We recently had a very enjoyable dinner at CTZN. The food impressed us at every turn. I would say it is "upscale Basque", as opposed to other more casual Basque or Spanish restaurants that I also enjoy. This is perfect for a date night. My husband and I were celebrating our anniversary and the restaurant paid attention to that. They had a very nice Happy Anniversary card on the table and even provided complimentary glasses of champagne. I was impressed. I am a stickler for attention to detail, and the fact that they paid attention to the notes on my Open Table reservation meant a lot to me. Our waiter was Zabi. He had a really fun personality and a great deal of patience as we asked several questions, asked his recommendations for menu items, wines, etc. He was very knowledgeable about the menu and a very personable person to converse with. We will request him the next time we come in! The best thing we ordered was the beef carpaccio. We enjoyed the pintxo sampler platter and every item was very thought out. The flavors were so unique but also approachable. The octopus was delicious and hearty - not the typical citrus preparation I was used to. And the Basque cheesecake is truly worth a trip alone. It is soft in the middle like a custard - we really enjoyed the texture. We were very impressed and are already talking about bringing friends with us next time! read more

My buddy & I were heading to Solano Beach for a show at the BellyUp Tavern Saturday night. In looking for a place to grab a bite, Ted discovered CTZN & made a ressy. Traffic from LA moved, arriving 30 min early, the lovely hostess was pleased to seat us right away out front on the patio. Greeted by such flavorful aromas, we were immediately intrigued. Our server was perfect, explaining a few things on the menu, encouraging us to order our main course as they take about 45 min to create. So, ordered the Paella de Pollo to share. Then, we perused the drink menu! What a selection! We were feeling the need for some bourbon, tried the peach Ol' Fashioned. Concerned that such fruity concoctions can occasionally overwhelm the spirit, we were presented with a good looking, clear cubed lowball with a skewered marinated cherry along with a tiny cube of peach. It tasted delicious. CTZN has a mixologist Extradinaire at the helm! By this time, our 1st tapa was presented, Croquetas de Torrezno. Delicate & flavorful, smoked pork belly atop black garlic aioli, apricot jam & Ice wine vinegar. Delicious! Then we were presented with our Potatas Brava, 4 servings of delicately sliced potato dauphine with Bravas sauce & garlic aioli. So many flavors to these perfectly cooked slices. I'd wanted to try another drink & read the Paper Airplane was there. A delicate fruity/frothy mixture that my wife would've loved, but a bit sweet for me. So ordered my favorite bourbon cocktail, with a twist. A Black Manhattan. Again, the bar presented an excellent version, with the black amaro perfectly balanced. Now came the Paella de Pollo. A roasted small half chicken, cooked well with wild mushrooms, chorizo de Bilbao, garlic aioli & grilled lemon. Absolutely delicious with protein to spare. We topped it all off with their own wonderful cheesecake & fruit sauces shared. All of this while enjoying the perfect outdoor weather at the beach with an ongoing promenade of folks enjoying the afternoon sunset. A wonderfully creative bar, outstanding service and so many flavors on the menu, we need to come back to try more! I highly recommend CTZN when in North San Diego in stylish Solano Beach! read more

I would look at Shirley O's pix.... she did a way better job of photographing than I did. We sooo lucked out, going on a Sunday when they make fresh Paella right out front. Smells so good as you get close to walking in.... There are so many things this restaurant does right, it's hard to know where to start. First, by accident we showed up on a Basque Holiday. Amazing luck. Imagine this: we order their Paella that takes 45 minutes to finish and while we wait, we order something from every category to taste. The combination of how they 'treat' the ingredients, how they 'plate' the food, how amazing their staff is, down to their advisor who is basically an executive chef .... How inspired he is, how much he appreciates the fine job everyone in his Kichen does, how inspired our waiter is ... how nice the hostess is ... well, this was the most amazing experience. I believe it is the CAÑA DE CABRA TOAST, that has sliced peaches and jam with goat cheese that is one of the best starters we have ever enjoyed. Lisa says: 'The mint on the top is just the right addition'. Grilled Shrimp and PATATAS BRAVAS are done right. Careful of the heat on the potatoes, if that's not your thing. But just look at what they are creating .... all the work put in to thinly slice them and top them. The broth with clams makes you ask for more bread. The Seafood Paella arrives. Lisa says: "The scallops are done right and the fish is very light. The rice is flavorful, more of a smokey rice with great flavor rather than just saffron. I am a NY'er and I know my cheesecake. I rarely order it because it's not like back home. But with their 'in house' pastry person, I just want to say every bite, every look, every berry, every texture is just perfect. This Basque cheesecake is something I will think about and come back for over and over again. As Lisa eats her birthday dessert, her eyes roll back in her head. Aaah. So it isn't just me that loves this dessert! Can't wait to try everything on the menu! I'm bringing San Diego Foodies and Carlsbad Foodies from Meetup back here, so we can taste everything I missed! Now I hope I can get everyone to share. lol With garlic, gusto and gratitude,  Chef Marian  San Diego Foodies Carlsbad Foodies read more

