Went on a little stay cation in San Diego and stayed at the Dana resort where this restaurant is located. Had dinner around the cozy fire pit, great view of mission bay and phenomenal customer service. Had the filet mignon that paired well with mashed potatoes and fresh veggies. Definitely will be coming back as I want to try other dishes. Also pictured is the salmon which I had a bite of and tasted amazing as well. Also dog friendly and they have a dog water bowl for your pup! read more

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For a hotel restaurant you can't ask for much more. Great food, outdoor seating with fire pits is a vibe, nice indoor bar & seating, & great service (Jen is the best)! We've stayed at the hotel close to 10X and always eat here a few times. The new carne asada burrito is sneaky good, we were throughly impressed! Also recommend the filet, nachos, wings, fish tacos. & burgers. Huge portions & good prices! Dessert is also recommended! Sadly they updated their apple skillet which I don't recommend anymore (it used to literally be our favorite dessert ever, bring it back!!!) but... Churros were a 9.8 out of 10 (just need some caramel dipping sauce) & lava cake is so good (9.1/10). read more

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The Firefly is a small restaurant located inside The Dana. It is a quaint and cozy restaurant that offers both indoor and outdoor seating. The outdoor seating offers views of the pool. On the Friday night I visited, there was live music which added to the relaxing vibe. The menu was not extensive but they had a slight variety. I opted for the Ancho Chile Crusted Sea Bass (priced at $36). The Tequila lime cilantro sauce that covered the sea bass was immaculate. The lime rice was the perfect balance to the dish. I ordered their white wine sangria and it was refreshing. Because I am a Creme Brûlée girlie, I treated myself to the creme brûlée cheesecake, and let me tell you that every bite was heavenly. The service was good. Nothing stood out but the service was friendly and got the job done. read more

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Nice restaurant off the bay. Good service. Friendly staff. The fish tacos were delicious. I paid $31 for two fish tacos and an iced tea with 18% tip. It's pricey and it was a happy hour special. read more

Firefly Eatery & Bar - Tacos - New American Near Me - San Diego, California

Live Fire Restaurant and bar located on the same grounds of The Dana Hotel that serves up a nice mesh of global cuisines refined for American tastes. The Good: *Reservations available via the Yelp app *Happy Hour every day btwn 3-5 p.m. w/ a special mid-day menu to go along with it. *Our server, Madelynn, was really good and attentive. *You have the option to bill your room. *Local brews on-tap as well as a full bar and fermented grapes. *Dog-friendly outdoor seating with views of the harbor and some of the tables have little fires. *Korean wings were surprisingly good, and had a nice sweet and spicy sauce. *Carissa enjoyed her Buddha Bowl that was refreshing and light. The Meh: *Food was good overall but there just a level of refinement the dishes didn't have for a sort of bougie slightly upscale restaurant is trying to present. *My salmon was hammered pretty hard, but luckily the fresh mango salsa saved the day. Coconut rice was OK, but needed more coconut flavor imo, but the asparagus were cooked perfectly and finished with some nice flecks of salt. The Ugly: *Price to portion wasn't great but it was expected. Conclusion: If you're staying at The Dana then the Firefly is a great option to dine at for the convenience factor, but I wouldn't recommend going out of your way here otherwise. read more

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All around just a so-so experience. I selected the place because I read their menu online and was pleasantly surprised that the prices were decent for the area. When we arrived, the bottom of the menu said there was a 6% service charge added to all checks. Thus, I immediately felt deceived. I really hate these tacked on service charges -- just raise all your prices by 6% if that's what you need to do! The outdoor patio has a nice view of the pool if that's what you want to see, but the view of the bay is a bit obstructed. The service was so slow. Three parties were sat before us, and they were all served first. So, if you were in one of those parties, you might think the service is great. A member of our group had to go inside multiple times to ask our server for things (e.g., the drink he forgot to bring). The food was decent. The pretzel was big and yummy, but the cheese sauce was a bit runny. The fish and chips portion was generous and the fries were good but the fish didn't have much flavor. The clam chowder was unique and delicious but came out pretty cold. The chicken sandwich was huge and very good, probably the best thing we ordered. Oh, and the burrito was just okay. I wanted to like this place. I even started with a 4-star review, but as I reflected on our experience, it really was 3-stars at best. We probably won't be back. Maybe it was an off-day for our server. I will end on a positive note but saying, all of the staff were very nice. read more

