Came here for my moms 62nd Birthday dinner. It's one of her favorite restaurants. We had a reservation for 3 at 630 on Saturday night. My mom asked if we could sit in a booth (they were all empty) and the rude hostess said "no because they were reserved for large parties." She then only sat parties of 2 and 3 in the booths for the rest of the night. Not off to a great start. Our table was in a clumsy location at the very beginning of the dining room. Our waiter was also serving people in the bar area, leading us to think perhaps our table was designated as a bar table. As I mentioned, we sat at 630pm and it was 715 and we still hadn't ordered appetizers. We felt bad that our waiter was slammed (the bar area was packed) but it felt very awkward that he was serving the bar and the dining room. Regardless, 45 minutes is unacceptable to wait to place appetizers at a restaurant this expensive. Lobster ravioli appetizer was good. Heavy on the lobster. We also had the seafood trio. Ahi tartare was good. Lobster and avocado salad was good (heavy on the lobster, again). Hamachi was not fresh, didn't love that. I got the special bone in rib-eye for $115 with Parmesan truffle fries. I don't eat steak that often, so when I do I have high expectations. It was delicious and cooked perfectly. So flavorful. Mom got the trio of game. Didn't look that incredible. She said she liked it, but left over half of the food on the plate. Someone else in our party had the NY strip. They liked it, didn't rave about it. We were too full/wanted to leave because we'd been there for almost 3 hours so we skipped dessert. Was the food good? Yes. Service? Questionable. Would I come back? Never. The high prices didn't reflect well on our subpar dining experience. Many better restaurants around San Diego. Pamplemousse just has a reputation for being fancy. That's about it. PSS this is also a very random side note. And I want to be very clear that I didn't mind it - but there were very clearly several prostitutes at the restaurant. I'm pretty liberal and think we should legalize prostitution like Amsterdam for tax and safety purposes - but that is an entirely separate conversation. The presence of sex workers definitely does not lower my rating AT ALL. I just think it's important to note in this review for other readers to know that this is the type of place where old daddies are spending $$$ read more

Pamplemousse Grille has been incredibly celiac friendly and one of my go to places for a fancier dinner out. I've eaten here both before COVID19 and after. I don't think their social distancing is really that great here. The tables have been moved outside but the tables seem pretty standard with distance. Maybe they're meeting limited capacity but it's hard to tell. This place is celiac safe, but you have to really communicate with the server. The fries are in a shared fryer and the menu is sometimes labeled gluten-free when it's not, so definitely talk to the server before you order. They do accommodate easily and the chef is knowledgeable. It's a nice experience and we'll definitely be back for other meals. It's a nice night out and there is some good food. read more

Ample parking. Really good food. Among the best in North County. Prices are high but as long as they deliver on the food you can shrug it off...for the most part. We had some steaks, cod, salmon, and some quail. All of it was stellar. They seem to pay closer attention to balancing flavors and textures than most restaurants (including their cocktails and desserts). The service is not bad but less than you would expect at this price point. The bathrooms need a major remodel. They are acceptable but barely. My wife had a similar experience in the ladies... read more

Checked this spot out during restaurant week and was not disappointed! The food was fantastic! The server was kind, and helpful in suggesting options for my dietary restrictions. The tuna tartare with wasabi caviar was superb, the sea bass was cooked perfectly and the paring of the lobster fried rice with it worked well. I loved that they provided actually large chunks of lobster in the dish too. I wasn't able to indulge in the apple tarte, so I brought it home and my roommate was on cloud 9. Devoured every last bite and wished for more. Needless to say, very happy with this experience and would happily return again. read more

