Went for a solo dinner and sat at the bar to catch the game. Bartender was very attentive and made a delicious mocktail. Really appreciated they had multiple non-alcoholic drinks that weren't just soda or lemonade. Seafood pot left more to be desired for a beachside spot. Cute spot where I'd go back, but would try something else. Was a little overrated from the reviews I've heard from others. read more

Jake's - Mixed Seafood Pot - New American Near Me - Del Mar, California

So much to improve at Jake's which has fallen from outstanding to don't bother. Location and service were very good. Food: Calamari- good and crispy but chintzy portion Avocado toast- how could you put that out the door without cringing. Avocado goop, no sliced avocado here. Barely edible Fish and chips- chips soggy, fish greasy. All room temp. Clearly sitting awhile Salmon Cesar salad- overdressed soggy salad, again, clearly sitting awhile. Fish room temp. How far you have fallen read more

We didn't have a reservation, but we got there right when they opened and we got a window seat with a great view. Our waitress and the other employees were all very nice and helpful. The food was amazing. We all loved the calamari, including our 2 yo grandson, who devoured his Mac 'n Cheese. I loved my Achiote Roasted fish. My husband loved the tuna poke and my son enjoyed the turkey sandwich. I hope to go back when we come back for another visit. read more

Jake's - View from our table. - New American Near Me - Del Mar, California

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Nice view and great food! Service was at! It took 2hrs from OC to get there but it's still worth. We walked in the beach after lunch. There is a beach access from the restaurant. Enjoy! read more

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Jake's has such a warm-breeze, feel-good atmosphere. The service is great (polite, accommodating), the view is spectacular, the food amazing. Here's what I tried: Pear & Candied Walnut Salad: every leaf was coated in the incredible cranberry balsamic vinaigrette, the pear slices ripe and delicious, the goat cheese tangy and creamy, and the added chicken a perfect protein add-on. Definitely would get this again! The brussel sprouts were soft yet lightly crispy on the outside, sitting in a sauce just bursting with flavor... wow they were amazing. The calamari was a bit strange; its texture was very meaty, as if it were chicken. It was an impressive cooking feat but I think I'll stick with normal fried calamari. read more

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Jake's in Del Mar is everything you want in a beachfront dining experience. Stunning views, delicious food, and quick, friendly service. I had the seafood pot and it was packed with flavor. The broth was rich and perfectly balanced with fresh mussels, clams, shrimp, fish, and more. The lavender yuzu Watzke cocktail was light, refreshing, and unique. Everything came out fast and the atmosphere was relaxed yet elevated. My family and I had an amazing time, left full and happy, and we're already planning to come back. A must-visit if you're in the area. read more

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Solid food for a restaurant right on the beach. If you are visiting Del Mar and looking for a casual place to dine, I would recommend. Service was attentive and ambiance was very nice. The waiter was so nice that he recommended other local places to try as well. read more

I love Jake's for a Sunday drink and the ambiance. I feel the views of the beach are SO close and calming...you really can't beat this location being so close to what I believe is one of the most beautiful beaches I've seen in California. Plus, I enjoy the music and the bar vibe and like to reflect while watching the waves...this is one of my current favorite spots. read more

Nice viewing area with an amazing atmosphere, but the service was horrible. Our server, Stephen A., brought out my food incorrectly and, as an apology, offered us a free dessert. He never brought the dessert, and his service throughout the visit was extremely slow. Unfortunately, I will not be returning. Food: 6/10 View: 10/10 read more

I love having dinner at Jake's. My husband and I went there on January first to celebrate New Year's. We were sitting in a very nice spot facing the ocean and having a great time ourselves. For dinner, salads first and then entrees. The salads were great, entrees hmmmm not so much. Mine was tasting like perfume and Patrick's entree was only truffle oil taste, like super strong. But what really disappointed us was the service. The waitress was working like a "road runner" she would just pass by, most of the time running. We couldn't complain about the food bc she wasn't there, so we ate a little and we left in a sad mode wishing that Jake's comes back having good service and good food. read more

The valet is super convenient only $8. We came for lunch, what I assume is the lunch menu was pretty limited. Food was okay, nothing crazy for the prices. The service wasn't great, they also majorly limited where we could sit. The tables along the window wall overlooking the water weren't offered but all were open. Patio was pretty but other views would have been nice. read more

