Yummy drinks and food. You can't beat the location and view. Perfect for a Sunday brunch! read more

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After several attempts on busy weekends, we finally made it to Jake's Del Mar on Friday. We arrived around 2:40pm to find that only the bar & lounge menu was available, but the ocean view was still visible and the limited menu looked good. It went downhill from there. Our waitress was nonchalant and often missing so we had a glass of wine and no food for a while. The calamari needed seasoning so I had to get salt and pepper from the bar (since our waitress was missing). I had to return my ahi tostadas because my first bite revealed something "perfumey" which overwhelmed the tuna completely. I ended up with a bowl of seafood chowder instead, and it was tasty but very small for $15. The burger came with literally 10 French fries and interestingly cost $24 on the limited menu (and only $21 on the lunch and dinner menus)?! Overall the restaurant decor is plain and rustic, not the nicer decor we were anticipating for a restaurant on the ocean. Add the $8 valet fee and our total was $110...for 1 glass of wine, 1 appetizer, soup and a burger. Hhmmm, I know prices are up all over San Diego and beyond but for $110 the food should be delicious and the service impeccable. It's not likely we'll return when there are so many amazing restaurants in SD. read more

I had the best experience at this restaurant. I was in the area for a cat show, that was a bust. A friend and I were trying to salvage the day and also looking for a place to have a late lunch. We went without a reservation and were able to get a table at a window with an amazing view of the beach. I ordered a Paloma cocktail and the steak & wedge. The steak was perfectly cooked. My friend and I shared a Hula Pie for dessert. All of the staff was helpful, and professional. read more

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

Delicious food with a view! A group of us went for brunch and it was wonderful. They have a good kids meal for the kiddos. Service was good. Tips: Make sure to VALET FOR $7 rather than meter parking across the street for $35 for up to 2 hours!! Make a reservation for Sunday brunch. read more

Although I don't come to Jake's very often, I've been coming here for probably 20-25 years now going back to when I was in high school. I hadn't been here in a few years and my girlfriend has never been to Jake's, so yesterday we decided to come for lunch and cocktails on our day off since it was such a beautiful day along the coast. We arrived and were able to pull right up to the valet stand in front. The valet's are very nice and professional and opened my door as well as my girlfriend's door. The valet was only $7 which is a price considering how difficult parking can be and the lot across the street is more expensive. Upon walking in we asked to sit in the lounge area and the hostess offered us a few options either at the bar or at one of the high tables. Upon sitting at the bar we were welcomed by David behind the bar. My girlfriend ordered a michilada and I ordered a Basil Hayden old fashioned. Both drinks were prepared and served to us very quickly and both were perfectly crafted. As we started checking out the menu to decide what we wanted to eat I did notice that the menu has changed extensively since the last time I was here. The food is obviously seafood oriented, but they have a lot of options from shellfish, ahi, salads, fish, etc. While we decided on our entree's, we decided to get some of the Brussel's sprouts to start with. Brussel's sprouts have become one of our go-to appetizers when we see them on a menu, but I have to say that the ones prepared by Jake's might very well be the best ones I've ever had from anywhere. Oftentimes places just to a balsamic glaze which is good, but kind of over-played at this point. The sprouts at Jakes have great flavor, had the perfect amount of crunch and had a very good creamy aioli and that stuff was excellent. I seriously could have eaten a loaf of bread just dipping it into the aioli. For our entrees I opted for the fish with spinach and some kind of rice-like grain. I don't recall what it was specifically called, but the combination of flavor and texture was perfect and everything complimented each other. My girlfriend went with the burger with avocado and bacon and while she wasn't able to finish it from being full, she did enjoy the burger. Everything we ate and experienced at Jake's was perfect and everything I was hoping it would be since it had been several years since my last visit. I would like to come back for dinner to see what menu options are offered for dinner since I only saw the lunch menu while I was there. Big shoutout to the whole Jake's crew and especially David for making our lunch so perfect! Can't wait to come back. read more

What can be said about this place that hasn't already been said. We love this family of restaurants, like Hula Grill in Waikiki, but this is close to home and it's wonderful. You cannot beat the location. Stunning. On the beach, literally. The food is excellent, the service is five star level with a friendly and attentive staff. Our server Julian was fantastic. No room for improvement. Great hire, Jakes. Keep him. The bar pumps out some seriously good cocktails. Everything about this place is extraordinary. Make a reservation and go. read more

Stephen behind the bar was great. Nice vibe and ocean view, I had the ahi tostada it was pretty good.