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Stuffy, unimaginative and poorly executed. Why dine anywhere else? Our trip to the restaraunt was the day before NYE and we know this place has a long history. Unfortunately I didn't include more pictures because as each dish came out we were literally shocked at how bad it was. First the highlights: The multiple breads and butter with black salt. The Caesar salad. Now the things that were bad: The smoked seafood appetizer. The scallop and shrimp were so over cooked it looked as though they had been dropped inside of mount Vesuvius, retrieved and then I could have used them to tee off on a par three. Ridiculous. The caviar buerre blanc had also broken (a challenging sauce to make but gimme a break at these prices) Duo of game - quail and venison - sauces were dark and unimaginative. Truffle mash was gluey and pathetic. Venison was cooked properly but coated with so much cracked pepper I couldn't finish it. Didn't stay for dessert but the list was boring anyway. And yet this place was packed - because of its proximity to the surrounding neighborhood and the fact that most of the patrons needed to remove their dentures before they ate which likely meant they had failing tastebuds anyway. I hate to have to call you out, grapefruit grille, but when you rest on your laurels this way and expect to fly into success based on your history, you deserve it. read more

Pamplemousse Grille - Duo of game - destroyed with pepper and boring sauce... this couldn't even look less appetizing if it tried - New American Near Me - Solana Beach, California

Absolute delight. Old school feel with a mix of new and loyal diners. It's definitely upscale and worthy of a date night, celebration, and in my case a birthday date night combo. Everything from our fish course to the breads were fresh and on point. The servers seem to be seasoned experts and there are about 3-4 people tending your table during your dining experience. Stand out dish would be their signature salad with grapefruit. I have to say the soup was a little off, but like a pro our server noticed our hesitation, and whisked it away and didn't charge us. I love a restaurant that isn't too pretentious but you get excellent service. This place is it. read more

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Enjoyable experience, but underwhelmed. All of our dishes were good, but not over the top. The sea bass dish was quite enjoyable. Our waiter was wonderful. So many wines to choose from. For the cost ($397), we will probably seek out other restaurants in the future. read more

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Amazing good great ambiance, great service. Our go to for family and friends gatherings

Haven't been there for awhile. Forgot how good it is! Started with a fabulous and very cold Martini. I ordered the miso blackened cod. It was amazing. We shared some desserts and they were yummy. Service was 5 star. Will be coming back again very soon!!! read more

We dined during Restaurant Week, and this was our first visit. We were impressed by every aspect of the experience: the ambiance is tasteful, low-key and perfect for enjoying conversation around the table...we tried glasses of Chablis and Pinot Noir, with a taste and generous pour. The Lobster Ravioli and Kim Chee Martini appetizers were creative and balanced with plenty of seafood. My wife enjoyed the Miso Black Cod, which was properly marinated though not over-powering, and perfectly cooked, and the duck was delicious (again, a generous portion). Let me also mention that the service was uniformly excellent: professional, attentive, friendly enough but not obtrusive. Overall, the meal was delightful and--while not cheap--an very good value considering what many less-capable shops are charging these days (and parking is easy)! Kudos to the Chef and Staff! read more

The service was great. The food was soo good. Lots of real crab n lobster meats. Very impress with their quality of every dish. read more

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The food is wonderful. Anything you'd like is there. Service is high quality & friendly. The resturant has a relax very interesting feel. Parking is easy read more

Fantastic food, I haven't had an upscale meal in a while due to COVID but this place did not disappoint, actually I was impressed with the service, food quality, taste and presentation. We had foie gras two ways it was melting in your mouth. All the other dishes were fantastic. Great martinis as well. I will definitely be back. read more

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I should have known when I looked up the menu and every other item on the menu was lobster, and I am highly allergic to lobster, it would not be a good match! There was a total lack of elegance in what turned out to be a very expensive badly prepared tent dinner. When we entered they asked if it was celebration dinner and laughingly I said: "Every dinner is a celebration"! Keep that in mind. Our waiter John suggested a different Brunello than we selected, and it was excellent! The three different breads served with creamed butter and Black Sea salt were fine (my least favorite word), but nothing special. Reed and I shared a Caesar Salad which you had to pay an additional $4.00 to have anchovies thrown on top. His were white and mine were brown and very salty. It was nothing out of the ordinary. The main courses arrived. My scallops were fine, and light and I enjoyed all three. Reed's ribeye was tough with more gristle than any steak of any kind we have ever experienced. It was thick and dry and overcooked. We told the waiter and suggested he let the chef know. We don't mind paying a good price for "good" food, but paying $90 for a steak that would not even make good hamburger is out of touch with reality. So because we were celebrating our waiter brought us a lovely dessert of molten cake with ice cream and marshmallow. It was okay! Then we were given the bill.... Even though we commented on how disgusting the steak was, nothing was comped. No one should have to pay for a steak served in that condition. And to our complete shock we were charged for the "Celebration" dessert that we had no choice in. If I am celebrating and paying for a dessert, at least give me a say in what I am buying. It was a $400 dinner for two, not to be repeated! The service was professional. Pompous is the word that comes to mind!!!!! read more

