Good experience overall, it is a regular spot for us, the consistency is worth noting in the service is usually quite good

We attended the Pet & Reptile Expo held at the Del Mar Fairgrounds, and decided to stop somewhere nearby for lunch. I remembered people telling me about the Brigantine, which happens to only be 4 min. from where we were. Since it is a Saturday, I was afraid it would be busy. They only have Valet at this restaurant, so if you come on a busy day and don't want to valet, you may be stuck trying to find beach street parking across the street... and let me tell you... at 12:30pm, it's next to impossible without a hefty wait, driving around unless you have some luck! We opted to Valet, and it was only $10. The valet was very nice and welcoming! Super quick. We entered the building and immediately saw the view. The hostesses welcomed us and asked if we had reservations. We didnt, and she said they are full at the moment but we can have a seat anywhere in the bar area. There were MANY open tables along with the bar seating. We opted for the 4-top on the far right side next to the fireplace. It was a half booth with 2 chairs. From here, we had a great view of the Del Mar Race tracks AND the lagoon to our right. I noticed they have a wrap around patio that has a small wrap-around shelf like table so that you can place your drink or food on. I can imagine the outside gets packed...but at 12:30pm on a Saturday, it actually was pretty open! We waited a bit and were greeted by our server who gave us the bar menu and regular lunch menu. When he came back, we ordered an IPA and a 9oz. Seaglass Riesling along with the half dozen oysters and 3 baked oysters. Our drinks quickly came out, and shortly after that, our oysters. The oysters were WONDERFUL. They came with lemon and a condiment cup of cocktail sauce with a dab of horseradish in the middle. Honestly? Thats all you needed. They were fresh and so tasty. The baked oysters were good. I preferred the chilled but my boyfriend really liked both. When our server came back, we ordered our entrees. I ordered the signature grilled marinated swordfish and my boyfriend got the lobster tempura tacos. Food took a bit of time...but with that view? You really dont mind. Once it all came out, we saw they were nicely plated. The flavor of BOTH dishes were great. The ONLY thing I noticed was the cook on my swordfish as it was dry BUT since it had an herbed butter on top...it definitely helped save the dish. We both finished our whole plate haha our server brought the dessert menu, and we chose the Brig Mud Pie. It was a SOLID way to end our meal. It could easily feed 4 people sharing...but since we have a sweet tooth, we finished it. I 100% recommend checking this spot out. Their views are gorgeous and the food is good. Again, keep in mind the parking and if you have a specific area you want to sit, make sure to make a reservation. Other than that, enjoy! read more

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Our second visit was just the other night while our first experience was back in October of 2020 for our Anniversary - we are not local. Location is most excellent. We made reservations for each visit and would suggest. Staff is attentive personable and well versed in the menu options - and - they are worth paying attention to. This time around we came on a Monday evening and fully embraced the happy hour opportunities - which run until 9:30. By sitting at the bar (a must to enjoy this pricing option). Our intimate table was along the full view glass-rail edge to take in the great views - highly recommend. With happy hour pricing we enjoyed nicely priced spirits and deals on small plate options this time around by enjoying delectable raw oysters, the Brussel sprouts and grilled octopus with the only less than option in our order being the crab cakes. These are not lump crab with full texture ingredients - they are finely shredded and lacked the texture and full bodied flavor we are more accustomed too...only downside. The Monday deal is worth considering - but this spot is worth the visit most definitely - great for a special occasion / date night: read more

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I always enjoy trying seafood restaurants. For dinner, we sat at the front patio and had oysters on the half shell and calamari for appetizers, with a dirty martini. Blue cheese olives are always a plus! I debated between ordering the macadamia crusted mahi mahi and the wok-charred ahi, which my friend had. The mahi mahi was good but will get the ahi next time. I've heard great things about their happy hour, so will stop by next time I'm in the area. And I hope to sit inside or on the back patio, as I didn't feel the atmosphere described in other reviews. read more