Husband and I stopped just planning to have a drink or two while deciding where to go for brunch. However, thanks to our awesome bartender, Ryan, we ended up having four each! He was friendly, easy to talk to, and made some delicious drinks. Great vibes, great service, and even better cocktails! read more

Firefly Eatery & Bar - New American Near Me - San Diego, California

While staying at The Dana on Mission Bay hotel, my family decided to eat here. Service was great, ambiance wasn't nothing special besides the fire pit on each patio table. I must say, they have an amazing California Burrito with creamy cilantro/avocado sauce with fries inside. Wife had the burger. Both delicious. Thank you. Will be back. I stay at Dana once or twice a year. read more

A nice solid moderately sized hotel bar and low key lunch spot. The service is nice. Not very busy with plenty of free outside parking in front of hotel. Four large screen TV's. Indoor and outdoor seating. Food and drinks are good. Not much of a scenic view but the hotel surroundings are nice. Definitely will be back. read more

Firefly Eatery & Bar - Great burger and drinks. - New American Near Me - San Diego, California

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Mother's Day brunch was affordable compared to other similar hotel brunches. One manager was very helpful discussing food allergies when requested. Beyond that, it's all downhill. Bathrooms were disgusting. When we told the hostess she said "yeah kids are gross here sometimes." Multiple times we were flagging someone down for refills without a response. Once we even asked a busser to please get us someone to refill, and then watched all of the staff literally shake their heads disagreeing on who was supposed to serve us. They were a few steps away from us! Got sick from the food but might be my gluten intolerance, although I followed the instructions of the manager so who knows. read more

First visit here, came in during happy hour. We ordered the Korean Chicken wings and let me tell you, they are fantastic! Packed with flavor! 10 out of 10. We also ordered the Calamari, delicious. One of the best calamari dishes I've tasted here in San Diego. Service was quick, seated outdoors to enjoy the views. read more

Firefly Eatery & Bar - New American Near Me - San Diego, California

This is a restaurant and bar located inside the Dana on the bay. They have an outside dining area and a small indoor section as well. I dropped by after checking in and got a few margaritas that were very good. They used brand name liquors and no well junk. I tried their Korean BBQ wings that were amazing!! Perfect hot sweetness with that outside crunch you desire. Had a few drinks outside as well. It's a very good place to unwind with great service! read more

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Back again for the third week long trip to the Dana and once again came here for breakfast several times. Always good. My wife loved the breakfast burrito and I loved their omelettes. Wanted to give a special shout to the bartender Bobby who always gave us great drinks and service. He made our stay extra special! Super friendly. Looking forward to coming back in a couple years on vacation. read more

Excellent service that makes you feel like a king when you clearly are not.. The staff here is always on point and attentive to their guests' needs. Our child was hungry and we had just had dinner, however you need to make sure she's not hungry. Having had been out all day, Mission Bay. Um Duh. We opted on having on site dining even if if was something easily handled by Jack's. We had impromptu tapas. The calamari and KBBQ wings are stellar. I had made an error ordering and my wife had mentioned our kid wanted another item. They made no fuss changing the pasta for the mini corn dogs. Love this place and the Dana will be back soon. read more

Firefly Eatery & Bar - Pay the extra buck for the New Old Fashioned.... That is unless you are a creature of habit or don't like smoked bourbon. - New American Near Me - San Diego, California

Food and ambiance was great. I had a nice romantic dinner with my fiancée here. Service was nice as well. It is a little pricey so be ready for that. Spent over $100 for two entrees and two drinks. Plus tip. Each place in San Diego seems to also have a surge charge. But overall, it was a nice place to eat read more

We really enjoyed our stay, but we were disappointed with our dining experience. We came to eat at the restaurant, and after being seated, our waiter never acknowledged us. We waited for over 25 minutes while he helped other tables around us but never came to ours. Unfortunately, we ended up leaving without being served. We loved everything else about our stay, but this experience was very disappointing and something we hope can be improved. read more

Friendly staff. Pricing is consistent with nearby restaurants. The Old Fashioned was top notch. The yogurt parfait included a 1/4 of a strawberry and 2 blueberries...that was disappointing. read more