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I've been by this place many times but hadn't stopped in until recently. The have quite a long bar area that is separate from the dining room. Service from the professional and attentive bartenders was excellent. To start I had a so-so Caesar salad that just wasn't really too exciting for the price. For my main course I had a delicious Berkshire pork chop with sides of mashed potato and creamed corn. They also give you a choice of several sauces on the side and the mustard sauce that I got had just the right amount of kick. I enjoyed my meal and will be back again. read more

Pamplemousse Grille - Berkshire pork chop - New American Near Me - Solana Beach, California

Absolutely amazing food, incredible sunset, and excellent music, cool, international jazzy vibe, really set the mood there. read more

Pamplemousse Grille - New American Near Me - Solana Beach, California

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I am going to compare it to Market which is close-by and serves somewhat similar food. Market is a little more creative, the dishes are more consistent - specially main dishes- and the prices are lower. Service was good in both places. Market is valet parking only whereas here it's self parking with no difficulty. read more

I have to re-rate Pamplemousse as a 5/5 and a top pick for San Diego County. I went last night with my family to celebrate my birthday. Jeffrey Strauss was out on the floor greeting a lot of the regulars and he looked very fit! I moved on from the fish and vegetable dishes and ordered my favorite Mixed Grille and it was amazing, and it would be hard to say if I enjoyed the pork or the lamb chops more, but it was all perfectly cooked and seasoned. My daughter had the NY Bone-in special and I stole a bite and it was even better. We also had a few orders of the truffle fries and they are highly recommended as a starter or just a side snack. We had a chocolate lava cake and the chocolate/peanut butter dessert and both were perfect. They serve some sort of a salty graham crumble with each and it raises the taste to another level. Bottom line, Pamplemousse is on its A-Game and it is highly recommended. I still feel the specially here are the meat dishes and the desserts. read more

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Pamplemousse never disappoints. The owner/chef is very involved and seems to be there every night, and it shows. We have been there about 6 times over the years and the food has always been consistently great. And their wine list is huge. It is not cheap. But for that special night out, 100% worth it. read more

Great service. Food was delicious. Incredible wine list. I am just bummed I didn't discovered it before. We had the special fois gras tacos which were incredible. Followed with Spanish ham. Our main entrees were the venison and Trio Grill. We didn't have desert but enjoyed a tawny port. Great spot read more

Pamplemousse Grille - The venison plate - New American Near Me - Solana Beach, California

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It was a fun dinner evening as I went as a guest of a dinner party. It was a multiple course meal starting with apps that were passed around. They were really good. Each table got this crazy seafood platter which was really nice. I got the steak which was good, not great hence the 4-stars. The dessert was also good not great....I had the butter cake. Service was excellent- 5-stars for that. read more

They have a nice interior with a quality bar and a huge wine collection. A bar that uses Cock & Bull ginger bear shows they are good at mixed drinks. The wait staff is very kind and provides great service. We got our drinks quickly but had to wait a bit for them to take our orders. The food is tasty not stellar and they provide large portions. The duck & lobster ravioli both were a little on the dry side but good. The pork chop was excellent, one of the better ones we have had. The deserts did not match the pictures on their website. The ones on the website looked very fancy and mouth watering. We did not see anything on the desert menu that jumped out so we opted for the caramel candy. I think they should just give a piece of those caramels as a petit four as they did not give you any petit fours as part of the dining experience. Overall they provide large portions of tasty food in a nice attmosphere. read more

