We got "chef's menu" for our wedding anniversary. It was mind blowing. Exquisite presentation and very tasty. We got a hand drawn card from them and 2 extra deserts. This is my favorite San Diego restaurant now. read more

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SOLE was quote possibly the best server we have ever had the honor of being served by. From the moment she greeted us to the extra tip we provided, it was top notch service and she always knew exactly what to say and how to answer any question we had. We were also very pleasantly surprised at how delicious every item was that we ordered. We had the wagyu salisbury steak (nostalgic!) which was really great. Trimmings are used from the other steak entrees and the jus was to die for. We also really enjoyed the cabbage with fried garlic chips and homemade chili crisp sauce. Do not forget to get their sourdough which was deliciously crispy on the outside with a brown butter wash. It was quite possibly the best sourdough we have had and well worth the extra stomach space. The frozen dirty martini was a bit overdiluted for our taste so we opted for a classic martini up, which was great. Their cocktail menu is fun and worth trying one or two. We also had some bad luck and the fresh Cacio e Pepe we ordered was inedibly salty. Sole was polite in letting us know how it is prepared and that the pecorino could be a bit salty, unfortunately we have had many variations in the past and were familiar. They may have generously over salted the water it was boiled in, or the fresh pasta itself was over salted. We did not want it comped, we just couldn't take more than a bite nor did we want to take it home. Needless to say they worked to have it removed anyway. We would've paid for it no problem. The service and food was fantastic otherwise. It was really thoughtful of her/them to remove it anyway. The drinks came without delay and even their manager would stop by to help out. A great team, a great experience. Would definitely come again. read more

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We can count the number of date nights we have an annual basis on one hand these days, so every outing is incredibly precious for us. This place delivered. We were able to celebrate with the chef's menu at Paradisaea. Husband parked on a side street about 1.5 blocks away while I got dropped off at the corner. Not too difficult. Drinks were on point, recommendations for cocktails were delightful and the house gave a little tasting of sparkling to honor our celebration. I really liked my sancerre sauvignon blanc, it was a nice pairing with the red snapper (which was over on cookery but still delicious with the good amount of beurre blanc sauce and flawlessly cooked carrots). All of the food was so, so tasty. I even forgot to take a picture of the SRF steak with bearnaise, demiglace and pomme puree because I was too busy enjoying. Portions were definitely enough, to the point that we were very full at the end of the meal. Our server was lovely and perfectly attentive, and the decor was really cute and pretty. All in all, paradisaea was a wonderful place to spend our 10th wedding anniversary. Was worth the 30 minute drive each way just to get to Bird Rock. Thank you for the wonderful hospitality. read more

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We had one of the best food experiences at Paradisea in La Jolla -- the food itself was absolutely incredible and memorable. That said, the service experience unfortunately took away from it a bit. Throughout dinner, one taller server with tattoos repeatedly walked extremely close to my husband's chair -- to the point of bumping into him multiple times while we were mid-conversation. It became distracting and uncomfortable over the course of the meal, especially since it kept happening throughout the night. Our actual server was kind, but very quiet, and we received almost no explanation of the menu or dishes. Even as returning guests, for a restaurant at this price point, I do think guests should receive a more thoughtful walkthrough of the menu and overall dining experience. The food truly was amazing, but the service and floor awareness could definitely be improved. We will still be back- but such a specific concern deserves the right attention! read more

Paradisaea - Pina colada, anniversary champagne- thank you!!! - New American Near Me - San Diego, California

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Booked this for a date night with my fiance, and while our service was great and the ambiance of the restaurant was nice, we both felt the food fell short, especially for the price. We ordered the hamachi, sourdough, steak frites and the Cacio e Pepe to share. Hamachi had good flavor, but there was a noticeably fishy aftertaste - more than expected ($36) Sourdough came out hot and was tasty, but both the bread and butter were over salted. I tend to like salt more than most and even for me it was a bit much ($15) Steak Frites were the most disappointing. For $77, the portion was small and the steak wasn't particularly tender, but it was edible. The fries were also heavily salted to the point that we couldn't finish them. Cacio e Pepe was probably our favorite but if I'm going to go off of preference here, the tagliatelle was thinner than we prefer for a sauce that rich. Also, $40 for cheese and pepper will never make sense to me - even if it's premium. Overall, a nice setting and good service but I really just felt the food didn't live up to the price point. read more