Giving a generous 3. Generous. I can get into my signature Yelp-y review, but the long and the short of it is this place has mediocre service and really bland food. The experience on the patio with the fire pit was lovely, but it took so long to get our cocktails - prior to ordering food - that our ice water had melted into tepid water before the drinks made their way outside. It was somewhat busy, but a hotel restaurant close to a larger hotel hosting conventions needs to know how to handle that. My coworker and I split the beet salad, coconut shrimp and cheese flatbread. All three were bland and unremarkable. Overcooked beets, but a good dressing. Shrimp was meh. Flatbread was mushy on top, and totally burned on the bottom. Our server was nice enough but either spread too thin or just not on the ball. Either way it was not great. Way underwhelmed. read more

Firefly Eatery & Bar - Ain't gonna rain on my parade! - New American Near Me - San Diego, California

This restaurant is GREAT for breakfast. 4 days in a row. A simple menu with food that I like and food that my wife likes. Plus the coffee is good. What else do you want for breakfast? read more

The atmosphere was nice. Friendly staff, food prepared well and was good. Would come back again.

Excellent! We went for dinner once during our hotel stay and visited the bar a couple times as well. Service is very good. Very comfortable inside with plenty of room to move around. We ordered the garlic bread, wedge salad, hamburger protein style and the short ribs. Everything was very tasty and great quality. read more

Firefly Eatery & Bar - New American Near Me - San Diego, California

Stayed at the Dana and of course came to the Firedly for happy hour! Our bar tender was Jacob and he was Great! He took time to answer all of our questions and clarify our doubts. We had the 5 bucks lemon bourbon cocktail and some IPAs. We also had the 1/2 Lb Wagyu burger with fries and the clam chowder. Sadly have to report that everything was very salty the patty, the fries, and even the soup. I would've assumed it was me until my beau said the same thing without me mentioning it. Good thing the drinks were good so we watered it all down with a good priced cocktail. We enjoyed the sunset and chatting at the bar. Price was ok for happy hour. read more

Firefly Eatery & Bar - Happy hour at the firefly! - New American Near Me - San Diego, California

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Good food!! Went here twice during me and my families stay at the Dana in mission bay. Both times I got the buddy bowl, once with shrimp and once with salmon. I will say you don't get a lot of shrimp for the price but the salmon was exceptional! The fish tacos were great, and the filet mignon was probably one of the best I've ever had. Staff is super nice and accommodating, I love the firefly details on the walls inside as well, super cute! read more

Very spontaneous decision to go for a date night here and it was amazing!! Ambiance 10/10 Food 50/10 Service 100/10 Came in like 5m after the were taking the last guest for seating (but we'd called ahead and told them we'd be there) And the bartender was SUPER sweet about it! Accepted all order customizations (grilled chicken instead of breaded for the entree, asparagus instead of fried brussels sprouts, and that too with less oil) Brought out the food really quick - fresh and steamy In perfect order and perfect timing. We didn't have to wait for any course to come out Even came in and asked what dessert would e the would want so he could keep it aside for us since the kitchen was closing.. and then could bring it out in time We celebrated our anniversary there, and the bartender gave us the dessert and drink on the house!! What a great guy! Also very kind with moving the heaters around for us Coconut Shrimp - SO crispy and delicious! Perfect with a big squeeze of lemon juice. Or with that sweet chili sauce. Shrimp it were not too oily either even through they were fried. Grilled Chicken was perfectly cooked! Very soft and not at all dry on the inside. Asparagus on the side - tender and cooked well on the inside too. Not stringy or hard even though they were thick pieces. Gorgonzola Mashed potatoes - creamy and delicious! Mushroom Fettuccine - WHAT A BEAUTY! the Sauce was lovely - perfect garlic parmesan sauce with perfectly cooked pasta and mushrooms. Good portion size too. Loved it! Cheesecake was creamy and perfect! Didn't even need that blueberry compote on top! Strange Brew cocktail was very nice too! Good volume and generous portion size. Very refreshing! read more

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We stayed at the Dana for three days and had the Firefly 3x during our stay. Overall, very positive experiences. Some slow service on the dinner the the third night, but a huge event/party was going on next door so I'm sure that had something to do with it. Otherwise, the food was great, the service was prompt, and the indoor seating was great with the proximity to the bar. The outdoor seating by the Bay is relaxing. The price is fair given the quality of the food. Worth checking out at least once if you are staying at the Dana. , read more

