I am honestly surprised I have not written a review for this place yet, I found this place in 2021…read more I bring visitors here all the time, and it has become my ultimate comfort food spot. I tend to keep it simple and order the same items every time. My go to is the crispy Brussels for $14 and the chicken sandwich for $16, and I usually rotate in the parmesan fries for $10. While they do offer other dishes that are worth trying, these favorites always keep me coming back. The service and ambiance are consistently great. It is located in Hillcrest, so the area is always lively, which adds to the overall experience. The energy, combined with the quality of the food, makes it a reliable choice whether I am dining with friends or hosting out of town guests. Parking can be a bit challenging, but that is typical for Hillcrest. I usually plan ahead and look for street parking nearby.

3 stars for the food, 5 stars for the drinks, so I gave em 4 stars. Got the brussels sprouts and…read moreartichoke hearts and they were doused in far too much sauce and insanely salty. I love the vegetables for what they are and want sauce and seasoning to enhance them, not be the star of the show. Got the hot honey chick and pork belly bao buns which were pretty good, nice and fluffy. Drinks wise, I got the blueberry bramble as well as the berries & cream (both vodka drinks). they were fantastic, so refreshing. Old fashioned was also top notch! server was wonderful and kind. the ambiance is amazing and is a great spot for a date or cozy evening with friends.

Everything in this place is done very thoughtfully. From the menu, to the interiors and of course…read morethe drinks and food. Among food, my favorite thing was the chimichurri seitan and the eggroll burger. The seitan was house made and really soft and doused with a ton of chimichurri and some other sauces. The French onion soup was also delicious, although a tad salty for my liking. Crab cakes were A+. Didn't care much for the knots.

My bf wanted me to check this place out and I really loved the vibe! the bar area and the seating…read moreis pretty unique and the bartenders are very friendly. We came for drinks before heading to dinner and the Kult classics were very tasty. Highly recommend! It does get busy on weeknights.

This place was great! Amazing Food, great service, small and cozy space that they made work very…read morewell and made it welcoming. Everything we tried was delicious! It was a place that I look forward to going again and again. Truly special especially how at the end of the night we got to witness the owner and the cooks share a meal together, sing, laugh and enjoy each others company as if it were in a villa somewhere in Italy. I absolutely recommend this place. Our experience there was fantastic!

Carbon Angela's Kitchen in the heart of South Park is a standout, unique restaurant. This is…read moredefinitely a perfect spot for your next date night or the place to go for dinner for any occasion, like a birthday, or better yet, my birthday! Yes, I will be there next month with my whole gang celebrating with me on my special day! Our reservations were early, arriving on time @ 5:30 it was a bit quiet with only two other tables, but not for long. In no time every single table was filled. The restaurant was busy and the wine was a'flowin'! This quaint and very special restaurant reminds me of a small restaurant in San Diego in the 1980's, "Ciao Bella". It was located downtown on 4th Ave., it was also chef-owned. When you dine at a chef owned restaurant you are most likely destined for greatness, or a great meal! This is the case at Angela's Kitchen 'Carbon', because there is pure authenticity in her dishes and a whole lotta' love delivered in each plate. The subtle, warm decor is welcoming and the music is played at the perfect level. Just the right ambiance. Once seated, you'll be promptly greeted and the attentive wait staff will have your wine delivered pronto. What a selection they have. I started with the prosecco and moved on to the Sangiovese which complimented my pappardelle perfectly. My friend ordered the grilled salmon and had the Montepulciano Abate Pietro. The delivery of their fresh bread with garlicky pesto, and another with tomato, which I think was a focaccia. Just amazing. We asked for olive oil to compliment the bread: it was the very best of quality with a dark Sicilian olive green hue and the smoothness with the polyphenols and antioxidants dancing in my mouth. Yum! I asked for a side of Parmigiano and they brought a nice square ramekin full of finely grated cheese, Perfection!! These are the details that make me fall in love with a restaurant, causing me to return again and again. Both of our entrees were executed perfectly, the vegetables were grilled leaving a slight char, and the salmon was grilled just right leaving a tender center. My pappardelle was dressed in the deepest, richest mushroom + beef cheek fusion of flavors with whispers of some kind of red wine like maybe the Nero d'Avola that they feature on the menu. WoW!! This is a dish that you want to take your time savoring. Every bite surpassed the last, and then a sip of the Sangiovese and I was in fresh pasta heaven. Just when we were winding down and reeling from being overwhelmed by the amazing food, Angela came to our table with cannoli. It too was amazing! This was such a kind and unexpected gesture from the chef/owner. Grazie mille, a domani!

The food was amazing! French onion soup: 10/10…read moreTruffle pasta: 10/10. Very earthy and balanced. Love the truffle flavor. Scallop risotto: 10/10. The scallops were perfectly cooked. The service was great and the ambiance was cute. It was a little crowded when we went but still a very cute place.

Food is good. Different from other French restaurants I have visited. Service is nice . Ambience is…read morea quiet environment. Dark dinner vibe. Comforting and warm feeling. We got the duck all around $40. With potato gratin with cheddar and leeks, sautéed spinach, a few carrots, Cippolini onion. We also got French onion soup and Brie, it was all pretty good.