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The serviice was great and good food. We had oysters on the half shell, chicken pot pie soup, house salad, crab cake, Caesar, sand dabs, and French dip. I would have liked more blue cheese on the salad, but it was good. The only issue was the cold temp and some rain coming in on us on this unusual Christmas Eve. We should have asked to move... read more

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*Haiku: Brigantine Fresh seafood choices Must try for Happy Hour Just $7! --- $7 Happy Hour - Mon 3p-close, Tues-Fri & Sun 3-6p My family and I came for evening happy hour specials and were blown away by the fresh seafood selections, all at affordable prices. We just can't get over the huge happy hour portion sizes. We ordered a bunch of items and enjoyed family-style. Must order happy hour menu items (all at $7 each!): 3 Oysters on the Half Shell, Shrimp Cocktail (generous, giant peeled shrimp), Classic Calamari Strips (meaty, lightly breaded pieces), Bowl of Clam Chowder (comfort in a bowl), Artichoke Fritters, Ahi Tuna Slider, Fried Fish Slider (love the sliders came with fries). Brigantine is an upscale restaurant with gorgeous ocean views. You can also catch a glimpse of some horse racing during Del Mar racing season. There's even a huge patio lawn/garden area where you can host a birthday or cocktail party. Service was stellar, friendly, and efficient. This spot is perfect for date night or a girl's get-together. read more

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在圣地亚哥海鲜圈小有名气的Brigantine，这次体验让我明白了什么叫"安全牌打到无聊"---- 不难吃，但吃完就像看了场没有高潮的电影。 生蚝的"瘦身计划" 新鲜度是有的，但生蚝个头实在不够肥美，柠檬汁滴下去瞬间淹没在壳里。 对比附近水产市场的饱满口感，这里的更像是"青春期还没吃胖"的版本。 不会出错的平庸哲学 · 鱼肉Taco：鱼肉新鲜，但酱汁像在超市冷藏区见过 · 海鲜沙拉：蔬菜爽脆，调味却中规中矩毫无记忆点 · 总结：每道菜都像在说 "我合格了，别骂我" 最讨厌的美式Valet Parking，强制性收费服务 真实评分（满分5） 食材新鲜度： 调味创意： 性价比： 停车体验： 记忆点：失忆中... read more

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As a SD native I've been going to the Brig forever. There are so many things I love there and for the most part it's super consistent and delicious. The service is always great as well. The Del Mar location is unmatched with its views. With all that said the clam chowder is so bad now! It's literally like potato soup. Where are the clams?? Recently on a trip up to San Francisco my husband & I ate at Tadich Grill and ordered their clam chowder. It was unbelievable and every single bite had clams. Chunks of clams...so good! The brig needs to up their game bc Saturday we came for lunch & ordered some and it was terrible. Too much flour or thickener of some sort, all potatoes and little tiny chips of clams (maybe) not sure. Come on now. You can do better than this. Until then I'm never ordering it again which is a disappointment :( read more

This is one of my faves. The whole vibe is great. It's nice and feels classy without being overly pretentious. I usually come for happy hour, and sit at the bar, but this time I brought colleagues for lunch. Our server was fabulous. Everyone in my party was from out of town, and loved the tacos. The classic brig tacos are cooked just the right way. Just enough crispiness. Not too bready. The Cobb salad had so much crab and shrimp, it was hard to finish it all. BTW: It's valet only, unless you wanna play chicken crossing over coast highway. read more