Every time we went there it turned out to be a wonderful experience. Servers Are uper friendly and helpful. Foods were a bit pricey but the ideal location to the beach made up for the price. read more

We came here with my girlfriends. Ambiance is pretty chill, they were almost not being seated and being rejected any services because of a house full. But we ended up getting seated. I never learned who our waiter or waitress was but they were all super sweet. Food was good as well, I had the chicken dish it was super healthy and delicious. read more

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Outstanding experience overall. Seafood was amazing, had halibut and salmon at the table. A true ocean front experience at sensible prices. Service was top notch. By far one of the greatest dining experiences we've had in the hundreds of So Cal restaurants we've visited. read more

Located on the beach, place gets busy so make a reservation. We got lucky and called just before they opened to add our party of 6 and sat at the high top bar area. Drinks are great and Sonia the us the food. The ceviche is ok, grilled prawns app was good . Also ordered the fish tacos and the sea bass with grilled squash and rice read more

Jake's - Sea bass with squash and rice - New American Near Me - Del Mar, California

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The service was excellent , the food was amazing . Their food hasn't been changed in quality by time . Very friendly environment and view is same , wonderful and desirable an ambiance warm and lovely . read more

What a spectacular spot! We were seated right by the window and got to enjoy the beach setting. Our server was super friendly and gave us plenty of time to chat and enjoy a leisurely meal. We started with the Brussels sprouts, ahi tostada and the prawns and devoured them all. The ahi was the standout for me. Dinner was scallops, salmon, special fish which was sea bass, a burger (for the kid) and the ahi entree. Everything looked gorgeous and my salmon was one of the best I've ever had. This was my first time here but I hope it won't be the last! If I lived nearby it would be a go-to. read more

We celebrated our anniversary here like we do almost every year. A couple of changes we noticed was that they no longer give bread at the table but you can buy it if you want. We ordered the crab cake for an appetizer which we have ordered many times before. Jake's crab cakes used to be made with lump crab meat and were delicious. This time the crab was completely different it was small mushy and fishy smelling. It was terrible. I imagine it was from a can. My wife had the fish special and it was good. I had the double lobster tails which were also good. The lack of bread and serving bad crab might seem like a good money saving idea but it's not. read more

In this case especially, I wish YELP had a -1 & beyond Review option. A one star this review does not deserve. Sadly, what could have been a non escalated situation was not handled as such as professionalism, huge lack of emotional intelligence and a bully attitude were rampant and existent. Looking at most of the poor mgmnt reviews in the past year on YELP I see I am not alone. Meet Liz Anderson. In my 40+ decades as a resident and employee in San Diego, and as a very frequent patron at our vast array of stellar restaurants, I have NEVER been treated nor experienced the shaming and posturing unleashed by her or the below mentioned "management personnel" upon me. I "reported" the incident immediately via a phone call to Josh Morgan, VP, whom is located in Los Angeles. I explained in extreme detail what I had just encountered as it was all very fresh in my mind. He stated, "this makes my blood boil." He then ghosted me in my further communication to him, which became emails, as to following up on the incident. The statement is 100% true that toxic management comes from the top down. I wanted to verify that "truth". It proved to be a positive yes. In comes, Jackie Reed, CEO TS Restaurants, via her assistant, Kelly Costelloe via email. Side Note: Inc.com states: "TOXIC EMPLOYEES CAN BE IGNORED BY CO-WORKERS". "As a CEO, letting bad behavior slide is going to lead to a hostile work environment where no one is successful." Forbes states a series of worst traits of a manager and their impact on leadership. To name a few: Arrogance, selfishness, insecurity, LACK OF HUMANITY AND RESPECT, huge ego, negativity and INABILITY TO SHOW EMPATHY. I experienced them all from Liz Anderson, to, Josh Morgan, to, Kelly Costelloe and to the top, Jackie Reed. I wrote a blow by blow letter ( too lengthly to put here) to Jackie Reed, sending it by certified letter, and her response (via and most likely written by Kelly Costelloe) was this (copied/pasted excerpt from the original email): "As CEO, I support my team and trust the decisions they make. Therefore, I stand by the decision made by the Jake's management team and upheld by T S Vice President Josh Morgan to not have you back in Jake's. I regret there is not a more amicable outcome. Sincerely, Jackie Reed" My punishment? A ban from "Jakes at Del Mar"? ....off the charts... My crime? In a haste rushing for my beach walk I inadvertently left my CC in my car; 2 miles away. Liz Anderson's first words after I stated I'd have to walk back the 2 miles to get it; "How do I know you're going to come back?!!", stated in a very angry and demeaning voice. She then escalated from there with a commanding tone, "Leave me your drivers license". Me: "I'm not comfortable with that and I will need it to drive back". She aggressively took it from my hand and took the pic on her personal phone. What I ordered at the bar? (which I have never sat at but wanted to leave the tables for more guests) ...a cheeseburger and glass of chardonnay...... Once I returned to pay my payment was refused. My request to have my DL pic removed from her personal phone was ignored and denied by all the above mentioned staff. The most toxic display and actions of "management" that should not exist. PLEASE REPORT any experiences you have personally observed or received by/from Liz Anderson, or anyone else at Jakes Del Mar who bullies you; but unfortunately your reply will most likely be: "Therefore, I stand by the decision made by the Jake's management team.. Kelly Coselloe and Jackie Reed" It would behoove Jackie to gain education and training by the Cohn Restaurant Group owners. They are a stellar example in San Diego serving up in excellence, customer service, cuisine and professionalism. A Liz Anderson would never exist under their umbrella of care, business, management & service. Do not ever allow yourself to be a victim of a bully! They want to keep you silent. Use your voice and speak intellectually because they can't. Another side note is I had not even been there since before Covid....how ironic..... read more