I really enjoyed my dinner at Pamplemousse Grille. I found the service to be spot on. We were warmly greeted and felt very welcome. Our server knew the menu very well and happily assisted us with all of our questions. The dining room was bustling and felt very comfortable. It was cozy and unassuming which lent to it's charm. From appetizers to desserts, we enjoyed it all. The Little Piggy cookies were cute and tasty. My martini was prepared perfectly as well. There's a certain whimsy throughout the restaurant. I will definitely return the next time I'm in town. read more

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Great food, as always, but the host left a terrible first impression with us. He is young, with an attitude, and not personable at all.

Have you been to Herb and Wood? I came here for restaurant week yes the the first course was terrible lobster Martini tasted like it was made last week. The flavor was lacking and the coldness and texture was good for a starter there was no flavor it was just there, I think they could've made it to order would be better read more

Food was excellent but the ambiance was amiss. It was a bit pricey, but tasted real good. It's kinda loud in there and average age of patrons seemed to be about 60, which we weren't expecting. read more

.Since Covid I have been finding myself generally lowering the bar on all the restaurants as it's been difficult to find good staff ,meals have been taking longer ,and the presentations have not been as good. I haven't been coming to Pamplemousse in a while since when I come to San Diego I see my parents in the Ranch and go to Mille Fleur I did not have to lower the bar for Pamplemousse. Food was terrific after my last experience at Mille Fleur I feel Pamplamousse takes the lead out of these two restaurants. Service was great got seated immediately order was taken right away and appetizers came out the perfect timing after getting our wine. Restaurants charges $35 corkage fee which I think is a little steep so make sure you bring $100 wine to make it worth your while. Also we brought two bottles of wine one of them was a different year but same grape than they had on their wine list so we had to buy their wine. We share the seafood medley and the no cheese for an appetizer they were terrific and they went great with our wine I ordered the lobster salad came out on time nice tender lobster much better than the lobster salad at Mille Fleur. Mille Fleur changed the size of the plates on the lobster salad to make the plate smaller and the lobster salad look bigger I didn't see that at all at Pamplemousse. Next the Seabass. Fantastic. I like my Seabass a little firmer and it was cooked perfectly with each slice coming out melting in my mouth Ended with the Keylime tart it was great and fresh read more

It was my first time. Took couple frineds. Service and Ambiance is great. My friend and I shared the ribeye steak. It was a little tough . For $100, I expect melt in your mouth beef. read more