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An eclectic and fun restaurant! Came here for date night with my boyfriend and we enjoyed the chef's menu with the wine pairing. Staff was very friendly and were even helping a group of girls find a lost ring underneath all of the furniture and decor. read more

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We didn't have reservations and we got 2 seats at the bar so it was not a bad night at all. Hostesses and bartenders were so nice, professional, and accommodating. The restaurant is packed for dinner, and rightfully so the food was really delicious. We got the Caesar salad, branzino, bread, and a soft serve sundae. Everything was just perfect. Really comfy bar stools. Pretty and clean interior. Bathrooms get really busy so I wish they had more than 4 stalls for the entire restaurant and a handwashing station for those who just want to rinse before or after a meal. Looking forward to being back here, so fun and delicious. read more

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Food: I would rate it an 8/10. It was really delicious, but it's not my favorite restaurant in San Diego. While the dishes were well executed, nothing felt truly elevated or particularly special. Service: Our server was great; very attentive and she really made our friend feel special on her birthday. However, if you're a large party looking to celebrate a birthday, this might not be the place. Another waiter told us we were being too loud while we were simply enjoying dinner and celebrating our friend. The music is already quite loud, and the tables are very close together, which may have made it seem louder than it actually was. Still, it was disappointing to hear that someone complained while we were just celebrating. We even noticed two couples seated behind us walk out. At that point, it really took away from the experience and completely killed the vibe for our group. So if you're looking for a lively place to celebrate with a group, this may not be the best spot; you might be asked to keep it down and get some uncomfortable looks from other diners........Awkward. read more

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10/10. Stumbled upon this restaurant tucked in the Bird Rock neighborhood while visiting. We had the chefs tasting menu with the wine pairing and I can not say how amazing and delicious this was! Each meal kept getting better and better! Service was a 10/10 and the spacing of the meals was timed perfectly. Can not complain. Atmosphere was amazing and decor was perfect. read more

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My fiance surprised me with birthday dinner reservations here and it was probably the best birthday dinner I've ever had! My birthday just happened to be on Taco Tuesday where they had a mariachi band! We ordered the hamachi ceviche, steak frites, and cacio e pepe to share. It's so hard to choose which dish was my favorite! I would order the hamachi ceviche and steak frites again. The hamachi was so flavorful and the steak was so tender. The steak sauce had the perfect amount of pepper and wasn't overpowering. I also ordered an espresso martini and it is one of the best ones I've ever had! The cream top is sweet and the alcohol taste isn't strong. Our server brought out a complimentary dessert which was ice cream and honey combs and it was the most perfect way to end the night. The mariachi band even sang happy birthday to me! I can't wait to come back already. read more

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We celebrated my daughter's engagement here, and loved everything about it. The service was attentive, and given by seven different people throughout our tasting menu experience. We loved the inventive drink menu and colorful presentations. Each of the entrées was a work of art, with a particular highlight of the dessert being a perfect mix of textures and flavors. Seeing the kitchen team perform their magic in the open was a treat for an old restaurant hand. read more

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Amazing chefs tasting menu. Photos of all attached aside from the beef tenderloin over mashed potatoes which I forgot to snap! The oyster was heavenly, the hamachi as well. The cocktails were incredible and the wine. The pasta dish was delicious and so unique. The dessert presented in the caviar container was cute! But the panna cotta one blew us away. My only "hmm!" moment was the trout which was served medium rare and was just not my favorite texture but I did eat every bite so I couldn't have disliked it that much. Our waitress Elise Marie was awesome, and the rest of the wait staff that helped us as well!! We were sat on the patio on a perfect weather evening. 10/10! read more

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Came here on a date with my husband, and I think the ambiance was perfect for that! Really cute decor. We sat outside in the middle of winter and it wasn't too cold! They have space heaters that really helped. The service was great, and the servers were very friendly. All the food was pretty delicious. We got the beef tartare as an appetizer to share, and for entrees we got the roasted Branzino and sea bass (we're fish people haha). I think I preferred the Branzino because it had some texture and the citrus salad next to it was nice. Both were tasty but super tiny for the price (67 and 45, respectively). The non-alcoholic beverage I got called Boing (super cute drink menu with many options for both alcoholic and non-alcoholic!) was 18! It tasted good but that's a lot for no alcohol in it. So overall everything was delicious but I left hungry. It's definitely one of those fancy restaurants you have to order a ton at if you want to be full, but it's nice once in a while for the ambiance! read more