Jake's - Manager complaints, at least the ones that have been reported, are aplenty. - New American Near Me - Del Mar, California

We went in a Saturday evening so it was pretty crowded and very loud. We sat in the bar and the staff was great. We got a few drinks, my husband loved his spicy margarita and my mai Tai was decent. We got the prosciutto wrapped prawns. They had a nice flavor but the prosciutto wasn't very crispy and the prawns were a bit over done. We may try again when it is a little less crowded and in the area. read more

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

Everything was absolutely delicious - so flavorful and beautiful presentation! Right on the beach - such a pleasant experience. read more

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Service good food good. Food not great, service not great. View is great. Ambiance is great. Very expensive and pretty average. Similar to the Brigintine but 3x the cost. Good. read more

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

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Ummm I really love Jakes. I came here about 3 years ago for a work gathering but this time got the pleasure of bringing friends from TX here for SD restaurant week. We all enjoyed our meals. The service was quick and very neat! I know its been rough with businesses these past two years and the workers are tired but thank you all so much for participating in SD and always giving us your all! The food and drinks were amazing! And the atmosphere is so awesome as well. We were seated right next to the window(beach)! Just awesome! read more

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Visited Jake's on August 24, 2025. The setting is lovely IF you get a table with a beach view. We made reservations in early August and requested a table with a view. We arrived about 10 minutes early and waited for 25 minutes to be seated - on the back of the patio at a tiny table squeezed between a wall and a path of travel for staff and guests. We were quite disappointed in the wait but more disappointed in the table that we asked for another table. Another 10 minute wait and we were seated in the main dining room with a view of the beach and ocean. The service was efficient but not rushed. The cranberry vinaigrette on my salad was wonderful. I also ordered the sea bass, which was just mediocre both in taste and texture. My husband ordered the calamari which was good, although a bit on the tough side . We were surprised that bread for the table came with a charge. Lots of hype around Jake's but we won't hurry back. read more

It was good. The food, service and ambiance was really amazing. Haven't been back in 2 decades. Still a great place to hang out. Bonus. Kids loved it too. read more

PROS: this place has one of the best views in all of Del Mar. sitting right on the beach. The staff is nice, it's clean, and it's reasonably priced considering their operational expenses. The food was good and their was a good variety CONS: hardly any street parking and they force you into a expensive valet for their lot. OVERALL: amazing place to come to, I would suggest coming here when you come by read more

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The food at Jakes was unique, and very tasty.The vegetables were cooked to perfection,with the correct amount of freshness and crisp to bite into..With great service, and the ambiance of watching the sun go down into the Pacific Ocean I would highly recommend this as on of my favorite restaurants to enjoy an evening with that special person... read more

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

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This is my favorite restaurant when I want to sit on the ocean. It's indoors but you are on the sand. The staff is very friendly. The price is very reasonable for such high quality food and a chef who knows what they're doing. The cioppino is to die for. It has a saffron broth, risotto and lobster...I get it every time. read more

Jake's was stop # 3 on our bar crawl and, since I was the designated driver later, I needed to be the mellow one. We sat in the bar and did not order any food. I started with an Irish coffee and finished with plain old black coffee. My wife had a couple of beers and my buddies had more Mai Tai's. All of the drinks were good and service was excellent. read more

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

Beautiful view with mediocre food. Halibut was way overcooked. Filet was undercooked and a bit tough. Service was stretched way too thin and not great (better bus boy service than waitstaff). Hula pie was fire tho. read more