Cute place at Solana beach and a great option if you want to share a variety of small plates. We tried a few of them and we really liked the croquettes. From main dishes we tried the paella and the steak. The steak was a bit bland but the paella was pretty good. Service was excellent and there is plenty of free parking nearby. read more

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We sat at the bar, which was full service and it was great! Comfortable seats, attentive bar tenders, and amazing food! The short rib paella was very very good, very rich in flavor and a mild spice kick. I loved the bits of sausage mixed in with the rice too and bits of the burnt bottom added to the whole dish. It takes a little time to prepare but worth it! my husband and I almost finish the whole dish it together. DO NOT SKIP THE BASQUE CHEESECAKE. I wish that was a dessert I could try again for the first time. I will be dreaming about this for a while. It was very soft texture, chilled. the subtle saltiness, the caramelized top and berry compote was just WOW. read more

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Great ambiance and the food was delicious! Great wine list too. Excellent place. I'll definitely be back.

We had a great time here. Dinner consisted of the pork belly croquettes, patatas brava, seafood paella and basque cheesecake. Each dish was delicious. The potatoes were a bit spicy and the paella on the salty side. The paella came with a good amount of quality seafood. The cheesecake was divine! Smooth, creamy and light. It was definitely a good way to end our meal. I had the Urema Passion which was a balanced cocktail that wasn't too sweet or boozy. The restaurant is modern and comfortable. Service was timely and friendly. The paella takes a long time, but having a couple of tapas makes the wait tolerable. Besides, what's the rush. We enjoyed drinks, tapas and conversation while waiting for the main dish. read more

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Food - 3.5/5 Nice variety - from pinxtos to apps, to entrees and paella. Vegetarian options or modifications are plenty. Paellas take 50 mins to make but everything else comes out pretty fast and they tell you about the paella well in advance and put the order in first. Quality is good. Heavy on the seasoning so everything including the cake is salty. We also tried the beet salad which was so refreshing. Drink: 4.5/ 5 I'd call this primarily a bar with tapas. Because their cocktail game is strong and stronger than the food. Such a huge seasonal classic and main cocktail menu, beautiful variety. So well balanced. We tried a bunch and liked almost everything except the matcha fizz. Ambience: pretty. Lots of bar, countertop, indoor and heated patio seating. You can reserve ahead and easy access. Lots of free street parking. Hosts and service is a bit off. Hostess especially was a bit rude. Overall, worth a try if you're in solano beach read more

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every dish was fantastic and they have a good selection of alcohol. The cheesecake is a must-have. The service is friendly. we sat outside and the ambiance is flexible for a formal dressy date or a semi-casual meetup with a friend. Really nice to eat outside in the socal beach weather. My opinion is this is better than any of the michelin-recs on this block of downtown encinitas read more

CTZN - beef paella - Basque Near Me - Solana Beach, California

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Very disappointing experience at CTZN. We waited 1 hour and 20 minutes for our food. When I complained about the long wait, the manager himself was extremely unfriendly and dismissive, basically saying, "That's the way it is. If you don't like it, you can leave." A long wait is frustrating, but the manager's attitude was even more disappointing. Very poor customer service. We will not be returning. read more