First time visiting. There was DELICIOUS food, great service and awesome vibes. Highly recommend.read more

If you're expecting average bar food, this isn't that…read more I went to Encontro in North Park and everything felt a step above what you'd expect. It's a casual spot, but the food leans more chef-driven and thoughtful. We started with the breadsticks and truffle butter simple, but really well done. The crispy portobello mushrooms were one of my favorites, super flavorful with a great texture. For drinks, I had a margarita and a bloody mary, both solid. For mains, we ordered the tri-tip sandwich (aka "Cardiff Crack") and the chicken sandwich. The tritip especially lives up to the hype really tender, packed with flavor, and easy to see why it has that nickname. Dessert is what stood out so much . The butter cake comes warm with ice cream and purée, and it was easily the highlight of the meal. I took a bite and just paused for a second it's that kind of dessert Overall, a really good spot if you want elevated comfort food in a laid back setting. I'd definitely come back, especially for that butter cake and tritip

It has been a while, but honestly, every time I've driven pass, it's been really busy! But when of…read moremy old, and I can say this now, college friends said "it's been too long, let's meet up..." I suggested here. Warm friendly greeting when we walked in. I told the hostess we didn't have a reservation and was just coming in for a drink. She gave us a nice table inside. We ordered a bottle of prosecco. "Let's celebrate the end of the school year!" We also ordered a chicken empanada and a mushroom empanada...both very good! The pickled vegetables were delicious too! Service was wonderful as always! Again, I would be here more often but it's always busy. Although, coming back is always special!

Finally got to try The Rose and it didn't disappoint!…read more Excellent drink and food selection. Loved most everything we got. The Cabernet was a slam dunk. Empanadas, bomb. My filet mignon, delicious. Bread basket served with creamy butter, perfect. My friend also loved her oysters and split pea soup. The olive oil cake was great in flavor as well, only note would be that it was a little dry. But loved the sauce that was on it! Service was spectacular. Everyone was so nice and warming. Indoor and outdoor seating. The outdoor seating area is so cute too. Absolutely will be frequenting this place more often.

I have been wanting to come to Trust for so long and when my friends had suggested we had our…read morebrunch date I said yes. We came on Easter Sunday and was a lucky that I live close enough and had my husband drop me and friends off. To start we got their season sticky bun which was their carrot cake and we each ordered a cocktail, we got an order of espresso martinis which were little but mighty, they were so smooth and flavorful too. For my meal, I got the fried pork cutlet, whenever I see a porkchop I always order it. First, the carrot cake sticky bun, is INSANE that was the most delicious sticky bun I have ever eaten and just looking at the photos on my phone I am absolutely craving it. Sharing it between three girls is ideal but I would have definitely ordered my own. My porkchop was perfect, it comes with a sunny side eggs and potatoes. The porkchop was so incredibly tender and flavorful and that gravy is just perfect. I want that for my dinner tonight, I also tried my friends Albacore tartare which was pretty flavorful and was just refreshing for how warm it was. Definitely would like to come here for dinner with my husband!

Late Post.... Went here for brunch…read more The food was really good. Service was good as were the drinks. I recommend

Alright. Enough with the nonsense Juan Jaspar…read more The staff is not friendly, unless you're a regular. The staff enjoys chatting with customers more than doing their actual JOB. The staff is entitled, upright and annoying. They don't have a proper waiting list system. You can't pay with your cc, only zelle and or venmo. Juan Jaspar is VERY dog friendly, like over the top. There's literally more dogs than people. They have sketchy chairs outside for you to wait until their heart desires. One tip for this desperate little place: time your tables to 90 mins max. You don't have the square footage nor the grit to keep it up. I do not recommend this place to myself nor anyone else. I am banning myself indefinitely from Juan Jaspar. Trust your gut people. I said I wouldn't go back and I did. That was mi mal.

Five star spot all the way! Ambiance, service, food... I cannot wait to come back to this place…read more My friend and I shared a hamburger, fries, and the arugula-beet salad. Everything tasted so fresh and flavorful. Menu looks simple, yet the server assured us they can make other items that aren't on the menu (like steak frites) because of the butchery next door. I will have to make another visit to try the steak frites and their desserts next time. Although there aren't many seats, the atmosphere is cozy and the service is friendly.

Went there because of the bone marrow - new to the city. Did not disappoint. The Bolo pasta was top…read moretier too. Ambiance was chill, customer service was great too. Definitely an overall great experience. Also - try the homemade bread. The bread that came with the bone marrow was great as well. Ambiance points - the Ben Davis upholstered seats reminded us of home. Great place!

Very nice bar with a cool vibe...came here on a Friday night and it was pretty busy. They could…read moreprobably use another server/bartender for nights with Padres games. The drinks were fantastic though, we tried the Rickey, a whiskey sour and a gin martini. Will need to come back and check out the speakeasies!

Daniel is the kind of server who reminds you what good service is. He goes above and beyond, but it…read morenever feels forced--more like he actually cares about the experience. His recommendations were spot on. Not just "this is popular," but real insight into what works, what pairs well, and what you might want to skip depending on your taste. Same with the cocktails--he clearly knows the menu and can talk about it without sounding rehearsed. What stood out most was the balance. He's easygoing, drops in bits of local trivia that feel natural, and somehow reads the room perfectly. He checks in right when you need something and gives you space when you don't. Never hovering, never disappearing. The meal itself was great, but Daniel definitely made the whole experience better.

Syed and Daniel were the most attentive bartenders I think I've ever encountered. Spectacular…read moreservice!!