exciting, but now the bar In order to retain the recently awarded 4-star rating, Avant will need to ensure consistency every service every night moving forward. read more

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Service and Ambiance is amazing. I know they try really hard to make the food experience amazing. It didnt quite hit the mark for us. The pork belly sous vide was too chewy. The jumbo shrimp was slightly burnt and rubbery. The sauces were great! Drinks were amazing! Scallops amazing! For the prices they charge, the consistency is not there. read more

Been coming for over 2 years and gradually things have deteriorated. The furniture in the restaurant needs repair. We had to be moved as the arms came undone. Food is always good but lately not as exciting. However the serve has gone from good to just awful. The hostess was just miserable. We generally go 1 to 2 times a month and have had probably tried everything. We went for a birthday celebration and it was so bad. We called the next week to say how disappointed we were. Had to leave a message. No response, called again. Nothing. I emailed with a full account of the evening, from the checking to leaving, food, drink issues and silence. We will never go back there are so many better places... disappointing on so many levels. read more

We just celebrated our 25th anniversary at the AVANT tonight. My husband mentioned in the reservation that it was a milestone anniversary. Checking in we confirmed it was a special anniversary. I talked to the host about our special anniversary and she confirmed that information. We got our check from our OKAY server .... And that was it!!!! Nothing else‍wow!!!!! Any restaurant acknowledges special occasions, but not the AVANT!!! Food was good. Service was not great but not bad... just nothing special at all. I would not recommend the restaurant and I was quite disappointed with our experience!!! Prices are quite steep for what you get... not even to mention the 5.5% surcharge...... read more

If you're looking for fine dining in Rancho bernardo, look no further. We stayed at RBI and made reservations for dinner at Avant. The service was impeccable and the food was amazing. We started with an amuse bouche, then parker house rolls, wagyu beef tartar, a truffle raviolo and cocktails. Each item was very well done. The wagyu beef tartar was my absolute favorite. Then we had a bottle of zinfandel and our entrees, the halibut and the duck breast. The duck was perfectly cooked and the halibut was so fresh. The chefs' preparation of these two dishes were amazing. We ended with a chocolate cake and glasses of port wine for dessert. I highly recommend Avant if you're in the area or staying at RBI! read more

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It has been a while since we've visited Avant in Rancho Bernardo Inn. So when we saw the prix-fixe Valentine's Menu, we had to try it. Boy, were we pleased! Before Valentine's Day, I reached out to management to ask if there was a gluten free option to the pasta course on the Prix-Fixe Valentine's menu. They were very accommodating and reached out via phone calls and email to make sure they had a suitable gluten free option for us (which was risotto dish with truffles and lobster Thermidor, in lieu of the lobster pasta dish). During the Valentine's Day meal, every food selection was so fresh, delicious, and beautifully presented. We upgraded to the bubbly pairing with the meal, and the server (Mandy) was very responsive to our needs (switching out the silverware with each course and bringing next champagne pairing). The beet salad starter had a wonderful hazelnut brittle crunch which elevated the dish. The risotto and lobster Thermidor were mouth-watering. The sauce reminded us of a lobster bisque. The waygu entree with aerated potatoes and asparagus was so well prepared. And the panna cotta dessert with raspberry sorbet and sponge cake was a nice close to the meal. We were very satisfied and are already planning a return on a regular night. The evening ended with a rose presented to us upon our departure. What a lovely touch! read more

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I actually hit the lottery stopping by here. This place will stay on my list of favorites. All it took was one visit. This place has the most exquisite quality, pleasant ambiance and impeccable service!! The staff is so knowledgeable and well poised. The place has the elegance and demeanor people Like me appreciate!! Everything was amazing I cannot wait to refer and return!!! read more

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Avant used to be our favorite place where you knew every dish would be cooked to perfection. The service is still wonderful, but the last time we were there, my halibut was overcooked to chalk, and my spouse ordered lamb, cooked to the chef's recommendation. It was so, so rare and he ended up getting sick that night. We could always count on Chef Sergio to get the proteins right. Hope a new chef will put things back in order. read more

As always, Avant serves up the best ambience, amazing, cocktails, and a retreat for the locals in the area to enjoy a neighborhood gem. Resort guests are equally impressed by the grounds, the service and the attention to details. The RB Inn is a mainstay in this community, and for those of us who live close, and do not utilize the lodging, Avant is a place we all can enjoy. We have spent many evenings, special events, golf, lunches with friends, brunches with family, etc... at Avant, Veranda- and all the RBI has to offer. I always want to give them five stars. The reason that I am leaving a four-star review is that Avant, specifically, has advertised deals on Fox5 for over a year or more. Because we are locals, and we dine, and spend time here often, I always take advantage of whatever savings they offer - to make our evening dinners a bit more palatable on the wallet. Keeping in mind that Avant has obviously made a deal with Fox five to advertise these savings, each time I have gone and dined at the restaurant, I am treated like an alien when I present the coupon. Tonight was no different. We had exceptional service from one of our favorite bartenders named Greg, the food was lovely, and Michael - who is the new addition to the seafood bar is nothing short of exceptional. I'm not as impressed by the current manager. Not only did he reluctantly take our hundred dollar certificate which I paid $50 for- he then made me feel like it was an inconvenience to have presented it in the first place. When I challenged him on this, and explained to him that the restaurant should be well-versed in accepting these coupons that they have clearly made public- he insisted that this was very easy, but that he hadn't seen one of these coupons in quite a long time. On a sidenote, I purchased this deal on Fox5 less than one hour before we were at the restaurant dining. He took my certificate, made me feel like a total asshole, and then never returned to follow up with us. We saw him rushing around the restaurant and not once did he come over and explain to us what was going on. We sat there long enough that we were comped a couple of drinks- Meanwhile he still never came by. Luckily, we had a great bartender, who figured things out and settled the bill so that we could leave. This review does not mean that I won't visit Avant again, it's one of our favorite places. We spend quite a bit of money there and it's basically in our backyard. This place has had many ups and downs in the last 10 years. We have continued to be patrons here and we are happy to support . This is simply a suggestion to anyone who might be using a coupon or any sort of offering that they have put out publicly, be prepared for a song and dance. I'm not sure that the manager we dealt with is material for management. I'm sure we will be back at the restaurant next week, but hopefully they streamline the use of promotions that they offer to the public. No one needs to feel "less than" when they produce a coupon. Being as Avant has had their own struggles and has had some difficulty surviving - they should be more supportive of their local patrons. We will keep you in business. read more