I have been very excited to try this new place in Solana Beach ever since it opened a few months ago. There are not many (if any) Basque restaurants in San Diego, so this was a fun treat! My boyfriend and I came around 5:30pm on a Saturday evening without a reservation. We were told they were actually completely booked for the night (nice!) but that we could sit at the bar, which was fine by us. The ambiance was chic but warm and the bar was a perfectly lovely place to sit for dinner. I had a Basque Txakolina white wine which was lovely and unique! Since their main items are tapas/shareable items, we ordered a bunch of things and shared. Charcuterie for Two, added Iberico ham for +$15: The selection was pretty good and I loved the Iberico ham, but adding it was not worth the extra $15 in my opinion, as the serving size was quite small. It is served with toasted baguettes con tomate, but I think they forgot the tomate. 4/5 Pulpo: This was delicious! I rarely have octopus, but I could tell it was done well. The octopus was flavorful, tender, and plentiful. It was served with some lovely marinated beans and shishito peppers which all worked very well together. We loved this dish! 5/5 Patatas bravas: It is gorgeously created and presented with tons of layers of perfectly crisp, yet soft potatoes and plated with a tomato based sauce and garlic aioli. I really enjoyed this dish, but my boyfriend thought it needed a little extra oomph (perhaps more salt or flavor depth). Regardless, I thought it was a winner. 4.5/5 Croquetas de pato: Honestly these were a last minute addition and at this point in the meal we really didn't need another dish. However, they were flavorful and yummy. A bit small for the price, but good all the same. 3/5 Wild berry Basque cheesecake: The reason why we wanted to come here in the first place! It took a while for them to get this to us, and they graciously gave it to us on the house, which was a nice customer service touch. However, it was well worth the wait! Creamy, perfectly sweet, luscious, delicious. This is a must get dessert if you come here! 5/5 All in all we thoroughly enjoyed our first time at CTZN and we are looking forward to coming back to try more dishes on their menu! If you're looking to try this Basque cuisine, my only suggestion is to make a reservation because this place is gaining popularity by the week! read more

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Among meal albeit not normal menu. It was a pre fix sort of meal for valentines. Everything was delicious. Service was excellent. Bathrooms were spotless. read more

CTZN - Basque Near Me - Solana Beach, California

For our table of 5, we ordered the pan con tomato, bread with peaches, pork belly croquets, salad, prawns, clams, and a seafood paella. We finished the night with cheesecake. Everything was amazing, I highly recommend the prawns and the salad and the cheesecake. read more

I feel compelled to do an update just for the patatas bravas because they are ~ what dreams are made of ~ The pork secreto was also a big hit! read more

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Went here for a date. It was a great location that is away from the busier corners of San Diego. The food was really good. Do not expect big portions, but tapas style dishes. Great place to share a bunch of different dishes. We sat outside. There was plenty of seating. The cocktails were really good too. read more

Food was nicely decorated , good flavor , pinxos are a third the size of those served in the Basque Country . Service, ambiance, and wine selection was great read more

Some new businesses have popped up this year along the Hwy 101 corridor in the Solana Beach community including CTZN. This is a tapas bar that has been described as serving Basque-California fusion cuisine. There was a lengthy wait for a table on the evening that I visited, however I was fortunate to find an empty spot at the bar where the full menu was served. It was an open-air setting with lots of small tables spread across the bar and dining area. The one-page food menu was filled with a long list of small plates and shareable items. The latter included charcuterie and paella. There were eleven choices in the Raciones category. These were slightly larger servings than traditional tapas. I had to pick the Pulpo which was wood-fired Spanish Octopus served with marinated gigante beans, charred shishito peppers, chorizo romesco, and a grilled lemon. Their version of this dish was generous with multiple grilled tentacles on top of the other components. It was cooked well as the protein was soft. For a main dish, I ordered the Secreto Iberico. This was fire-roasted pork served with escalivada (roasted vegetables) and arbequina (olives). The meat was from a Black Iberian pig that had heavy marbling. I have rarely seen Iberico pork prepared at other SD area restaurants so it was a rare treat. There were ten thin slices placed on top of the veggies. I think a puree of some root vegetable to add a contrast in texture would have nicely complemented this entree. The service from the bartender was good when I had his attention. Other waitstaff that were supporting the bar brought the food to my seat. For the quality and price of the food that I tried, I gave a four star level rating for my dinner at CTZN. read more

