I'm surprised I haven't reviewed this place yet. The Brig is delightful! But I will admit, I only come here for the appetizers, because everything else I have tried has truly been lack-luster for the price. Our favorite - Shrimp & Crab Fondue. Straight up, that stuff if AMAZING! And I'm freakn' lactose intolerant. What does that tell ya?! Never enough bread tho, we always have to ask for a second side of bread. Next thing I would recommend is the teriyaki wings - also DELICIOUS! Drinks: MUST try the Habanero margarita. I like my margaritas blended, and they will do that here. But absolutely, one of their tastiest drinks on the menu. If you don't want to be able to walk out of that restaurant, go ahead and try a French margarita after that. Woo, that sucker was strong! And very yummy. Clay likes the the La Mesa Ice-Tea (basically a long-island). So far, I've tried the creme-brule trio, and the lemon, white chocolate cheesecake. EH. Wasn't really impressed with either one. I've tried their salads, and they've all been very disappointing too. Lot of lrg. green leaf-ery filling up the plate, not a lot of content. Pfsh, what's that all about. But Clay and I come back for the apps and drinks often - so don't pass those up! read more

Dine here for the mahi mahi fish tacos which was not on the menu but didn't feel like the swordfish tacos that night. It was simply delicious, best I ever had. The ahi tuna I tried which I tend to top it with ginger was fresh. Jumbo shrimps, calamari and clams all battered appetizers ordered were snack up fast, love the clams the most of the three. The house beer was cold to top off the meal. Our waiter was very helpful and prompt. Okay I ate too much here but was quite satisfied. Only reason I gave 4 stars is the $$$ and I always round down from a solid 4.5 but that's just me. read more

Brigantine - delicious fried seafoods - Seafood Near Me - La Mesa, California

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There tacos are always our families favorite. You also can't beat the view and the surrounding areas.

Came here for Happy Hour. We sat at the bar and order some drinks and food. Drinks and food came very fast. I didn't like the Margarita and the spicy taco was very weird (Didn't like it). The calamary was very nice and tender. I think they had a special with bottles of wine, there were lots of people sharing bottles of wine, I didn't see anything listed on the Happy Hour menu. read more

I rate this place 5 stars because our server Nicole was absolutely fantastic. Such attentiveness and with a personable touch has given her my ranking of best server I have ever had in the US to this date. She bumped off the Applebee's server named Scott that served me in 2010! Nicole was more than happy to offer her suggestions for what is fabulous on the menu and she was not wrong. The appetizers and entrées were magnificent. My husband had the swordfish and I had the catch of the day, which was Mahi Mahi. The food was fabulous and the atmosphere, with a pleasant ambiance perfect for a dinner date, made this our favorite Friday dinner night so far in San Diego. Thank you very much Nicole for a great experience at Brigantine. 3 thumbs up! read more

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Usually love this place. Very disappointed today. Hostess not helpful at all. My sad story. Arrived at 4:20 on a Sunday. Hostess said open seating on the patio. Well, no open tables ok back to the Hostess. Asked about the other patio oh well that doesn't open until 4:30. I was thinking ok we will wait. Hostess said " You can have a seat in the lounge" .Hmm went over nothing open in the lounge. Norhing available we left.. I honestly don't know if waiting for the patio to open was an option.. Wasn't told it was. Did not get an opportunity to ask. Felt the Hostess did not want to deal with us. read more

My first time here was a bust - lobster salad . . . the lobster portion (for the price) was minuscule. Second visit was spent in the back corner room which was nothing but wooden walls and small windows, felt very claustrophobic. Third and redeeming visit was spent enjoying the ahi tuna on rice - My goodness they nailed it. Staff and service has always been fantastic, always been able to enjoy the time spent with family instead of wondering where food or beverages were. read more

No.For were nice and polite and helpful.My husband and I were at the Brigantine last night with a group of approximately 20. I was so excited because it had been a good while since I had eaten there. The service was good but my dinner was disappointing. The soup (clam chowder ) was bland except for the oyster crackers and I can't say that I tasted much of a clam flavor; also it was not very hot. It was not cold but not hot either. I think lukewarm would be the word. I also had a spinach salad and it was bland also..some people in the group were happy with their meals but some weren't . Again, the staff was cordial but I don't think I will be eating there again.Also I felt their prices were somewhat high. Sorry. read more

OMG!! Best fish tacos! Amazing remodel! It was sooo classy! I love it here! We were all very happy with the food and service! Must wished they tried harder to let us sit in bar! We had kids and it's just better to be in the not so fancy area! The hostess didn't want to combine 2 table in patio area. Her excuse was we only have 1 server! Okay.. but hostess we aren't grabbing an EXTRA TABLE from the dinning area! We are putting 2 tables together! This means same amount of people! Duh??? We all mostly got fish tacos.. I just wished it had better sides for the plate! It's all carbs for the sides! 1 option for vegetable but maybe a side salad would be sooooo much better! They don't even offer a side salad you have to get a separate order of salad! That feeds 2-4 people! We will be back! Just maybe not a big party since they can't handle it on a holiday season and happy hour times? read more