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Paradise definitely stands out as one of my favorite restaurants since the first started.. Huge fan of their creative NA mixology as well as their upscale yet approachable vibe. My fab table is always one the 2 options right next to the kitchen ;) Service is always a highlight here; And boy did we not talk about their fab fab food yet? ;) read more

Paradisaea - New American Near Me - San Diego, California

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The service is amazing here! We were celebrating a birthday and were treated really well. They gave us a free dessert and chocolates at the end of the meal. The restaurant is beautiful and cozy as well. I enjoyed the sourdough appetizer and the salad, however the salad was so over priced at $30. The big let down was the steak frites though. We got 5 pieces of thinly sliced meat and a ton of fries and paid $73 for that entree. The taste of the sauce was on the salty side. I would not recommend that. read more

2nd visit. I'm sticking with a solid 4 star review. I do really like the ambience (it's unpretentious and reminds me of a younger and more modern Market Restaurant + Bar, which is a favorite of mine). We had the bread again (just as delectable as before) and the sea bass. It was perfectly cooked. A bit heavy (winter ingredients which makes sense even though we were having 80 degree summer weather) though a tad salty (the dish needed a bit of acid or more herbs) but it was still very good. The apps were also delicious: hamachi (beautiful) and the flowering cauliflower (not what I expected and have never had cauliflower served this way, but enjoyed it). And to the reviews who say the portions are small, I disagree. The dishes are generous. So many of the cocktails sound really good/fun to try. I had the Jungle Rain this time and recommend (if you like light, herbaceous and are not looking for a sweet cocktail). We also tried the Whaler dessert cocktail - sweet, sweet, sweet. It was good (like melted ice cream) but you need awhile to enjoy it slowly. We joked that we needed to be home in our "cosies", stretched out, to relax and take our time. Noise level is on the louder side. Our waitress was great (Sat was better/friendlier than Tue). I'm super picky with restaurants that I want to repeatedly visit, but this is one I plan to put into rotation when I'm in town. read more

Paradisaea - Outside - New American Near Me - San Diego, California

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Service here is always good. The food is delicious too, but can be a bit pricey so go for their happy hour and Sunday supper. The cocktails are very good as well average priced. read more

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Playful, creative chef. Meal starts with a cartoon cocktail book. Super fun! We also had a Happy Birthday card on the table which was a thoughtful touch! Our waiter was awesome. She brought us beef tartare (amazing), sourdough bread and the spicy caesar salad. Our entrees were a very well done Steak Frites and a very tasty pasta. We finished with a spectacular flaming dessert (Baked Alaska) which was a fun show and finish to the meal. A jazz quartet also played throughout the dinner which added to the great ambience. We will be back soon! read more

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Beautiful place. Bad service and mediocre food. Won't be going back anytime soon. Avoid the cute blonde server, she was clueless. read more

I grew up in La Jolla and I've been coming to Bird Rock for dinner for decades and can honestly say this is one of the best restaurants that I've been to in Bird Rock. I am sure it will earn a Michelin star in no time. It's a delicious seafood restaurant that is a bit too pricey in my opinion but the flavor quality and diversity is really great and so was the service. Inside is designed really beautifully, there is a large bar that had a beautiful Christmas tree when we arrived that was sparkling and just really set a great mood. The tables have also a retro modern aesthetic that just really blends well with the area. Parking in the area is extremely easy, we were able to find a free space a few feet from the front door. We ordered many items and thought they were all fantastic. First came the Steak Tartare and we thought that was great. The prior evening we ate at Born and Raised in Little Italy and this version was much better than theirs. We also got a Jalapeño Caesar Salad and that too was very nice. The cheese on top was my favorite part. The Potatoes Three Ways was also a hit at the table and was really a nice dish. For my entrée I chose the Whole Roasted Branzino and thought it was a wonderful. It had great flavor and the sauce at the bottom added a nice spice level to it. They did say it was deboned and I did have quite a few bones in it, but that's to be expected with Branzino. I would say Paradisaea and Catania have some of my favorite in town. We ended with a cappuccino that was a little bit too small. In my opinion, I think they should use larger glasses, but still the meal was fantastic and I would highly recommend to anyone and I plan to be back in the near future. read more