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I had a pretty nice experience here. We got a reservation the day before for 7:00 on a Friday. There was easy street parking. We picked this spot because it is close to the Sound. We told our waitress at the beginning of dinner we needed to leave in about 1.5 hours max, the service was great overall. We thought the avocado dish was a bit underwhelming, but we liked the manchego cheese starter, roasted carrots, and octopus. We also sat outside on the patio, it was a nice summer night. We didn't get paella, we had read the reviews prior, but they did tell us it would take 45 minutes upfront in case we wanted to order it. I appreciated they let us know give our time constraints. read more

This was the perfect dinner to end my birthday in San Diego. My boyfriend suggested this place to me! My boyfriend and I came for the Safari Park and dropped by Fletcher Cove Beach before walking to the restaurant. To start, we ordered a cocktail and a mocktail. My mocktail was a version of the Zaintza they made for me. I loved it so much!! Then we opted for vegetarian tapas. We ordered the avocado & talo. We added the cana de cabra toast. We were able to enjoy both as we awaited our vegetarian paella which we were told would take 30-45 min to prepare. It's lively and modern in the restaurant. We were seated at a table for two just inside, entrance adjacent. Service was attentive enough and friendly. The paella was delicious and we took the rest to go, eating it for lunch the next day! We also took a slice of Basque berry cheesecake with us and shared it on the train back to LA. It was memorable like really good! read more

CTZN - My boyfriend and vegetarian paella - Basque Near Me - Solana Beach, California

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When we first invited by my partner's aunt and uncle to CTZN, we were pleasantly surprised that the restaurant was in an older part of Encinitas that seems to be in the middle of being revitalized. They are next to Rustic Root on Highway 101 close to the Solano Beach Amtrak train station. We sat outside, at around 5PM on a Saturday evening at the end of September, so the weather was pleasant. Going off the recommendations of my aunt and uncle in laws who had been to Spain a few times, they knew what dishes they wanted to order to compare with their experiences that they had when they travelled. We decided primarily to order off of the tapas menu and to share between us. A few of the drinks we ordered: - Verde San Sebastian Old Fashioned - "Say Cheese" cocktail Tapas: - Patatas Bravas (Crispy potatoes) - Croquetas de Pato (Duck) - Pulpo (Octopus) - Pan Con Tomate (Tomato bread - forgot to grab a picture) - Local Beets - Grilled Prawns Dessert: - Wong Mango & Basque Cheesecake Verde San Sebastian Old Fashion was smokey and very unique cocktail as reported by my partner given there is a little bit of their chili flavor - the combination of smoke and spiciness was well balanced and interesting and definitely a unique twist on a traditional Old Fashioned. The "Say Cheese" cocktail was super interesting and had a slightly sweet, tart and cheesy flavour. Hard to describe but as someone who doesn't drink, the couple sips I took were surprisingly good. The Patatas Bravas were super impressive. I loved their take given the potatoes are layered which definitely takes more effort and as a result more delicate. Being layered is different and was unexpected by my aunt and uncle-in law. That doesn't take away from how tasty they were. The Local Beets were fresh, the Croquetas de Pato were good, but I couldn't really taste the duck so it was less memorable. Grilled prawns were also very good in flavour but also less memorable in that though they were all excellently made they didn't sear into my memory like the Pulpo and the Pan Con Tomate. The real stars of the show were the Pulpo and the Pan Con Tomate. The octopus was SOoooo goood. I mean, look at how juicy those legs are. Perfectly tender, not rubbery, but still had a nice bite to them -- basically, it was as perfect as octopus legs could possibly be. I haven't had as tasty of an octopus since Kettner Exchange which was almost 8 years ago. I often feel guilty whenever I eat an octopus (I have recently learned they are super intelligent creatures and unsustainable to farm), but given the other pictures shared, it was difficult for me not to order since I do love octopus. I try to be selective when I eat it, and this was one of these times I decided to eat it. The Pan Con Tomate was also perfect - I'm a huge fan of tomatoes though, so others might not have the same experience, but it was perfectly seasoned and not soggy, applied over what appeared as cristal bread (which is the tastiest bread - soft but not overly soft, pliable yet crispy right on the edges - I recommend people to find it in their store if they're able to find it). And then the dessert - I have not had basque cheesecake before, but a dessert that has the word "Mango" in it will always pique my interest. The mango flavor wasn't strong despite being topped which was too bad, but the texture of the cheesecake was nice and like a combination of cake and pudding making it creamy. The burnt top part of the cheesecake made it so the dessert wasn't super sweet and even had a slight bitter taste which complemented with the rest of the cheesecake so well. A basque cheesecake is without crust and I think after having the basque cheesecake I might prefer it to traditional cheesecake. (I love creamy desserts like creme brulee and pot de creme, and this falls into that category). Our waiter was super helpful with recommendations and were prompt with our requests. Very attentive. No complaints from any of us. I personally really liked the atmosphere of the place - I didn't know what it was like inside since I didn't take a look, but the outside is a really nice cozy set up though I will say the seats (at least the benches) felt a bit lower in comparison to the table. There was not any music playing on the outside if anyone is worried about that. 5 PM was a perfect time to come because it wasn't yet full, but by the time we left about 2 hours later, the restaurant was definitely very busy and full. It's perfect if you are looking for a quieter setting than inside (judging from other comments from it being loud inside). Definitely want to come back and try the remaining tapas - those wild mushrooms caught my eye but did not have room in the stomach this time around. Recommend to go if it fits your budget - the food and the service are excellent. read more