I regularly have lunch at this fantastic restaurant. The food is excellent and the service is good. There is one waitress there that is absolutely the best - and that is Ellen. She is super friendly and she goes out of her way to make the experience perfect. I now request her every time I eat there because she makes sure my picky order is done correctly. She's bubbly, personable, caring and attentive. The food there is consistently great and Ellen makes the whole dining experience fantastic. read more

Came in for dinner tonight This is the 2nd time my wife and I have had Forest as a server and once again we had the best experience. Forest thank you again. The halibut special was the bestttt, the wine was great. Zero complaints here! read more

It's been good but you've made it a little awkward... You're close by and we feel comfortable when we plonk down, the food is always good (Bring back the gumbo!) We've tried a bunch of other places and while the food there is good the overall vibe isn't as calm and relaxed. Then for a really odd reason you put a note on the top of the menu that says 4% added due to staff wages etc etc .... that's not cool -the you hide a price-hike by not putting it on the price (Just raise the darn prices!) and make a point of blaming it on either the staff or the law. I have an inkling many will pay the 4% then take it off the tip... seeing as you pointed out it's going to the staff. Is it enough for me not to go ever again? No, though I'm not looking to go back soon - silliness like this pushes us to other places first. Great service. read more

This restaurant gave me 5 sprites, like wtf! My sons steak was Fucking RARE! I'm so pissed and this place should be destroyed with a bulldozer!!!! The bread was ok but bigger than the waitress' ego. I'm so done with this fuckin place! Take your surcharge and shove it up your ass!!!!!! -Karen read more

We had lunch here today for the first time, and was a great choice. The atmosphere is very nice, love the way the restaurant is decorated. The food was perfectly cooked and was so Delicious. The service was beyond great. Our server Ali Madinah was AWESOME and just the best server my husband I have ever had. Very informative with all the dishes and the drinks, came and checked to make sure everything was good. I highly recommend this place and if you do go ask for Ali to be your server. read more

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5 stars for the ambience and I'm pretty sure the lobster and oysters I'm about to devour is awesome too!

So very disappointed, this use to be one of our favorite restaurants. We went there for our 32 wedding anniversary, everything we ordered was less than satisfactory. Starting with the shrimp cocktail. The shrimp was overcooked and the horseradish was on top of the cocktail sauce, where it used to be on the side, and the shrimp was just on a plate. My wife does not like horseradish. I ordered the burger again completely over cooked! My wife ordered the sanddab which she has ordered several times in the past, it has always came with a sauce on the side. This time no sauce, fish was dry. And even the complimentary cream brulee was running and gross. We didn't complain at the time cause we didn't want to look like someone out for a free meal. Our last experience which was a year ago again on our anniversary more of the same. Thought it was a fluke. Sorry to say since Covid this restaurant has gone down hill and we will not be back. read more

The Brigantine gets it - great food, service, and atmosphere. I have celiac (gluten allergy) and they were very attentive to my safety.

The food was decent and the outdoor seating wAs great but the waiter was horrible. He seemed racist since he ignored our table, never stopping for refills or ask how we were doing but he came over to the white couple in front of us multiple times to refill their drinks. I'd rather go across the freeway to Anthony's, their wait staff is much friendlier. read more

My husband and I dined here on a Taco Tuesday. The tacos were alright to say the least despite the fact that they were insanely "liquidy" and fell apart with every bite we took and splashed onto the plate. Besides being extra messy, the flavors were good. Lastly, we tried the oysters & they were good-better than the tacos thankfully. read more

Brigantine - Seafood Near Me - La Mesa, California

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Great food and service! Olivia is very attentive and served us so well. She remembered us from our last visit and even remembered what we ordered which was very helpful. She is the best and made my aunt's birthday celebration a memorable one read more

It's been a while since I've been here but they have the freshest oysters. I'll have to come back here some time and try their other items on the menu :) read more

My first 5W review (of which my BF said more should be funny), so here it goes... Who - Allie, I'm gonna say best of any service person I've had. She beat us to ever even wanting to pour our own bottomless mimosas. Plus never spoke ill of another team, silently proud of the Raiders (amen). What - brunch doesn't mean all you can eat. Better yet, you're so full from the mimosas that Allie constantly beats you to refill, that you're very happy with any dish you ordered When - been there for HH and now Sunday brunch; single to in a committed relationship, anytime is great Where - perfect half way point between you and your friends in east county Why - football, birthdays, good food and drinks read more

Place went way downhill . First time visiting in about 5 years . Ouster's rockifeather was bad

Servers were awesome. List of draft beers was great. I had an IPA, and it was brilliant. (sadly it was so good that I can't recall the one I had) Food was pretty close to exceptional, and the menu was large and varied. My only criticism was the price. It was on the higher end, and that's fine for a special occasion, but not a place I would frequent. read more

Brigantine - Birthday cake! - Seafood Near Me - La Mesa, California

Delicious food! Great atmosphere, and our server Diana was wonderful! We will definitely be back! read more

What a great atmosphere! Came for lunch and had the oyster shooter with the vodka and it was very good! Oysters on the half shell were also very fresh. We had the nachos with blue cheese which were incredible! Huge chunks of blue cheese and bacon. Then finished with the tacos and one of the best coleslaws I've had! read more

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This place was so good I actually was very impressed super cool vibes delicious food, so much to choose from and great environment. The vibes chill read more

1980's fair and vibe... good simple food. Good service. I believe it's a good place for a family meal or a bar hangout before covid. Have not been there since February 2019 read more

A little over priced but great seafood. I tried their Chilean sea bass and it was delicious. Also great taco Tuesday deals!