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Tried Paradise and absolutely loved it. We got the sourdough, which turned out to be French baked -- and it was fantastic. It honestly reminded me of Wetzel's Pretzels, but flakier, more complex, and just better overall. Warm, chewy inside with a great texture on the outside. Super satisfying. Also had the Caesar with jalapeño. It had great flavor without being overly spicy since they removed the seeds and inner ribs of the jalapeño, which made it really approachable and balanced. The creamy yogurt carrots were dope. The atmosphere was a big plus -- very pleasant vibe, and there was a live jazz guitarist playing, which elevated the whole experience and made it feel relaxed and special. Friendly and overall good service. Between the food, ambiance, and live music, I'd definitely come back. Highly recommend. read more

Paradisaea - Creamy yogurt carrots - New American Near Me - San Diego, California

A delicious dining experience - we did the tasting menu. This is no joke at $140 per person so obviously only for a major splurge special occasion. We enjoyed every dish - so many special bites including steak tartare, lobster gnocchi, and wagyu steak. Only downside was honestly this was so much food. Really big portions. We were stuffed. So stuffed we couldn't even fathom the dessert course and had to ask to take it home. Would certainly recommend this restaurant, though, the food, drinks and service all were exceptional. read more

Paradisaea - New American Near Me - San Diego, California

We really enjoyed our meal at Paradisaea. The food was solid and our waitress was really good. The challenge is the "rules" of the restaurant. I loathe restaurants that have rules like how long you can have a table or they won't seat you until everyone at your table is there. That tells me a place has gotten a bit big for their britches! It's a meal not a spiritual experience. Readjust your attitude to your customers. Make them feel welcome not Privileged to be there. All that said I'll be back. read more

The cocktails were excellent. Top notch; no notes; very thoughtful. The food was great, but seemed disproportionally expensive in relation to the amount of food. This is not a kitchen issue, as everything was prepared perfectly, just an over-zealous food-cost ratio. Service could've been way better. TBH, this is the restaurant's fumble. To say "not attentive" is accurate to a T. She seemed very "this is a summer job & I couldn't actually care. I rely on a default tip percentage because the menu is pricey..." We got a taco platter for Cinco De Mayo/Taco Tuesday & there were 3 of us at the table, but 5 tortillas came. Twice we asked our server & some other server for one tortilla so everyone could eat proportionally... it never came. Also, we asked to reserve one of the churro desserts & by the time we were done, the server said "oops we sold out." One tortilla & one churro dessert was all it took to hamper the experience... what a shame... we won't be back. read more

Happy Hour review: Paradisaea offers oyster happy hour Tuesday-Sunday 4-6pm on the bar area. The oysters are $1 each and they have 1/2 price margaritas (either tequila or mezcal). I opted for the mezcal margarita and 6 oysters. The bar area is swanky, I enjoyed the ambiance. There's many fun sounding cocktails on their menu. The service was friendly. I highly recommend stopping in. read more