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Very good octopus and patatas bravas w the dessert. The dessert was soo delicious! I will be craving this all!!

We had an amazing evening at CTZN, The ambiance was beautiful, the team warm and inviting. The kitchen staff made delicious chicken croquettes and papas fritas and the hamachi crudo was unbelievable, among other tapas. Our white Negroni and the traditional Negroni were delicious, although we sat at the bar so we were able to see all the gorgeous cocktails Bailey made. Will definitely be back to try the paella! read more

CTZN - Negroni, white Negroni, chicken croquettes, pan de tomato with chorizo - Basque Near Me - Solana Beach, California

I thought the dishes we ordered were delicious and a refreshing change from the usual offerings of other nearby restaurants. The food and drinks were slow to come out, but worth the wait for sure. Our waiter Esteban was friendly and helpful. We sat on the patio and the chairs were a little uncomfortable to sit on in a dress/skirt. I definitely plan to come back again! read more

CTZN - Kampachi tartare, patatas brava, pulpo - Basque Near Me - Solana Beach, California

First time coming here. My kids planned a mother's day dinner. We previewed the menu and were excited to try a variety of dishes. The waiter took our drink of order. He suggested that if we wanted to order the paella,that we do that first since it takes a while to prepare. We got a vegetable and seafood paella. After he came back to take our order. The appetizers were all prepared perfectly. After the waiter cleared all the plates and brought out fresh utensils for dinner. The wait staff are really well organized and trained to make your dinning experience special. The paellas were fantastic. I would have liked a few more veggies in the paella, but it was still good. I know it was mother's day, but I have to imagine that this place is always packed on the weekends read more

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Such a great experience. Staff was amazing. The aesthetic is perfection. Bathrooms were clean. Love that the kitchen is open. Got so many dishes, patatas bravas were divine, the pan con tomate was amazing, the pulpo was 10/10 ... the "fall salad" was a little odd. I feel like that was least favorite dish. Having a spring salad maybe? And then we went with the Seafood Paella - sooo freaking good. And lastly the basque cheesecake. Hot damn i will get that dessert every time i return. So happy to have a tapas place in Solana! I wish CTZN the best keep it up! I should have taken a pic of the cheesecake but we devoured it! read more

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Okay food, worst service I've ever experienced. Server came to our table only once, 20 mins after we were seated. Didn't even get water until the end of our dinner. Also were told they ran out of water glasses.. first time ever hearing that in my life. Cheesecake is pretty good though read more