Until recently, I had not been to Pamplemousse Grille for many years. Growing up in San Diego, we were more of a "Mille Fleurs family" than a "Pamplemousse family", so the visits to Pamplemousse Grille were fewer and far between. Pamplemousse Grille is located in a complex of low-rise businesses across from "Where the Turf Meets the Surf" on Via de la Valle. There is a certain anonymity about these buildings, all jumbled together, that perhaps does not bode well for the location of a restaurant. A plus is that there is plenty of parking, and no need to fuss with a parking valet. I parked across from a high-end hair salon, where I had a chance to observe Del Mar ladies with their Hermes totes exiting their Mercedes and Maseratis to receive their daily blow dry. The entrance to the dining room of Pamplemousse Grille is through office-building glass doors, which lends a distinctly corporate air. A strange counter greets visitors upon entering, where bread is sliced, desserts finalized and wait staff gather to chat within earshot of the tables in the dining room. I later learned that odd counter was formerly a salad bar of a previous tenant that was simply re-purposed. The hostess was at her station when I arrived and seated me at a comfortable banquette near the entrance. Beware of the few postage stamp-sized tables for two scattered in the center of the dining room. The server, Alexis, promptly greeted me as I looked over the wine list. The wine book is an extraordinary listing of the greatest of the great from California and France, perhaps the best I have seen in all of San Diego. Nonetheless, despite all of the available rarities, I ordered a glass of the house Pinot Grigio. I can dream, no? The owner of the restaurant, Jeffrey Strauss, glides through the dining room in his smock-like shirt and voluminous stripped pants. He is an imposing figure as he moves from table to table, chatting with friends and newcomers alike. His candor and refreshing lack of pretension is remarkable. He might talk to you about his restaurant, your meal, or even his latest adventure in Zihuatanejo, Mexico. It is a personal touch which sets the Pamplemousse Grille apart from its competitors. The truffle fries I ordered do not speak to me as an appetizer. In retrospect, I wish I had ordered the lobster, avocado and grapefruit salad with micro greens, since it sounds delectable and reminds me of the dishes I used to eat in Hollywood in the late 1970's and '80's. Better was the plat du jour of Barramundi, slathered with a beautifully-verdant parley puree, set on a bed of gnocchi, with a puree of butternut squash artfully swooshed across the plate for effect. I very much enjoyed the fish, but the gnocchis tasted heavy and leaden. When Jeffrey checked in with me later, as I was telling him how I had enjoyed my meal, I casually mentioned my "take" on the gnocchis. They were not the ethereal little pillows of which we all dream. After carefully listening to me, he immediately returned to the kitchen to follow up with his chef, clearly a sign of a perfectionist who only seeks the best for his customers. Dessert was a lemon tart. The pastry was light and delicate as angel's air, perfect, heavenly, the exact opposite of the gnocchis. I only wish the tart had been served on a larger plate, which would have created a better presentation in line with the elegance of the dessert. The prices at Pamplemousse Grille are in line with the rarefied Rancho Santa Fe-Del Mar axis in which it exists. The business card of the restaurant features a charming drawing of a long-necked goose, which perhaps perfectly sums of the restaurant: a happy place, a place to have fun, a serious place that does not take itself too seriously, a highly personalized place, plunked down into a corporate space, a place of celebration and good food and wine. Bravo to Jeffrey Strauss for the happy world he has created within the four walls of the Pamplemousse Grille for over twenty years. read more

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I only had the sea bass here and it was amazing. Today, they didn't offer that on the menu because it's seasonal. The restaurant had a fire in 2019 so it's completely remodeled and it's absolutely gorgeous. However, their filet wasn't very good. It's okay, a bit on the chewy side. If it wasn't for the decor and my past memory, I would have rated it lower. I wonder if they have a new chef because the quality of the steak didn't stand up to my past memories. For Thinsulin fans, the steak was green light. The Caesar salad was good. I may have to come back and try the sea bass before I make up my mind about the restaurant. read more

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One of the nicest meals I've ever had. Beautiful, romantic ambience. Very attentive staff. Fantastic flavors and presentation. All in all a wonderful meal. My seared ahi was done to perfection and portion size was good. Obviously a fine dining experience and prices reflect that, but overall a wonderful evening. Great place for a special occasion. read more

Pamplemousse Grille - New American Near Me - Solana Beach, California

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The food was very home made tasting and great but the environment was nothing special. The service was great!

Food was alright. Ordered a special for the evening, bison with truffle fries and green beans. The fries were the highlight of the main. The dessert was better, solid B+. The server seemed generally robotic and disinterested honestly, which is a shame because other servers in tending to other tables didn't seem the same. Semi-related, we came with a gift card and they wouldn't honor it on the spot, even though they were able to activate it. For the price point I expect a lot better tbh. The highlight was probably the decor, ambiance, and the little display table at the front where they do some food prep. If the other elements were taken up a notch it'd be quite good. In summary? Avoid and go to nicer spots for the price point. You'll be glad you did. read more

Amazing!!!! We had a ton of appetizers, salads and entrees and were pleased with everything we had. Beet salad was delicious. I ordered the salmon as my entree and LOVED it. So flaky and full of flavor! read more