We were here with a huge group of about 20 of rotating families. We had two long tables at the bar area. I thought it was going to be madness for the servers but, MAN! Our waitress was amazing! She handled our party like a champ. With different tabs running, she managed our orders correctly and making sure it went to the right customers. Also, the food and drinks came out quickly. Everyone was very impressed. Beautiful setting along the beach. We got to see the sunset while the dads watched the basketball game. Food was delicious! Everything was good. I ordered: Delmar Sunset - light and refreshing. Complemented the real Delmar Sunset happening outside. Crispy Calamari - crispy strips with a light sweet and sour sauce on the bottom. Brussels sprouts - so delish! Not heavy. Just the right amount of seasoning to still enjoy the vegetable. Ahi Poke Stack - another good appetizer Beet salad - winner! Loved the nuts and goat cheese balanced with the citrus and beets. Hula Pie - decadent and huge!Apparently it's the same hula pie as Duke's in Hawaii (which I've never had). It's very good. Chocolate Peanut Butter Torte - also good. I especially loved the banana brûlée. read more

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Let me start by saying that we love Jake's and the food is always on point. we had a reservation today at 4 o'clock and decided to come in early. They said we could sit in the bar, but there were tables in the bar that were open and they said we could not sit at them because they weren't seating until 4 o'clock. As much as I understand that while we have sat here, they are seating people in the bar at those tables. When I asked the hostesses were kind but kind of put off by me asking if we could sit at this one table and now there is a party 15 minutes later sitting at that table. Just wanted to bring this to your attention. read more

I haven't been to this spot in forever so it was the perfect spot for a date night! Jake's is apart of Duke's family of restaurants and is right on the beach in Del Mar with views of the ocean. We hadn't had more formal sit down date night in awhile so it was nice to enjoy a great meal and great service by our very knowledgable server Ashley. We started our night with some drinks as well as the tuna tostada which was super flavorful! We ended up both going with the specials of the night one was a fish special and one was a steak special. The highlight of the meal for me was the prosciutto au gratin potatoes that came with the steak special it was so flavorful and perfectly cooked I was obsessed. I loved getting to enjoy an evening in Del Mar it was the perfect start to the weekend! We will be back for another date night soon. read more

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This place is all about the view. It is really close to the water. You don't go there for the food but just the views alone. It was actually below average on food. They got my order wrong too. I would rate the food to be 1.8 read more

We had dinner early the other night? Restaurant was lovely...the ocean setting was great. The waiter was obnoxious. Abrasive and did everything to make sure our evening was rushed. Food mediocre. Caesar salad had no parm on top, no anchovies, bland lettuce. The worst I've ever had. Waiter took all he could off our table before we even got our bill. Rush rush. I do not recommend this restaurants. read more

Always a great time at Jake's! You can't go wrong with any dish. The service and ambiance is phenomenal. Our waitress Mackenzie was so warm and welcoming! We always recommend it to our friends who come into town! read more

I had ribs. Dry , small portion and poor presentation. The waiter never came back to bring refills on coffee or extra bread . POS server . Still we gave him a generous tip . We are stupid and he is a disservice to the establishment. Never come back read more

Always great Emily are waitress was excellent, funny and made our time there very special! Also Hailey who delivered our drinks was also wonderful! Hope to be back soon! read more

Jake's - New American Near Me - Del Mar, California

Nice ambience... a few GF options, most items have dairy. However, the staff was gracious enough to allow me to modify my order. I enjoyed the salmon and rice with broccolini. read more

Jake's - New American Near Me - Del Mar, California

Highly recommend Jake's. Dennis, our waiter was very friendly and made our experience most enjoyable. Service was fantastic, and the view at sunset was postcard ready. Suggested that you all make reservations with the window seat and be sure to ask for Dennis!!! read more

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What a lovely waterfront restaurant! Was greeted almost instantly and the service was warm and the food came quickly. Only had 2 items since I was in a rush to get to San Diego. The 2 items were the scrumptious Mussels and juicy Guava daiquiri - both were 5/5! This is a must visit again for me. read more

Jake's - Mussels - shoot that coconut tamarind broth into my veins! 5/5 - New American Near Me - Del Mar, California

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First time coming here for Sunday brunch and I have no complaints! Found meter parking across the street (~$3 for 2hrs parking). They also offer valet. Made reservations on OpenTable and was seated promptly. Requested for a nice view - unfortunately, the marine layer kicked in so not much of a view. But still nice to be by the water. Eggs Benedict was cooked perfectly, I enjoyed the side of hash. Duke's mai tai was surprisingly strong - I appreciated that! Received a free dessert for my best friend's bday. If haven't heard, the hula pie is UHHHMAAZZING. You have to get it - I crave it all the time. It's a big portion for 2-3 people (depending how much of a sweet tooth you have). Service was superb - the young lady was efficient and checked on us many times. Would definitely come back and try dinner next time! read more