We had such a great experience at CTZN! The short rib paella was absolutely delicious--rich, tender, and full of flavor. The chicken croquettes were excellent, perfectly crisp on the outside and creamy inside, and the olives were a simple but standout bite. The ambiance inside was incredible--modern, stylish, and lively, it felt like we had stepped out of Solana Beach and into a city spot with an amazing vibe. Our server was very attentive and made the whole evening flow seamlessly. Overall, CTZN impressed us with both food and atmosphere. Definitely a place I'd come back to for date night or with friends! read more

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Group of friends went there during a weeknight without reservation. They could accommodate us in few minutes. Cocktails are ok, inhad vspr and black manhattan, they are forgettable. The duck croquette was ok. But after that it was all amzing, the lobster pella with squid ink, it was to die for. It has fish, lobster, shrimp, clam and what not. It is a must order for seafood lover. The beef paella wasnt bad either. The octopus grilled is something i will remember for months. The shrimp grill, we ordered extra bread to wipe the gravy. The service was quick and attentive. Excellent place! Try out before there is a line outside. read more

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One of the newer restaurants in Solana Beach is CTZN. It is located on the Coast Highway, just South of Loma Santa Fe. The restaurant sits on top of a large underground parking area, which makes parking very easy and convenient. The restaurant has large outdoor seating area which will be nice come warmer weather. The theme and servings of the restaurant is shared plates (tapas). They have an extensive menu including a few key main courses and Paella. We had a table of 4 persons. We ordered a recommended Spanish red wine and then selected about 7 starters and 1 paella. Everything was well prepared and was provided with very good service. Overall, highly recommended. read more

CTZN - Great Deserts - Basque Near Me - Solana Beach, California

We went with the family. Waited 15 min before the waitress ever showed up to take cocktail order. She spent 90% of her time with two tables. She would say she was going to clean the table at the end of our dinner but visited the two tables before doing what she said she was going to do. I went to the bar to order my second cocktail because she was not interested in good service. We ordered two desserts but only received one. Food was good but extremely over priced; NOT good value. I will say the bus staff and runner were great. We saw those people 10 times more than we saw the waitress. read more

I would have given CTZN 5 stars but a few things kept me from doing so: 1. Noise is unbearably loud. The floor is cement, the ceilings are tall and there is no fabric on the tables or chairs and they also have very loud music playing. . We sat at the bar and the bartender couldn't even hear us and we had to keep yelling and repeating ourselves. It was so loud it was almost painful. 2. The avocado and Talo was tasteless, it just tasted like mushed avocado. 3. The Talo was NOT Talo. I have eaten Talo in Basque country and what they served has no resemblance to it. The supposed Talo served here was hard, tasteless and appeared to be made with whole wheat flour. It was kind of like fried whole wheat Pita bread with no flavor and a bad texture. They definitely need to work on their "Talo" or at least call it something else. The 5 Star parts were: 1. The friendly bartender 2. Friendly hostess 3. The drinks (there were no mocktails on the menu but the bartender created yummy mocktails for us). 4. The other 3 dishes: Blue Fin Tuna Tartar (which actually was Hamachi Tartar) but delicious The Fall Salad The Pulpo. I would go back and order these same 3 items again but there are more items I also want to try. The people next to us raved about the Patatas Bravas. All the portions were really good sized. These are not traditional Tapa portions. I am a BIG eater and I ended up taking home half the Pulpo and 1/3 of the Fall Salad. They were both delicious the next day. In summary, I would like to go back and sit outside in hopes that it won't be so noisy and I will not order the Avocado and Talo or anything that comes with Talo. There are lots of other choices I do want to try though. read more

I was visiting for work and stopped in due to another restaurant being closed for a private event. I was pleasantly surprised as this (apparently newer) spot is gorgeous inside!!! The bar is beautiful!!! The menu is delicious and the crowd was great! If I lived in the area I would certainly go again! read more

The vibes in here are beautiful. The staff is fun and friendly. Definitely a spot for the locals. A great place to grab a drink and appetisers. read more

CTZN - Basque Near Me - Solana Beach, California

TERRIBLE. We were excited to try this place and it was simply awful. The service was SO SLOW, no one ever came to check on us, no one ever asked how the food was (it wasn't good) and I had to flag down a random server to ask for a drink after I waited about half an hour for a drink. The food was also mediocre. The $72 seafood paella was like Spanish rice with 3 prawns, 4-5 clams and a piece of fish. The rice wasn't crispy on the bottom. Our server told us it was "WET PAELLA". What?? We were offered a free dessert since the food was so awful and THEN THEY CHARGED US FOR IT. When we asked our server he kept telling us they gave us something else for free. Oh- they also ran out of sangria at about 7:30pm on a Saturday. We will not return. Awful. read more