We came here last night for restaurant week. It has been on my list of places to try for awhile so we thought it was the perfect opportunity to knock it off. SERVICE - From the host to the waitstaff, everyone was great! They were very professional and formal yet friendly. It was a fairly fancy/intimate restaurant so understood the formality. FOOD Complimentary Bread Basket - This came with three types of bread. The corn muffins were tasty. Very moist. They had jalapeños bits in them so it was sweet yet it had a little kick. It wasn't spicy at all but you could taste the jalapeño. French bread slices were good. Crunchy crust but soft in the middle. The biscuit type bread was my favorite. Incredibly moist and buttery. Roasted Cauliflower Soup - This was a delicious starter. It was very creamy and it did not have an overpowering cauliflower taste. Kim Chee Seafood Martini - This was very fresh. It was like a chilled seafood salad with lobster, crab, and shrimp. It did not have a heavy kimchi taste to it either so I liked it. Kobe Burger w Truffle Fries - This has been the most talked about entree so both my husband and I got this. Kobe burger with truffle cheese, truffle mayo, truffle parmesan fries...truffle everything! This was your most basic yet extra burger. No extra toppings. Just your bread, meat, and cheese. The burger was very juicy though I felt like it lacked flavor. The fries were tasty with the truffle shavings on it. They were crispy but soaked with oil so it depends on how you like your fries. Warm Chocolate Caramel Cake - This was like a chocolate molten cake. It was served warm as we watched the baker heat it in the oven for a few seconds. The cake was very moist. The Caramel did not make too sweet either. Apple Tarte-Tatin - My husband chose this and I was not the biggest fan. It had a flaky croissant-like crust topped with sliced apples. It was okay. Complimentary Pig Shaped Cookies - This came out with your check. I like it when restaurants add their little touches. Some restaurants do mints, some do chocolate, this place does pig shaped cookies. They were crunchy buttery cookies topped with sugar crystal. Not a shabby cookie at all. Overall, it was nice to try a new restaurant but I can't say it will be a top contender when we want to go our nor have a special occasion. It's good to try at least once so you know. read more

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Not as wonderful as previous visits but still one of the premier California dining experiences. Attentive waiter, well prepared food

When you want to spend big bucks on a meal, this place is it. Excellent French food and definitely a great celebration dinner restaurant.

Certainly a place for a special occasion, Pamplemousse Grille does not disappoint. Slightly hidden from all the tourists and off the beaten path in a nondescript area of Del Mar, they specialize in French fare. Pricey although it may be, it's absolutely worth it, as the food is incredible! We went for my parents triple celebration: 60 years of marriage and their 81/82 birthdays! The service was warm and friendly, and the staff went out of their way to make my folks feel special. The food choices - all excellent: we tried the foie gris, a must at any quality French restaurant, and we're not disappointed. For entrees, we tried multiple fish offerings, short ribs, and steaks, all excellent. To top off the night, the team treated the family to some crème brûlée and were kind enough to dress up a cake we brought for the folks. The entire staff came to congratulate Mom and Dad, who were delighted. 5/5 all the way for the wonderful service, ambience and food. Will definitely be back! read more

American French flair restaurant with a robust selection of food options, extremely difficult to decide on what to dine. The daily specials consist of items such as truffle and caviar in many forms. This location served as a Christmas group party but this is definitely a perfect setting for a date night or other special celebration. Everything from their selection of wine as well as their bread basket options of the intricate pastries and butter, to the dessert selection items of peanut butter ball and passion fruit tart were fabulous. Hostesses, servers and waiters were all beyond sweet and allowed for early set up and gave us a perfect space in their restaurant to have a bit more privacy for more intimate conversations. Our waiter was extremely knowledgeable of every single ingredient and item on the menu and the specials, showing his passion for culinary art. What a great experience/dinner. Super recommend! read more

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Wow! Hidden in a shopping center but the food is amazing! The lobster and truffle grilled cheese is to die for! Definitely get the gnocchi is great, make sure to order this with the grilled cheese- you will want to use the leftover sauce with the grilled cheese! Yum! Will be returning ASAP. read more

Pamplemousse Grille - Trio - New American Near Me - Solana Beach, California

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