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I've been here twice to celebrate a friend's birthday and both times I really enjoyed everything about this place (except the parking, which is the last paragraph of this review). The view of the beach was so beautiful and we were lucky to catch the sunset. The food was delicious! Although, I did think that the ceviche was lacking hot sauce and when I asked for some they brought us Tabasco. Or that's what we thought it was. Didn't exactly pair well with the ceviche so we asked if they had one that works with the ceviche and we got tabasco again lol. But honestly, this was just me being picky with my hot sauce. My friend ordered a Moscow Mule and had to send it back because it was bitter, but our waiter was so sweet about it, so it wasn't a big deal. So ultimately, the food is great. Whatever little things I had with the food is a me thing. I recommend the salmon because that blueberry sauce and the mash were so good and it all complimented each other well. The steak was delicious too! Cooked just right! And of course, the hula pie is a must! We were full, but still ordered one to share and demolished it lol. Parking: they don't have a self parking lot, just valet and street parking. I valet my car for $7 and the guy asked me twice if I wanted to tip on my card. I said sure and he asked how much (so awkward). I said $5 and he kinda hesitated and it felt like he wanted me to tip more. It wasn't until I drove off that I realized he made me feel bad for tipping only $5 when that was more than 50% of the $7 valet charge. I would knock stars off for this, but I don't think that the restaurant's food and servers deserve a lower rating. So yeah, definitely going to use street parking next time! read more

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Jake's Del Mar has the perfect location -- right on the beach with stunning ocean views. It looks like the ideal spot for a special meal, and you can assume it to be a fresh, local seafood restaurant. Unfortunately, the food and overall experience didn't live up to our expectations. We ended up leaving after just two appetizers. The ceviche was more like fancy guacamole, and the tuna tasted like refrigerator, very bland in flavor, and very much like farm-raised fish that had been sitting around. Not what you expect from a place next to the ocean (i mean sure SD isnt a place for the best seafood). The menu itself felt limited and played it very safe like an elevated bone-n-fish. Nothing really stood out or felt inspired. The crowd skews much older (65+) or family groups celebrating something. Not a bad thing, just an FYI. Service was fine, polite but not particularly warm or memorable. Overall: Jake's is great if you want a table with an unbeatable ocean view, but if you're going for the food, be prepared to be underwhelmed. read more

Jake's is a highly popular restaurant in Del Mar with direct views of the ocean. We were lucky to have a table right at the front with prime views of the ocean. Service was fast and friendly. They do a very good job. The food was also excellent. Our lunch consisted of fish tacos and the seafood pot, both were delicious. Parking is available on the street, valet parking is out front. The restaurant has a lot of natural light and it looks like it's always packed. I really enjoyed this restaurant. Top marks in my opinion! Probably our best meal in the Del Mar/La Jolla/ SD area. I loved it. Enjoy! read more

Jake's - Great views of the beach! - New American Near Me - Del Mar, California

Great food, good service and a beautiful sunset view. Jake's is my Number 1 choice when I am in the area. You can't beat the food or the ambience read more

Excellent meal with family. We faced the beautiful Pacific Ocean and enjoyed the Sunset while eating dinner. We all had seafood and everyone Loved their meal. The service was fantastic, our server was very friendly and super attentive even though the place was packed. read more

The view was spectacular and the food was too. We had the fish & chips and the lemon fish. Followed up with a piece of hula pie. The waiter was very attentive and took care of everything before we even asked. Will definitely return soon. read more

Visited for the first time with my family on Easter Sunday. I asked each person to rate their dish: - Bread pudding french toast 4 stars - Avocado toast 4.5 stars - Shrimp & Salmon omelette 4 stars - Short Rib Hash (my order) 2 stars---it was as if someone merely whispered the idea of short rib upon it. I'd estimate 95% potatoes and 5% short rib, and what short rib did exist was served up in minute small shavings. . Service: 4 stars. We appreciated the waiter was able to make informed recommendations on the menu items. A member of my family initially did not receive his drink and at one point a member of the staff tried to take my drink away before I was finished. I think a best practice is to always ask a customer if they are finished with their beverage before you handle their glass. One other note---the restrooms seemed to be undersized due to the capacity of the restaurant. Overall good food and a nice place to dine. We will certainly revisit. read more

I love the location here and the valet makes parking work somehow... Food choices are great and drinks are great, plus it's right next to awesome beach and grass area park. If you want a place to dine and sunset, this one will fit the bill quite nicely. Downside is it can get busy at the bar and spill over to a mix of eaters and drinkers milling around until the staff can seat everyone but that's how it goes sometimes. read more

Walked in on Thursday around 1pm and was seated right away on the patio. We ordered the mixed seafood pot - the broth was full of flavor and seafood. Additionally, we ordered their beet salad - nicely prepared and tasty. Of course, no meal is complete until you have dessert. Hula Pie (yum) brings back memories being on Kauai. read more