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Oddly enough, I've been curious about the Brigantine for decades, passing by it along the 101, but it's only been in the last year that I have finally come. Why the change? A friend of mine loves the spot, so I have had half a dozen opportunities to enjoy food and drinks at this iconic San Diego establishment. One should understand from the start that this venue caters to a certain clientele. Its reasonably-sized parking lot is valet parking only, and at a pretty hefty rate. If you don't want to pay for parking, expect to do a bit of walking. Parking is ample in the area, but as a pedestrian you might be navigating some pretty big thoroughfares. Once inside, however, the Brigantine is an inviting space: cleanly and handsomely decorated and featuring a very handsome bar area, it is a great spot to sit and dine. It's only negative (in my book, at least) are the large screen monitors broadcasting sports events. Honestly, there are heaps of sports bars in San Diego--and the management should take note of how many patrons are NOT paying attention. That said, a balcony also wraps around its southern and western sides, affording views of the lagoon, the race track, the beach and Del Mar beyond. It's wonderful on a warm summer evening. Service, too, is generally excellent. Waitstaff always seems a bit harried, but they manage to maintain their aplomb and efficiency. Kudos on that score. Prices are not bad. The regular menu items are about what one might expect: slightly overpriced burgers and salads, but not outrageous. Their happy hour menu is actually a pretty good deal. Potables are about what one would expect: beers and wines that were chosen by a corporate management, but fine; a few signature cocktails. No complaints on this score. What is really a letdown, however, is the food itself. I have not tried the oyster bar, so I can't speak to its qualities. But for the rest? Typical bar and grill dishes, with a bit of a seafood theme. The tastes, textures and plating come right out of a Cisco playbook. There is absolutely nothing interesting (let alone unique) about the menu. It is dull, unimaginative food, sometimes competently prepared and sometimes rather sloppily thrown together. For that reason, I doubt I would ever come to the Brigantine by choice. Given its location as a destination spot, I doubt management gives two tosses about improving its menu. The space and location are enough to insure a steady stream of customers. And it IS a pleasant space. Just don't expect too much... read more

Decent happy hour in the bar area. They have good views from the outside seating area. The food and service here is good, can't go wrong with a fish taco Decent happy hour drink prices as well. I would recommend for a lunch or dinner date. read more

Met a friend for lunch at 1:30pm on Monday - not empty but we had no wait for a table next to the open-air window adjacent to the bar. Worth nothing the chairs at our two-top were spacious with seat and back cushions. I've had multiple back surgeries and it's not easy to tell what the seating situation will be, they were very comfortable. Service was excellent, I had a delicious french dip with fries and my friend had the swordfish combo they are running for their 30th anniversary that comes with clam chowder. He agreed everything was delicious. Valet parking here is $10, meters across the street are $8 for two hours - the only reason I didn't valet this time was that I didn't want them to deal with how dirty my car was. read more

We have mixed feelings when it comes to Brigantine. Our server was "off" today. Not friendly as the servers we're use to having. The oysters were good. The Old Fashion and Bloody Mary were mediocre at best. We hear it's a fun place during Happy Hour, but at midday, not so much. The restaurant has a nice view of the race track. I doubt that we'll visit again, but that's just us. read more

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I am a brigantine lover and when sitting at the bar Fernando is typically always our bartender and is always hustling with how busy it is here. We have loved coming on Saturday and sitting on the other side of the bar and you can see part of the horse track so you can see the part of the races from your seat. Parking around here is mostly paid but if you just go around the corner you can find some street parking that you do not have to pay for. We decided to enjoy some of the calamari strips this time as well as the swordfish taco which are my favorite tacos here. I really love this location being so close to the beach it is the perfect spot to come and enjoy after a long beach day. read more

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The Brigantine in Del Mar is a local favorite of the small SD chain. it is located by the lagoon and Del Mar racetrack. The restaurant has an outdoor room with great view of the lagoon and the Del Mar racetrack. Several appetizers shared. Brussel sprouts were delicious. Calamari was somewhat unique in the preparation. Grilled octopus dish was fantastic. Properly grillled and served with chorizo chickpeas and a great sauce. For main courses we shared Mac encrusted mahi mahi, grilled ahi and scallops. All of the dishes were excellent! Services were excellent read more

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The place is in an amazing spot with so much potential, but the service is not great! Possibly under staffed. We made a reservation for noon, for our anniversary. Arriving we had to wait at least 10 minutes in a si gle file line to get into the lobby. We were seated and sat for at least 20 minutes before our waitress came. She never returned to ask if we needed anything. We had to ask the bus boy for all of the things we needed including our silverware,napkins, and refills! The clam chowder is just ok. I was surprised. Pretty expensive to be so disappointed read more