This restaurant really Wowed me! From the moment I was welcome at the reception podium, the staff was very friendly and soooo accommodating! We sat outside where we were able to being our dogs, which they also brought water for the dogs. Because it was a bit chilly being by the water, we were invited to sit at a table with a fireplace and they adjusted the flame to our desired level. Our waitress came back quite often and was always there at the right time. I had the soup of the day which was quite filling so I never got to order the clam chowder. Draft beer prices were lower than expected and the fish and chips was quite possibly the best I've had because the beer batter was thin and tasty as well as the fish being moist & perfectly prepared. The fries were also perfect and not too crunchy so very easy to eat and we enjoyed the seasonings. We had eaten at the Marine Room the previous evening and Firefly Eatery was by far the better choice at 1/4 the price. This restaurant is truly a gem and so desirable they had a wedding party during our visit for lunch. Well done friends at Firefly. We will be back when we visit your beautiful town next time. Mahalo read more

Firefly Eatery & Bar - Relaxed family reunion. - New American Near Me - San Diego, California

Got sat, they filled our water twice, no waiter other than that, got up and left, no one even questioned it spent my money elsewhere. Why would anyone come back after something like that? read more

Went to this restaurant because there aren't a lot of options near hotels in this exact area of Mission Bay. Chose Firefly because at hotel. The location was small and underwhelming. Nothing fancy. However, the staff were excellent & food was good. read more

I am not normally one to go five stars for a hotel restaurant but we had three wonderful meals here with fantastic service on a recent stay at The Dana. One breakfast and two lunches, we enjoyed their lovely patio seating with our two pups. We had the same fantastic server each time, lucky for us, who always took great care of us. The breakfast buffet was solid, and they make a great vanilla latte. The lunch menu delivered some great eats, we tried the BLTA, Burger, Flatbread, Brussels, and Cobb salad. The cocktails are pretty on point as well. Honestly, if you never wanted to even leave this property you would not have to. We are having an event here in February of 2025 and if this is a sign/indication of the Food & Beverage situation here, then I am stoked. read more

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Loved this place! We went there because of the live music which was awesome! Service is super friendly and welcoming. We had the filet mignon flat bread the the beet salad to share. All delicious. We also had the breaded chicken (outstanding) and the fettuccine. Delicious food, good drinks and atmosphere. read more

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So much potential in this place. Beautiful location, good menu options and the firepits are nice, however we made a reservation a week in advance for a seat where we could watch the drone show from. I put it in my request. We showed up 15 mins early and were sat right away which was nice but the table with reserved sign with immediately in front of a large palm tree. I asked the hostess if we would could see the drone show from that table knowing it would have been difficult considering the palm tree immediately in front of us. She said "you can walk down there" (referencing a spot outside of the restaurant) I just said okay......we sat down at 7:45, got water and menus. At 8pm with half full waters we were offered refill of our waters and said we were okay but asked if there was a waiter for our table the guy with the water said "my bad let me check"......we left at 8:15pm never having even been greeted outside the drop of a menu by the hostess. 30 mins we sat waiting for something. We got up to leave and were told "have a good night" no one was even remotely concerned that we were leaving having not ordered a single item. To top it off a walk in table got sat immediately behind us. An entire family'. The waiter went to them as soon as they got settled even though they came in 20 minutes after us, 2 people. read more