Probably the first and the last time- our waitress is good and that might be the only thing I have to say here that's positive. We ordered the paellas, it's not like a regular form that we normally have - def not enough for 4, me and my husband pretty much finished everything and I am petit in size. Drink is ordinary, no complaints but no surprises. During our dinner we saw someone eating at the bar with a dog and it's not a service dog - I love dogs and I have two dogs, just don't think having a pet around you while you're eating at a restaurant is a good idea :) read more

My wife and I sat outside on one of the many very comfy couches and relaxed with drinks while pondering the menu. We were looking for a few nibbles rather than dinner this time around, but will be back with another couple to sample more of the menu. Very attentive wait staff. Nice selection of shaken and stirred cocktails. I loved the "Say Cheese" cocktail - highly recommended. We shared the Tuna Tartare, the Patatas Bravas (served as slices of a casserole - crispy, layered slices), and the Fall Salad with prawns, and Croquetas de Pollo. Although the paellas and full plates where tempting, this was perfect for us on this evening. Highly recommended, and looking forward to returning soon! read more

Oh my god this was one of the best meals I've had in a long time. All of the vegetables were so delicious and charred to perfection. The paella, I swear took me to another universe! And for $70 I feel like it's actually a good deal for all that seafood! It is also a gorgeous restaurant with great ambience and the service was spectacular! Only thing I'd say to skip is the mocktails. read more

CTZN - Seafood paella - Basque Near Me - Solana Beach, California

Everything about CTZN was excellent! The welcoming staff, the gorgeous design and feel good ambiance & vibe was perfect, the bartenders were super kind, knowledgeable and attentive. We only came in for a drink and a couple of appetizers, but will absolutely return when back in town again. We had 2 glasses of wine (their wine list was extensive with affordable options), the chicken croquettes were crunchy, creamy, flavorful and fresh tasting. They also had a fig, goat cheese, hot honey bruschetta as well that was incredible. Food is a bit pricey for portions, but it was quality and delicious. read more

CTZN - CROQUETAS DE POLLO, CAÑA DE CABRA TOAST - Basque Near Me - Solana Beach, California

Tapas style... very busy and loud. Great service however. Food was pretty amazing. The salad was huge. Bluefin tuna ceviche was great, tortilla a bit too thick and crispy. Octopus cooked amazing, maybe a little too much smoke in it. Overall, a wonderful experience, we went on a Wednesday night and it was crazy busy! We will be back! read more

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Mr. and Mrs. C friends who live in Solana Beach were excited to introduce us to CTZN, a new tapas spot next to Rustic Root. We had a 5:15pm reservation for four and were seated right away, but unfortunately at a table directly by the door on a very chilly evening. Every time the door opened, a rush of cold air came through. We asked if we could move just a bit farther inside since the restaurant was nearly empty at that time, but were told that every table was already fully booked. The lack of flexibility and hospitality here is ultimately why this visit landed at 3 stars instead of 4. Food-wise, we ordered a wide variety of dishes to share. The fall salad had good flavor, but the large pieces of red and green cabbage were tough to cut and eat. The beet salad was fine, though the avocado mousse was the only standout component. The roasted carrots were the favorite of the night--perfectly cooked with a nice kick of spice. The jamón ibérico was thinly sliced and enjoyable, and the sautéed whole squids (four pieces with tentacles) were well-prepared. The lobster paella, however, was underwhelming; it tasted more like fried rice than a true paella and the lobster were very dry. Dessert was the highlight: slices of Basque cheesecake with berry compote that ended the meal on a warm, satisfying note. Everyone enjoyed their cocktails and glasses of red wine, and our server was attentive, checking in often enough to make sure we were taken care of. Overall, a mixed experience--good company, some enjoyable dishes, and a great dessert, but the initial seating situation and lack of hospitality set the tone in a way that CTZN could easily improve. read more

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