Friendly Staff, Welcoming Atmosphere, Beautiful View of Del Mar Racetrack, ample seating with panoramic windows. There is a $10 Valet Parking fee to park in their lot. Valet attendants are very cordial. We sat in the Bar Lounge area and enjoyed a spacious booth with views of their open kitchen, bar and views of Del Mar Vistas. The vodka martinis were delicious and our waitress was so kind and knowledgable about menu. The menu is vast and their seafood offerings are fantastic! We ordered two of their seafood specialties: 1 blackened swordfish plate served with mashed potatoes and Broccolini. 2. Fish & Chips served with coleslaw. Both of these dishes were fantastic and I highly recommend this restaurant ! read more

Brigantine - Blackened Swordfish - Seafood Near Me - Del Mar, California

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One of my favorite restaurants when down by Del Mar. perfect for a casual meal and you can see the water with a peekaboo view. Service is always great and the drinks are perfect. Great happy hour. The chicken flatbread was amazing! If you're lucky, beautiful views of the fair. read more

We were so excited to try Happy Hour at the Brigantine because we saw some great reviews. We order sliders and soup to start. The fish sliders tasted like they were fried too long and the fries were squishy and sat in oil too long but not fried at all. We also ordered fish and chips and the fries were once again soggy and not very eatable. We did have their amazing coconut shrimp that always hit the spot. The server was new, when we requested salad dressing on the side, our salads came with dressing on them and with a different dressing, that we did not request, on the side. We had to ask for our empty plates to be taken because we didn't have enough room on the table, and we also had to request refills on water by the end of our meal because we didn't receive any. It always a great ambiance at the Brigantine, but the service and the food was just not up to its usual standards. read more

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Great happy hour with lots of options and stunning views on a beautiful sunny day I wanted a quick snack because I missed lunch and had plans for dinner. Happy Hour is from 3-6, Tu-F and Sunday, 3 to close on Mondays. This made me happy! Everything is $7 which is quite reasonable. I got the 3 oysters on the half shell and fried fish slider, which was enough to hold me over for the time being. Oysters were a great deal and fresh. Fish slider was tasty and comes with fries but considering it's a single slider, I think I could've picked another choice to get more bang for my buck. Downside of this location is that there is only valet parking on site. There is metered parking across the street or free parking in the neighborhood. read more

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Took my wife out to a Valentines Day dinner date while visiting my parents (hooray for free child care!) and was looking forward to their fish tacos . Set up a reservation on their patio for 5:15pm so we could watch the sunset and we got set up in the back corner, nice and quiet with a great view of the racetrack, coaster train, and dog beach. Went to order around 5:30pm and noticed that they didn't have any fish tacos on the menu. What?!? I know it's been a few years since I'd been here, but I'd been craving their delicious fish tacos all week! TBH, I was looking forward to that more than what maybe would come later, if ya know what I mean Come to find out that they only serve their fish tacos in the bar or dining room, and not on the patio... uggh what a drag... thought about asking to move tables but we had already ordered an appetizer and our spot was great otherwise. Ended up getting a delicious octopus appetizer, a Brussel sprout salad, a shrimp and crab Louie salad for my main dish, and crab-stuffed, bacon-wrapped shrimp for my wife. It was all delicious, and the service was great, but I still wish I had those tacos... maybe I'll come back again to the bar the next time I'm in town. We'll have to wait and see. read more

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We've been coming to this Brig for many years now. The main appeal to us is the outside deck with an stunning view of the Del Mar Fairgrounds, the lagoon, and the Ocean. On a warm and sunny day it may get a little warm if you're in the direct sun, so beware. The happy hour menu is always a solid choice. We typically opt in for some cocktails, which are always a solid choice here, and some shareables. The service is always speedy, even when busy. This is a perfect spot for a sunny afternoon stop. read more

Brigantine - Beef Dip - Seafood Near Me - Del Mar, California

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Nice ambiance and great food and service. Enjoy the scenery and meals with friends. Parking a bit challenging but worth it. read more