Ate here two nights in a row. First night was calamari, the fish special which was striped sea bass with veggies and rice with a blackberrry peppercorn sauce and of course hula pie. All delicious. Service was amazing. My aunt who lives in San Marcos wanted to go there after seeing the pics, so back I went the next night. I had the achiote fish (mahi) and she had the salmon. Plus hula pie again. Oh and a mai tai! Yum!!! We both cleaned our plates. Service was also amazing and we had a great table in the corner by the window. I love this place. Beautiful view, great service and delicious food. read more

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Look, my name is Jake so to say I had high expectations is an understatement. I hold all Jake's to a very high standard. Let me tell ya, Jake's in Del Mar lived up to my expectations. The sunset view overlooking the ocean while I sipped delicious cocktails was a top notch experience. Here's a nod to you Jake, well done. read more

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Food was delicious - my favorite part of the meal was the jumbo crab cake. We were seated close to the window and could watch the sunset as we were dining. They knew we were celebrating a birthday and were nice enough to place a candle in our Hula Pie! read more

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I've come to Jake's for many years since I'm a native San Diegan and I will say that it is one of the most quintessential beach dining experiences in our city. Located directly on the sand in Del Mar, it's prime real estate, and the views are.... Perfection. You can't go wrong with its huge open air windows & open expansive space taking in that sea view, the fresh salty beach air, the sound of crashing waves, children laughing & those gorgeous sunsets. It's what Summer is all about! Rain or shine it's always been a favorite destination for dining. Tourists & locals all love it , so be sure to grab a reservation and know that parking is almost always an issue. The cocktails here are always solid. Recently, I enjoyed a jalapeño cucumber, margarita and it was just as good as I have always remembered. Also, their mai tai's ! Their chefs burger and fries is also something not to miss. Even though they are known for their seafood, and it is very good , I will say that the burger is always on my mind. Last time I tried their brussels sprouts as an appetizer for the first time and they were absolutely fabulous. Salads are always fresh & creative & As far as seafood, I'm a sucker for their tograshi spice crusted Ahi. Finally, if you are a dessert freak , don't forget to end your delicious meal with their hula pie. Oh & service is always friendly & efficient. Now just go!! read more

Wow! I needed this lunch break and I'm so glad that I finally went to check this place out! I was unsure what to get, since I am still exploring seafood, BUT I got an incredible recommendation for the lemon garlic roasted fish dish. Jordan took such great care of us, will definitely be returning with more friends for the beach vibes and amazing service read more

Food is great, service is outstanding and the sunsets are wonderful, kudos on the ambiance.

Service was great and the food was fantastic. My wife & I can't wait to come back. Thank you as always!

Thank you Jakes for an amazing experience! Made a reservation 3 months in advance and requested a table in a nice area of the restaurant for my sisters graduation. Im sad I forgot the gentlemans name who answered my phone call the day prior to confirm the special request. He was very nice and wrote an extra note on my reservation as well. It was much appreciated! The food was amazing, the cocktails strong, and ambiance fantastic. read more

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

Inattentive servers. Food way too salty. For my fellow POC, trust me you're not missing out. Take your money somewhere else.

I usually ignore 1* reviews when I want to know about a place, but unfortunately this one was well-earned. If Beth H had put as much effort into being pleasant as she did into being surly, this would be a very different review. Anyway, a lunch outing for a beachy view and a beer ended with a vow to avoid Jake's going forward. So Beth - we saw her three times total, which honestly is fine in general, but she came to the table without a hint of interest in being polite, much less friendly. We ordered two beers, calamari, and two medium-well burgers (she asked how we wanted them cooked). Straightforward and easy. They come out nearly bloody. Kitchen problem? Maybe but doubtful given how the rest of the meal went. Never saw Beth again until the check arrived. Gave her a gift card for $100. She returns with the audacious statement that there's 0.68 left on the gift card after giving herself a 25% tip. Yeah, so between the bloody burger and Beth's charm, we're done with Jake's. read more

Excellent views and great drinks and for me a really cool and relaxing place to drink and hang out. As for the food, it was ok but the location and vibe is what sells this place.. Had their ceviche, crab cakes, and chowder soup which were all good but nothing to rave about. read more

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Jakes was sublime. The view of the ocean is gorgeous. We enjoyed a amazing dinner with friends on the water. Here were my standouts: Seared scallops with garlic potato mash, butternut squash, and truffle vinaigrette. Scallops were seared to perfection. Pistachio crusted grouper with celery purée and the sweetest peaches. This was a special while we were there and it was probably my favorite dish I tried. Hula Pie: Cookie crust with macadamia ice cream, hot fudge, toasted mac nuts and served with a spork. An actual mountain of ice cream. read more