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I literally haven't had a restaurant blow my mind at how S-Tier all the food was in awhile. I came here to celebrate my anniversary last month and we had the best time. First off, I had made reservations online which was quick and easy, but day of I had to call to notify them that we'd be 15 minutes late and luckily they were still able to accommodate us for a busy Saturday night. We were seated by the kitchen window so we were able to watch the cooks in action, and because of the placement of this table we were able to order from the dinner menu and also the bar menu! We started the night off with a round of alcoholic drinks, I don't quite remember the names but mine was melon with mezcal and my boyfriend's was probably the Top Gun. Both alcohol forward but tasty. The first course to come out was the Hamachi, which had thin slices of citrousy kumquat. This dish was very light and delicate, so it was smart to serve this first. Second was the Veal Tartare, which honestly I've never had raw veal before and I couldn't tell it was veal meat since it didn't taste game-y and it was so soft and tender. If I was told it was beef, I would have believed you! This dish was more so buttery and savory, it was super good. Next came the Wagyu Skewer which visually doesn't look like a lot of meat but it's actually tightly layered similarly to the meat trompos/spits at taco shops or gyro shops. The meat was cooked nicely, but honestly the star of the entire meal was the Potatoes Three Ways. It comes out looking like a bowl of foam, but it's 3 layers of potatoes. The bottom one is mashed, the middle are crispy citrousy roasted potatoes, topped with a creamy potato foam. Pro tip is to mix it up before serving so you get a little of all the layers. Not gonna lie...THIS WAS THE MOST LIFE CHANGING POTATOES I'VE EVER HAD!!! I literally didn't know potatoes could taste like this, I wasn't just shocked I was DUMBFOUNDED!!! Every dish served came out better and better, the food was so delicious!!! I literally can't stop raving to my friends about how good this restaurant was. We ended the night with an Affogato (ice cream with coffee) and were given complimentary chocolates topped with a touch of sea salt to celebrate our anniversary. My boyfriend and I LOVED our experience here and we will definitely be coming back again to try more of their menu! Another pro tip to wrap this up is that Paradisaea is on the list of restaurants for the Chase Sapphire Reserve $150 OpenTable credit, so this dinner essentially cost us $30 after tax and tip. It was truly amazing, I highly recommend dining here!! read more

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Went here for our anniversary. The ambience is very cute and the service was great. We had a reservation so were seated right away. We did the chefs tasting menu and really enjoyed it. Every dish was delicious but the hamachi was our favorite. We added on the sourdough, which was definitely worth it. Cocktails and mocktails were also very good, and we loved the menu with each one being a different bird. The only thing I would say about the chefs menu is that it could've used some more vegetables or a salad of some sort, as the dishes were all rather protein heavy. But it seems that menu changes all the time and it may have just been the night we went. read more

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Paradisaea is undeniably beautiful, with a coastal-chic aesthetic, thoughtful touches like branded matchbooks, and incredibly friendly staff. The cocktails are the highlight: creative, delicious, and clearly crafted with care. Some savory cocktail which is unique are very are tasty, and everything that comes out of the kitchen is visually stunning. However, the pricing is extremely hard to justify. Portions are very small and the food, while pretty, doesn't match the price point in flavor or value. The restaurant policies also feel unnecessarily costly. There is a $50 corkage fee even when the bottle was gifted from another table. If you bring your own cake, you'll be charged $7 per slice and you're not even allowed to cut it yourself. Between the high prices, the extra fees, and difficult parking in the area, the experience feels much more expensive than it's worth. Overall, a gorgeous spot for a special cocktail, but expect to spend a lot for a meal that may leave you wanting more. read more

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My dear parents and I enjoyed a lovely dinner at Paradisaea last year, and we decided to come back here for my birthday on Sept 11 of this year at 6pm. We opted for the Chef's menu ($130/pp)... Chef Anders kindly allowed a few substitutions with my courses because I do not eat red meat or pork. (One thing that would have been helpful with this multiple course offering would have been a printed menu so that I could appreciate all of the ingredients and details in each dish.) On to the evening... Paradisaea is a lovely restaurant with a very specific colorful, 70s-esque, and tropical interior. It leans more on the casual side, but that's just SoCal in general... haha. I personally love the decor and aesthetic and I think it's just the right mix of playfulness and sophistication. Oh, one other note is on the matches... the previous design was changed... and I definitely prefer the old design. The service from Elyse and Michael was attentive and kind. They both did their best to take good care of us. My dad ordered a bottle of Vermentino to complement the meal... and it was a good choice. It paired nicely with everything in an understated sort of way. Michael was also great about refilling water and crumbing/wiping the table after every course. Much appreciated! Courses: 1. Oyster with Yuzu Granita - mom's was gritty but mine was fine 2. Sashimi with sliced Melon - refreshing and delightful 3. Fresh and warm Sourdough bread with brown butter crust and whipped butter - SO GOOD!!!! - Like the best bread I have ever eaten!! 4. Tagliatelle with mixed mushrooms - amazing! I adore mushrooms so this was pretty much my favorite dish. I loved that the tagliatelle had mushroom flour mixed into the dough to give it a lovely hue. - **Chef Anders** brought this dish out for us, which I appreciated! :) 5. Red Snapper - the sauce that was poured over was a bit salty, but the fish was cooked perfectly and it paired well with the corn salsa - but it was nothin earth shattering 6. Roasted Chicken stuffed with mushrooms and chicken - the demi glace for the chicken was rather thick and also salty, but the chicken was well cooked and delicious. (My parents eat meat so for them, this course was a steak with Bearnaise sauce and a little potato pave - the Mom was full so she took hers home, Dad ate every bite of his and enjoyed it!) 7. Upside down Plum Cake with ice cream 8. Vanilla soft serve ice cream with honey, honey brittle, and a candle :) - this was also a nice touch, but by this time I was so full, I could only manage a bite. I felt bad wasting it.... 9. Three homemade chocolates frosted with gold dust & filled with passionfruit - delicious! (...and the little character on the chocolates is same one on the matches and on the fun comic-book style drinks menu.) One miss was that no one asked if we wanted coffee or tea with our dessert, but it was a minor blip in an otherwise delightful dining experience. Verdict: Paradisaea was the perfect spot to celebrate my birthday with my precious parents on a beautiful Thursday evening. I'm grateful to have had this chef's menu experience. Street parking is available and they also have valet. read more