Had not been here in years, and really discovered what I had been missing, this place is outstanding! We had the fish tacos, wow, were they good! and the service is superior! Can't wait to go back again soon. read more

I have been coming to this exact location for over 25 Years and I can't say anything other its outstanding! You know what you're going to get here and that's 5 Star seafood and service! I have been dealing with the same people here for decades and I love it! Order anything from fried shrimp to fish tacos it's all bomb but the clam chowder is like no other and if you don't believe me try it! It is the best in the world enjoy! read more

We went into the Brigantine with a large group on January 5, I Sunday night right after the holidays we figured it would be dead but as usual this place is Poppin! Nonetheless they were able to put together a table for us for 20 people, we were celebrating two birthdays. Our server Breanna was unlike any server I've ever had with a large party, she was attentive and made sure everyone was taken care of but she also was able to keep all of our checks separate! We ordered many different rounds of food and happy hour drinks and everyone received everything in a timely manner. The food was delicious as always, the managers even came over to check on us including the sweetest sweet lady Michelle. Thank you Brigantine for a memorable evening! read more

I have come here many times over the years. Most recently I had dinner on New Years Eve and the meal was terrific. Shrimp cocktail appetizer (a little too few shrimp) followed by steak and mashed potatoes. It was brought out quickly and was delicious. I had one of their drink specials as well and that was good too. I will keep coming back because they have consistent good service. read more

Just left the Brigantine La Mesa for the LAST TIME! This was our favorite restaurant for going on 20 years! But they just ruined my Husbands 67 Birthday celebration. Thanks Tammie for ignoring my request to sit by the window when I made my reservation on Tuesday! My reservation was for 6:30 pm and we arrived early only to me told the window booths were reserved! Yeah I reserved one! We had to sit outside by a table of loud drunkS! Thanks Brigantine! in spite of defending you to many many friends and colleagues WE'RE DONE!!! read more

We went here for my Grandmothers birthday and I just have to say WOW! The service was phenomenal, the food was exquisite and the atmosphere was amazing. The pricing may seem like a lot but you get enough food to fill your belly twice! For a party of 15 people, it's surprising how they seemed to give every single one of us the most impeccable service, leaving our entire family leaving with a smile. read more

Came here for date night w/husband tonight, was perfect. Our server, Ellen, was beyond accommodating and simply lovely! She had her eyes on us all night, made sure we were good on food & wine and couldn't have been nicer. Thank You soooo much, Ellen!! You are the epitome of exceptional service!! BRAVOOOO!! read more

All I can say is I love this place !! When ever my bestie and I have a moment to get away and catch up on life the Brig is the first place that pops into our minds. We have gone here many many times before and kid around that we need a frequent meal card but this last time our experience was beyond exceptional all thanks to the amazing waitress. I'm so mad I didn't get her name but we sat on the patio and she was sooo fun and just gave us an all around positive experience, wow I wish I grabbed her name but she is blond athletic with a couple tats .. thank you so much mystery waitress your amazing keep up the great customer service will be back this Saturday, hope we get her again !! Thank you Brigs we love you! Updating my review a shout out to Ally thank you so much for your amazing customer service your one of the reasons why I come back your an amazing waitress thank you so much will be back to see you. read more

Very disappointed. We had our company lunch here and it will be the last time. They never refilled our drinks, my fish was over cooked and dry with a strange taste. Only had 3 bites and put it aside. The Tsziki sauce was oddly sour and the FBI is still trying to locate the crab in the crab cake! My Caesar salad had little or no dressing and they didnt even offer cracked pepper. The decor is nice and updated so thats good. read more

We arrived at the La Mesa brig ready to order a crab and shrimp salad and a cold beer for lunch, but we were surprised to find that Happy Hour had just started at 3. The inexpensive entrees set us on a different course. My wife ordered a bowl of clam chowder and I had the 3 oysters on a half shell. Both were priced at $5. We asked for a basket of bread which is complimentary. Looking over the menu I spotted the large crab and shrimp salad and inquired if we could order that and split it. The waiter assured us that it was no problem, and we were amazed at the amount that showed up distributed in each of our plates. We each received 4 large shrimp, a half an avocado and a good amount of crabmeat. It was delicious and plentiful. Add on a Brig Brew and an ice tea and our total was $50, which we both agreed made for an excellent lunch date. read more

Just got back from dinner with my boyfriend and had Sheelah as our waitress. She was literally the most amazing and helpful server I've ever had (and I'm writing this review just because of her great service). So sweet and attentive and brought our food and drinks out with great timing! read more