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Jake's is a place that we have been to pre covid era and had dishes in which we were craving so we were slightly disappointed to find how scaled back the menu was. Understanding the times we never mind a deviation in life to try more off the menu. We were greeted and seated promptly and welcomed with Madelines lovely smile through her eyes as she had a mask on as required and for the safety of the guests. Most come to Jake's for the ambiance, food and beach front view. At the end of sunset we were still able to enjoy the beachfront property even in the darkness. To our surprise a majestic white owl landed in front of the window on a rock. It was a sight and wonderful up and close encounter of a wild owl. After the excitement I ordered the Pain Killer which, is their version on a pina colada. The addition of orange juice was very mild and the drink was displayed in a tiki glass cup in keeping with the tropical vibes. My friend had the spicy cucumber margarita which was a spicy and refreshing perfect combination. To start we had the GRILLED PRAWNS coated in basil & prosciutto wrapped, pickled melon, garlic dijon vinaigrette. The 5 grilled prawns wrapped in the prosciutto, basil and drizzled with the garlic Dijon was amazing on its own then the addition of the pickled melon added a whole other layer of flavor. Besides the visual display of colors and textures the juicy prawns with salty prosciutto, basil and tangy bursts of the pickled melon changed each bite in which made a wonderful sweet and savory appetizer. I can no longer eat my prawns any other way as I look forward to try pickling my melon in the future. Pickling the melon weirdly added a zest of spice that I loved. We shared the beet salad which displayed a colorful arrangement of beets surrounded with baby kale, spiced pumpkin seeds, goat cheese, whipped avocado and apple cider vinaigrette. It was a surprise addition of slices of grapefruit, blood orange and orange slices to keep up the freshness. The mixture of ingredients sounded wonderful on paper. The blood orange were smashed which made a weird texture and taste like old fruit. For the amount of salad and few small bits of goat cheese I didn't find it balanced in flavor and underwhelming for the cost. This is definitely not a salad you could eat as a meal as it is more of an appetizer with 3 small triangular beets. I was however impressed with how accommodating the restaurant was about pre splitting our main dish, which was a filet mignon. It was described that this lovely piece of meat would be encrusted in a peppercorn crust with a burgundy balsamic reduction. Joined with gruyère potato gratin, broccolini. Who can ever say no to meat and potatoes, especially when it is filet mignon the most tender and lean cut. Although, the meat was perfectly cooked more rare then medium rare which is more my taste. The meat was so tender it wasn't until halfway when I realized I was cutting my meat with a butter knife with so much ease. The burgundy balsamic reduction was a perfect pairing adding such luxuriousness. I was slightly disappointed with the lack of the peppercorn crust. The peppercorn crust would have added a lovely contrast to the balsamic reduction. With that said this was still a delightful dish. The gruyère potato gratin was a tall tower of buttery, cheesy scalloped potato cake and simply elegant broccolini were a great balanced plate. Last, but not least I was looking forward to the "Sweet Cheeks" key lime cheesecake. This was a perfect ending to our meal. The cheesecake itself was more of a moose texture so it was so light and airy, but that didn't stop the key lime flavors to really shine and burst with every bite. The tart passion fruit gelée added an intense tropical excitement especially with the fresh fruit. I would have loved more fresh fruit as each piece added so much more depth to the cheesecake. The most magically part of the cheesecake was that it wasn't crust heavy. I loved the coconut cookie crumble was sprinkled on top adding a much needed texture, but mostly added flavors that take this dessert home. Like always I wish I had a skinny stomach that could eat everything on the menu without the jolly Santa Claus look. Until the next time I can't wait to see and try more of the menu. Thank you Madeline and the staff for working so hard to keep everyone dinning out safe as we escape our hibernation from covid. read more

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Nice experience. Made a reservation for my anniversary dinner. Everything went easy and smooth. Dropped the key at valet, checked in with the hostess, greeted with warm wishes and got seated within 10 minutes. Corner table by the window looking down to the crashing waves with a nice hand written little Happy Anniversary card weighted by a tiny sea shell. Lucy is our nice server, fast with water and drinks and good recommendations for appetizers and entrées. We ordered all entrees off the surf menu and they're well decorated and tasteful. The portion is purportedly controlled to guarantee room for the Hula Pie at the end which shouldn't be missed. The forkspoon is even engraved with hula pie on it. Btw, the pie is our anniversary gift from the house. We enjoyed the experience and left satisfied. Thank you. I think the late dinner, reserved 8:15 pm, might help, since the ambiance is more quiet, and it's less busy so the service is more attentive and faster. Didn't miss the sunset because the thick marine layer covered it all read more

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