For the location in Del Mar. We came on a Friday early evening. The location is phenomenal as its across the street from the beach. Service was good but they were challenged because there was a large beach event with hundreds of people and we all came over for drinks afterwards. Bartenders and cocktail drinks were great. However, we tried to order several food items at the bar as light snacks. The only item that came were french fries (tasted good). The other 3 or 4 dishes never got to the kitchen. I told the staff at least 3 times the items we wanted to order. Either they did not hear me, chose to ignore the order because they were busy, or they passed the message to other staff and the order just got dropped. Will I be back? Perhaps on a non-busy day. read more

After a long absence, we visited Brigantine in Del Mar for Happy Hour. We first ate at Brigantine over 20 years ago when we lived in Del Mar ... walking distance to this restaurant. I would say that most tables offer an ocean view or a view of the San San Dieguito Lagoon and Del Mar Fairgrounds. The ambiance is nautical and warm. Food and service are good. Valet parking or find a space on the street. read more

Expensive but amazing. You should try here. It is worth the price. Great service, great views, and great food. Mahi mahi was super good with great risotto. Octopus was cooked perfectly and had a ton of flavor. Friendly waiters and just an overall great experience. I would heavily recommend going here for dinner read more

Brigantine - GRILLED SPANISH OCTOPUS - Seafood Near Me - Del Mar, California

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Ambiance-5 Idyllic setting with beautiful view. Service-5 Rachel was solid. Playful, good sense of humor. Pushed right buttons. Food-5 Crusted macadamia nut mahi was tasty, grilled perfectly. Appetizers consisted of shrimp, oysters and calamari. Thoroughly enjoyed although prefer calamari tubes and tentacles to sticks. Great lunch and great time. read more

We come here for happy hour when we're in town sometimes and view of the racetrack is great and the ambiance of the restaurant is nice, modern and comfortable. The happy hour menu is well priced, but the problem is the service at the bar - it's awful! The guys can't be bothered to take your order or acknowledge you and see how things are and often have an empty glass waiting to be refilled. I'm always underwhelmed and annoyed. The food is fine but nothing spectacular. read more

Arrived a the Brigantine Del Mar for an 11:30 am Sunday Brunch reservation. We took advantage of valet service (currently $8.00) and entered the restaurant. We were greeted by a friendly hostess who told us our table for five was ready and available. She led us to our table which had a beautiful view of Del Mar Beach and the Del Mar racetrack. We were introduced to our server Amber. She was outstanding and took good care of us during our meal. She was friendly, personable and stayed on top of things whenever we needed drinks refilled or other requests. Upon viewing the menu, I chose to go with the Lobster Tacos. It included tender chunks of lobster perfectly seasoned with a marinated cucumber jicama salad and cilantro remoulade. All in a soft, blue corn tortilla. The dish was topped off with a side of garlic truffle fries and house veggies (steamed green beans and carrots). Overall, I enjoyed my meal, the outstanding service, the beautiful views and the casual vibe at this wonderful location in Del Mar. read more

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The food is delicious, the service is great and the view is beautiful. Must try, especially if you are celebrating an occasion.

The Brigantine has been on my bucket list to try solely for the view as it faces the Del Mar Race Track and has an ocean view on the other side of it. We happened to pop in at the start of happy hour (Mon 3-9:30, Tue-Fri, Sun 3-6pm). Only the "lounge/bar" area was open at 3pm as full service dining doesn't start until 5pm, which was fine for us as we just wanted to sip on a drink, nibble on appetizers and take the view in. We sat ourselves on the back patio overlooking the racetrack. It's simply so marvelous. Service to start was abysmal. After waiting too long to be acknowledged I had to stop a server to ask for a menu who was helping someone next to us. After repeatedly attending to those guests and still offering no menu we meandered around to grab one ourselves and decided to order from the bartender. While we enjoyed our time overall begging for service has got to be the biggest offense in my book and I'm thankful there's plenty of other restaurants around that can offer a more welcoming atmosphere. read more