3.5 stars Lunch is served from 11:30-3 pm. My colleagues and I were at the Dana for a conference and decided to grab lunch at the Firefly before the conference started. For a party of 6, we were seated rather quickly. I think there were only 2 servers and 1 front of house manager, so service was a bit slow, which could be a good or not great thing depending on your time. Also, if you ask for any additional condiments, they may not arrive before you finish, or almost, finish your meal. Fried Chicken Sandwich $16 Lettuce, Tomato, Pickles, House Honey Mustard, French Fries The sandwich and the French fries were delicious and it was quite filling. But.. the grease from the Fried Chicken Sandwich literally continued dripping onto the small plate as I was eating (my colleagues noticed that also), and the outdoor tables had holes on the top, so I was trying to not drip any oil, through the holes, onto my pants. If you're vegetarian, there is not much on the menu besides the Salads and the Cheese Flatbread. If you order the Clam Chowder, it is more like a small cup, than a bowl of soup. A few in my party ordered the Clam Chowder but it was not filling enough, as they thought it would be a bigger portion. For menu serving times, make sure to look them up on the website. The menus are also listed on the website for easier access. The FireFly does close a little early, Sun-Thu 5-9 pm and Fri-Sat 5-9:30 pm, so keep that in mind if you are a late eater or if you wanted to grab something later in the evening. They do have heat lamps and tables with fire pits in the middle as well. Service is a bit slowwww like molasses so we were running late for our conference. We were trying to see if we could get our bill, and I had even walked to the manager to ask and also a server had come by to ask if we needed any boxes or wanted our check. We ended up all walking up to the host station/podium to try to speed up the process of signing for our checks instead of having them walked over to our table. At the bottom of the menu, it states "A 5% surcharge will be added to all Guest checks to help cover increasing costs and in support of the recent increases to minimum wage and benefits for our dedicated Team Members." I am not a fan of extra surcharges, especially when the items are already pretty pricey, on top of tipping as well. One would hope an establishment would be paying their workers minimum wage, but to pass it onto its customers, as a separate surcharge, that is a no-no in my book. Overall, food and service was okay. It is convenient to have an on-site restaurant for the hotel but it is also not the greatest food. Another reviewer wrote "way underwhelmed" and I could not even more, that the food was a bit underwhelming. I totally understand the low-key vibe of service, since most people who visit are on vacation (and want to relax) but if you need to be somewhere, it's a bit of an inconvenience. The restaurant is located right next to the swimming pool and jacuzzi, so I can imagine it being quite lively with families during the summer. For the cooler months, it is lovely to be able to enjoy a quiet meal with a wonderful view of Mission Bay. It is all about location and views. read more

So it's a no cash bar AND it may not be a cash restaurant. I was told by the bartender that the wait staff may not be able to provide the change for a cash payment. Like, what? This is terrible for people who are wanting to pay cash for their meal in a big group and have to out drinks in a separate tab because it's a work trip. I mean what do you mean cash can't be used? The waitress never can back to refill my water or ask how anything was--we were there for almost two hours. The restaurant was not that busy. The food was ok. I asked the bartender for a mojito no mint--I know get over it--so that's lime, rum, and simple syrup. He said so a it's a daiquiri. I said no, it's a mojito no mint. Then he makes it with dark rum, lime juice out of a bottle, and something else. It looked like muddled throw up. It's supposed to be clear rum, lime, and simple syrup. Refreshing, light, and clear! I'll never go back to this restaurant. read more

Food is pretty decent but the service is awful. I definitely recommend traveling across the street to the Hyatts restaurant. They were so welcome and great. Or really any other restaurant. It took 20 minutes to get one drink with no one else at the bar. read more

I really enjoyed the tortilla soup and house salad. The pancakes at breakfast were very cold and the syrup was too thick (coagulated?). I was attending a training on site and participants were told in several communications that there would be extra staff on hand. This was not the case and so the restaurant was easily overwhelmed. Many of the staff blatantly ignored people in line and even when I was seated I felt like I was annoying them with my presence. There were a few exceptions including Kim who went out of her way to take care of me. Actually, most of the female staff were attentive and friendly... anyway, If you can get a table and a female attendant, give it a try, otherwise, check out Charli's Landing across the street. There is indoor and outdoor seating and the location, on the Marina, is really pretty. read more

The resort itself is reasonably priced. The restaurant there - Firefly - is average. The food is solid but the service is at best hit or miss. The outdoor seating is nice, however. read more

10.13.22 - Had lunch here during our stay at The Dana on Mission Bay. Sadly, we weren't happy with the food. Someone in my party ordered a sandwich and the toast was burnt and turned burn-side down on the plate - really? My pizza could have used more time in the oven. And another person in my party said the fish tacos were tasteless - a little disappointing all around. Ambiance is nice, although there were no other customer when we ate there. You can choose between indoor and outdoor dining which is cool. For the location and price, you would think there was a decent chef cooking in the back but I suspect customers are actually paying for high-priced microwaveable food. Needless to say, we ate elsewhere at the duration of our stay. read more

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Had the Lobster Mac n Cheese and Fish n Chips. Both were amazing. Got right in and served promptly, great service.

Absolutely fantastic food. The house honey mustard on the chicken sandwich was fantastic, so was the house bbq sauce! Service was also top notch. Aldo is so personable snd gave us so many great recommendations for our stay. Great place to grab a bite! read more

Berry tasty food. Excellent service. They even split things in half. Thank you so much!!