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My wife and I visited for our date-iversary and loved the chef's tasting menu! Everything was delicious! I don't like scallops so they used red snapper for my second course which was much appreciated. They gave us a little card that said Happy Anniversary and a free champagne toast as well. Definitely a nice restaurant for celebrating! Everything was delicious but that carrot sauce was SO good. I loved the New York strip, the dessert, everything really. Service was also excellent! read more

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$1 oysters at the bar during happy hour was so worth it. I want to come back every week! read more

Paradisaea - New American Near Me - San Diego, California

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Food was outstanding, drinks were phenomenal and the staff is super fun and attentive. Overall, a little on the pricey side, but it's a great semi-casual fine dining spot in Bird Rock. Their menu changes somewhat frequently, but I've loved the jalapeno Caesar salad, the chicken entree on the dinner menu and the burger from the bar menu read more

Paradisaea - Burger (bar menu) "date with the devil" - date infused scotch, toasted almond orgeat, bitters. - New American Near Me - San Diego, California

came at 4 for happy hour at the bar and moved to a table oysters- great dollar oysters tuna tartare - nice flavor. the lettuce flavor was too strong and took away from the lighter tuna flavor. bad pairing. i suggest butter lettuce fish and chips - solid. not crazy. can skip. big portion though. srf beef skewer - pleasantly surprised. tender. fennel was a bit strong for me, a tad salty japanese hamachi - pretty good. kumquat worked well. beef tartare - good beef. pairing issue again. the rye bread flavor was too strong and drowned out the beef. maybe half the thickness slice would be better. raddish worked great though. milk honey softserve - great. honey brittle is awesome food was coming out really slow so they comped the tuna tartare. great service. some really enjoyable dishes and some others need some fine tuning. overall great experience. read more

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This was our first time here, and we showed up in the middle of happy hour on a Saturday around 5pm (hooray for Saturday happy hours!) The bar was completely full, but the hostesses were very accommodating and offered us a chef's table in the bar area next to the window to the kitchen which gave us options of ordering off the bar and dinner menus. Highlights of the night: * Cocktails - Unique and make you feel fancy (in a good way) * Chicken liver - OMG, I gravitate towards liver when I see it on menus, my husband does not, and we both couldn't get enough of this, especially on the bread it is served with. I dream of coming back for this * Sundae - Another home run, the honey and crunchy bits complement the creamy soft serve so well. I'd come just to get this anytime, too. A great way to cleanse the palate * The service - Our waiter and everyone else who came to our table were so nice and attentive. 5 stars to them! In general we enjoyed the appetizers/happy hour menu more than the entrees--they felt like a better value and were more unique. We wish this were close enough to us to be HH regulars (Bird Rock is a bit tucked away), but that won't stop us from recommending Paradisaea to all our friends and bringing them with us so we have excuses to keep coming! read more