Brigantine - Happy Hour menu April 2025 - Seafood Near Me - Del Mar, California

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We hadn't been to Brigantine for a while because we live north now, and I realize how much I missed it. A great happy hour, fantastic service by Katie and just the overall energy at Brigantine makes the trip worth it. If you're ever at Del Mar racetrack there's a whole bunch of places around, but Brigantine must be on the list. Our dinner mate had Sandabs, which were some of the best I've ever had with the risotto. Clam chowder, fantastic oysters fresh out of the ocean. Drink selection is really fun and just adds to the overall vibe. Had a great night. Thanks, Brigantine. read more

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Love the service and food is consistently good but HATE the white napkins that leave Lint all over my pretty outfits. How many years do we need to put up with this lint?! Please! Change napkins or laundry service. Ick. read more

The food is solid and the drinks are pretty good. Outside of happy hour it's pricey. Happy hour is solid, but the one thing that really lacks here is service. It's very slow and spotty. You really have to flag down a server and follow up multiple times on orders. That and the parking stinks of course. 3/5 for solid good and a great happy hour/Taco Tuesday but no stars for that service. read more

We stopped by on Sunday to try their brunch, parking can be a bit hard to find they do offer valet parking for $8 otherwise I would suggest parking along the street $4 per hour parking. The views are beautiful, staff is friendly and service was fast. My husband had the chilaquiles with carnitas , I had the macadamia coconut French toast platter served with 2 eggs, potatoes and bacon. The food was delicious. I was told brunch is only served on the weekends til 2:30pm read more

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The Brig is key restaurants for the locals and I have many great experiences here. I have always enjoyed the ambiance and crowdwatching and popped in on a Sunday in May. We just missed brunch by 1 minute I guess so we had a limited menu. I opted for the mahi mahi tacos with veggies and fries as my two sides. The crowd was light but the servers seemed backed up as they did not clean either of the two dirty tables adjacent to mine until after I paid my bill so I was looking at dirty plates during my experience My dish arrived and it did not look right. The fish on my tacos were very thin overcooked tail pieces and a couple of shreds of cabbage, and I took one bite. The fish was gray brown, fishy and oversalted/overcooked. They forgot the aoli and my fries. I hate returning food but I made an exception. I had come in asking about a crab louis salad and the server asked the kitchen to make one even though they had just shut down brunch and they did. The salad had a good amount of shrimp and crab and I enjoyed that. On the other hand they served me a hard tomato cut in 1/4th's without bothering to remove the stem part or trimming off the long stems of the lettuce and I ran out of dressing despite the fact that I did not eat the lettuce or the tomato. They usually give 2 dressings with this salad. The restaurant has plenty of customers and they just do not care enough about the individual customer. No manager ever came by eveen though I had returned my plate. My takeaway is do not go between 2:30 - 5:00 when they are converting to their dinner service and do not expect to be wowed by the food. read more

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My wife, myself and my wife's sister had lunch here today. We started with the Napa nachos which were 4 out of 5 stars. Then, our server got our beer order wrong...twice! (How tough can that be?) My wife and her sister had the fish tacos and enjoyed them. I had the lobster tacos and they were perfect! We will be back but will be leery about the beer orders. read more

Still the Best. Great atmosphere and service with awesome views. Still expensive but worth the price considering the location and overall package. I think free parking anywhere in the area has been eliminated, even if you're willing to hoof it a few blocks. Great Spot! read more

This higher end spot is the counterpart to vistas that The Viewpoint Brewery offer. This offers the same coastal breezes but at an incredible upgraded new interior design. I love sitting at the bar here with friends old and new and consuming bottle after bottle of sauvignon blanc paired with haricot vert or the inventible fish taco seared to pertection. We love the 'Brig' and always make it a part of our times in Del Mar. read more

Amazing dinner! Our service was perfect she was the right amount of attentiveness. We celebrated a birthday and it was perfect! The ahi dish was a tad boring but lobster tacos and NY steak were divine read more

Brigantine - WOK-CHARRED AHI CERTIFIED STERLING NEW YORK STEAK - Seafood Near Me - Del Mar, California