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To live life, you need problems. If you get what you want the minute you want it, then what's the point of living? -- Jake the Dog Jake's was a surprise stop on a surprise trip to Del Mar. What was a surprise was that the food was actually good for a view restaurant. We enjoyed the BBQ Ribs, Ahi Sashimi, Ceviche, and the mixed seafood pot. Part of the Duke's chain, surprisingly good wine list too. Recommended read more

I took my friend here to celebrate her birthday on Saturday for lunch. Valet parking was $8. That was fair since it was so crowded being so close to the beach. The service was great-couldn't be better! I reserved our table to get a nice window seat looking onto the beach. I was disappointed with the poke bowl. I've never had guacamole on a poke bowl. Very little poke and it did not look fresh at all. We both had the bowl. Definitely wasn't worth $25 a bowl. I guess dining at this restaurant, you're actually paying for the location and view. We probably won't be back again. We had a great meal years back. Not sure what changed. read more

Great ambiance and service. Wait staff very attentive. Good was outstanding. Would highly recommend.

Ah Jakes, we have returned for our department holiday lunch after a 2 year hiatus. It was good to be back. Pro-tip: Want the best bang for you buck of an adult beverage? Get the canned Cutwater mango margarita. Cutwater's pre-made margaritas in a can are over 12% alcohol. Thats basically two drinks for the price of one at $8. Two years ago I got a beer on tap and had no idea it would arrive in the dinkiest size glass. I felt so foolish back then and I have learned from my mistakes!! And yes its tasty. Have it poured in a cold glass and you are good to go. Anyhoo, we got to sit at the same large party table right on the window edge looking out the beach. I thought I had perfected the dining and followed Heather of the past in asking for bread for the table. The way the server responded and asking about how many orders for the table gave me pause... um, this is complimentary, right? Big no. They now charge for requested bread (due to post-covid life). That wasnt expected and a first for me, esp at a fne dining spot. So it goes. The big hit of the table was ordering the calamari. Its really a solid choice. I went with a caesar salad to start and it was crisp and enjoyable (not a whole lot of surprise with that item). For my meal, I once again when with the fish plate (Achiote roasted fish), that was mahi mahi along with farro (which I love). The meal was perfection even though mahi wouldnt be my first choice if I had one. I added a side of brussels sprouts with my meal instead of as an app, after research and a lot of rave reviews. Same feedback from those at my table who got it as a starter. I will say... good, not great. WAY too much sauce and acid in it. I guess Im just a purist. The server totally forgot to put in the entree order for the person at my table who ordered first...then she was pretty adamant that person never ordered it and she did everything right. Weird response. I was right next to them so I know it was ordered... but then a bunch of other things were added so maybe she just got confused. Only issue but it wasnt like there wasnt other food to eat. I know serving for a large group is tough. They didnt add the gratuity to the bill even thought it was a party of like 12. That was weird too! Overall it was a lovely lunch. We got a hula pie to all take a bite in. I love that desert! read more

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It was okay. My husband ordered his Filet medium rare and it was well done. Ummm my plate was good! Margaritas were good. Over all it was good! Our server was great read more

We made a spontaneous stop at Jake's for a light lunch after hiking at the beautiful Torrey Pines State Reserve. What a great choice! It is located off Coast Hwy right on the water. Since we did not have reservations and the restaurant was packed for a Tuesday afternoon, we decided to sit in the bar area. Great beach house ambience! Our servers were friendly and the food was good! If I had one gripe, we always had to hunt down our server to refill my ice tea but we were enjoying such a beautiful day today we didn't mind as much. All in all we will definitely stop here again when in the area. Note: try to valet park or park in the metered street. We parked across the street in a public parking lot and paid $20. Valet is only $7 read more

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My partner and I had a lovely date night during Restaurant Week. First of all, we felt a little out of place - everyone around us looked a little different from us and older than us. Nonetheless, the ocean view is hard to beat and I can only imagine how beautiful it might be to dine here while it's light out. We found street parking but noticed that valet was a popular option. The our first course, we had the crispy calamari and bbq ribs. Calamari was different than what you'd usually get from like an Italian restaurant, but it was fine. Bbq ribs were fall of the bone tender and I liked the sweeter tones of the sauce. My partner had the achiote roasted fish for main, which was a little overcooked in my opinion, but flavors were fine. I ordered the braised short rib which comes with a charred pineapple vinaigrette and served atop garlic whipped potatoes. We ended with some fruity sorbet and of course, the hula pie. Neither of us are huge about chocolate, so the pie ended up being too indulgent for us but I really enjoyed it! I think for a regular night, this is definitely fine dining prices and you do pay for a view. Nothing made me think wow, amazing, but it was great food nonetheless and I'd recommend it. read more

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Food was great. Tried short ribs this time, which were really tender and great flavor. Got there just in time to watch the sun set on the Pacific. Service was great. Great experience as usual. read more