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Good food. Good vibes. Somewhat upscale of a place, so dishes are on the pricey side. Pretty on-par to a nice sit-down restaurant in La Jolla. - Secretarybird cocktail -- pretty good! Refreshing drink. - House baked sourdough -- also v good, esp when warm and fresh out of the oven. - Jalapeno caesar -- this was alright. Basically an elevated salad. - Oysters -- can't go wrong with fresh oysters. Apparently only $1 on their HH menu - Scallops -- delicious, but $$$ - Potatoes 3 ways -- unique potato dish, crowd favorite - The whaler -- v strong alcoholic dessert drink - Tarte tatin -- nice dessert ending to the meal read more

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Paradisaea is a fantastic upscale restaurant and cocktail bar in the Bird Rock neighborhood (just south of La Jolla) in San Diego. If a refined tropical experience is what you're looking for go check them out. Their food, cocktail and service quality is exceptional. We visited the bar first before dinner and there was no difference between the warm welcome and care we experienced at the bar vs. the main dining room. Michelin Guide added Paradisaea to their New Discoveries List back in 2022 so no mistaking their quality. The design is fun, tropical and refined. The bar menus are as fun as it gets. Each cocktail is named after an exotic bird shown with colorful illustration on the menu (photo # 5). It's as elaborate as I've ever seen. Bonus if you're a bird-lover . I started with a classic sidecar even though there are 3 pages of creative original recipes to choose from (photo #3). It was delicious and a few patrons around me liked my choice so much they joined me and ordered one. When we were seated in the dining room I tried one of their originals called the Hoopoe. Well, 3 of us tried the same one because it looked so tasty. The description on the menu explains the Hoopoe are the only existing members of the unique family Upupidae. Notable for their distinctive crown of feathers, they fly on rounded, zebra-striped wings fluttering unevenly like a giant butterfly. Who knew, but fun to learn while cocktailing. The Hoopoe is a tropical mezcal based cocktail with blistered kumquat, vanilla and lime. It was quite tasty and was garnished with some kind of tropical leaf. Very fun!! If you're in the La Jolla area, head to Bird Rock and check out Paradisaea. You'll enjoy everything about the experience. Salute read more

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A top-notch birthday dinner experience. We arrived on time for our food ride, and it took them a while to get the table ready and get us seated outdoors. Even though the seating is right beside a busy road, we weren't really bothered by it. We were immersed in a cozy space, still very private to be able to have a conversation and connect. Our waiter was super friendly and attentive. The drinks menu was interesting-- very comical and fun. We got a couple of mocktails to start with, and they both tasted great. We chose the Chef's menu, which is a 5-course tasting menu, and our waiter promised it is a good choice to enjoy a little bit of everything on the menu. The timing between each dish was perfectly paced, being mindful of our rate of devouring the food. We started off with fresh oysters with Yuzu sauce. They were citrusy goodness in a shell. The first course was sashimi in their homemade sauce, which blew my mind, and I just couldn't get enough of that sauce. Our waiter mentioned the secret ingredients were Thai chili and fermented Kosho. It was the defining course for our entire meal. This was immediately followed by irresistible sourdough bread and their absolutely delicious handmade pasta with mussels. So far, the dishes disappeared really fast. The third course was pan fried red snapper in dil sauce with roasted corn and tomatoes-- another excellent dish that took me completely by surprise, and I was having so much fun in just relishing it. I didn't care much for the fourth course, so no comments about it. The last and final dessert course was ice cream with honey brittles and Lavender New York cheesecake (birthday bonus). We thoroughly enjoyed the dessert. The flavors were so rich, delightfully balanced, and delectable. Overall, an A-star place for celebrations! read more

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We recently had a very delicious dinner here. The stracciatella with persimmons and toasted bread was really good, the gnocchi with lobster were excellent and the halibut was also very good, with a good balance of flavors and high quality ingredients. The service was excellent as well and I look forward to going back and trying some of the other items in the menu. read more

The atmosphere was amazing, loved that they're super pet friendly! Our waitress Alissa (sorry if I spelled wrong) was absolutely incredible, had so much personality and helped with all of my questions. The food was pretty good, but for me the appetizers really stole the show! The halibut, Caesar salad, and the rosemary bread were delightful! The main courses, while good, weren't as memorable. The Branzino was bland and overpowered by the sauces, the beet risotto was good but had a very persistent flavor, and the potatoes 3 ways was just too sour cream heavy for my liking. But all in all was a great experience! read more

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Excellent food. Service was amazing. And price of the chefs menu was on point. Would go back in a heart beat.