The Shores in La Jolla was truly exceptional. From the moment we arrived, the setting stood out as one of the most breathtaking oceanfront views in Southern California--wide, unobstructed, and absolutely serene. The atmosphere strikes a perfect balance between relaxed coastal charm and understated elegance. The food was equally impressive, with fresh, well-executed dishes that complemented the setting beautifully. Makhaiah was aowsome! Every detail, from service to presentation, made the experience feel thoughtful and memorable. It's the kind of place that reminds you why La Jolla is so special. read more

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Came for mothers day and was incredibly disappointed. Our experience was a failure in so many ways it's hard to imagine that this restaurant has any patrons. I booked our reservation about 5 weeks ago and was really looking forward to mothers day brunch by the beach as the place has a wonderful view. Unfortunately when we arrived we were seated at a table with a fire top but with four chairs that leaned at 45 degree angles. The setup would be wonderful for enjoying some drinks in the evening while watching the sunset but with limited space on the table and seats that reclined eating brunch was a total pain. I had politely asked one of the five hostesses that were there outside but they mentioned the other tables were already reserved and they couldn't switch us. However when I asked how I could ensure a normal table for our next visit they mentioned I just had to make a comment on the reservation. In short they could have easily switched us to another table and given another patron the fire top one. They then mentioned they'd switch us over if any opened up. By the time we left all of the tables except for one were open yet nobody offered to switch us. Secondly. the buffet food was overpriced, the selection poor, and the quality just mid. Unfortunately my wife and daughter took a look at the buffet and couldn't find anything they wanted to eat so they didn't eat at all during our visit. The seafood consisted of some shrimp, poke, and smoked salmon. The smoked salmon was served in chunks and none of it looked particularly appetizing. I ended up having the baked salmon but it was overcooked and barely edible. They did have bavette at the cutting table and that was actually really good but everything else was just ok. We ended up paying over 200 for myself and my 10 year old daughter to eat just ok food. The service was just so-so and the hostess not helpful at all. My wife had asked them if she could order a la carte and they replied it wasn't possible. So of course I checked with the waiter who then did offer the bar menu but the selection there was also very limited. There was a gentlemen working on the back patio named Oscar who was very polite and kind. The guys making the omelettes also seemed very helpful. In short the hotel and restaurant are old and I think they should just start over. Demolish everything, get rid of the 10 hostesses that aren't helpful, and rebuild. Will never come back and we're so disappointed. We should have just gone to our favorite place, Jake's in Del Mar, but we wanted to try something new. Boy were we sorry we did- an hour later we ended up going to another brunch location so my wife and other daughter could actually eat something. Don't waste your time. read more

The good: the ambiance was great; can't complain about a cute spot by the beach. Our server was very nice although food came out a bit slow. The tuna tostada appetizer was honestly probably one of the best things I ever put in my mouth. The drinks, I had the Nautical Mile and my partner had the Island hopper and we found both very good. I thought the nautical mile was particularly good because the different juices complimented the notes of the liquors. The bad: I had the burger and my partner had the fish tacos and we found both very underwhelming after the tostada. The fish tacos were bland and oily. The burger was fine but oily and couldn't taste the sauce. The "strawberries in spring" dessert was also bland, the cream and cake parts seemed as if they had been sitting out for a day or two(ie, dry and dense). The wait staff was very nice and took the dessert off the bill for us even though we hadn't specifically asked for them to do so. read more

The views here are incredible. You are basically eating right at the beach. The bar area inside is also super nice. The mussels we got were my favorite. The Greek salad was good also but thought my chicken came out a little dry. Food and drinks were a little pricy but you are right at the beach. I would definitely come back for drinks at the bar and appetizers again. Overall it was a great atmosphere and service was great. read more

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Beautiful view of the beach from their patio. It was pretty empty during their happy hour on a Tuesday. I did order the buffalo chicken fries and it's basically fries topped with chicken covered in buffalo sauce and blue cheese. I got it without the ranch. You need to really really love buffalo sauce to order that (which I don't). The sauce kinda makes the fries soggy too. I got the Ocean Rift too and I liked that a lot. read more

Shores Restaurant - New American Near Me - La Jolla, California

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Our group just landed in San Diego and checked into our hotel. We asked for lunch recommendations, near the beach, and told to go to The Shores Restaurant in the in the La Jolla Shores Hotel. It was a busy, warm Sunday, so we weren't able to get a table outdoors, so we got a table inside by the window so we can enjoy the beach views. It's a small menu, so it was easy to decide what to order: - Salsa & Guacamole: Very good. The corn tortillas were thick and warm. Guacamole was simple but enjoyable. - Baja Tacos: Very good. About as perfect a bite as possible. Crispy mahi, warm tortilla, fresh pico de gallo, and perfect ratio of aioli, lime and salsa. Service is nice enough, and met expectations. I was probably really hungry, but the combination of great weather, great views, and straight-forward good food with good company - I really enjoyed my lunch. read more

Shores Restaurant - Baja Tacos - New American Near Me - La Jolla, California

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OK, so this review could've easily been five stars. Let me tell you why. Let's start off with all the good, and then I will get to the bad. So our waiter was Tony. My goodness, he was so amazing with everything. Tony was on point; he knew his stuff. He knew his menu. We couldn't have been happier with the service that Tony provided. The food was OK. The views were beautiful. We really enjoyed our dinner now. Let's get to the bad ... OK, so I haven't been to this place in a while. I've been there before when they had the outdoor patio area that is now under construction, so I called before coming in as I never go to a restaurant without making a reservation. I spoke to a hostess, and I specifically wanted to sit in the fire pit area. She said, and I quote, "Fire pits are first come, first served." I was so surprised to hear this. I even asked, "Are you sure?" Since those are pretty desirable for sunset, which is what we were trying to do, watch the sunset, sit by a warm fire pit because San Diego weather gets chilly in the evening. So when we arrived, the hostess that greets us is Riley now. Riley goes and tells us that basically we are crazy because we need a reservation for the fire pits and a reservation for the restaurant, and she literally storms off after I tell her that I called and I spoke to the hostess at the restaurant who specifically told me the complete opposite. She, leaves us standing there to go confront this hostess, and then comes back. She makes the biggest deal about the fire pit, mind you the restaurant is completely empty. She states, " The fire pits are completely booked with reservations, none of those reservations showed up till like 6 o'clock. We got there around 4:30 anyways. I did not appreciate Riley's attitude. I think she probably can use some better training because I noticed she did this similar thing with everybody, not the storming off part, but telling them that things were reserved and they were reserved for parties that never showed up. I was very happy where we ended up sitting! Also something to note the fire pits do not have an umbrella for the shade. I probably will be back to this restaurant because I love a good view, but I hope to not deal with Riley in the future. read more

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My first time visiting this restaurant, I was struck by how beautiful it looked right on the beach. I went around 6 p.m. on a Wednesday evening, and it was fairly busy with about a 20-minute wait for a table. Fortunately, I was able to order at the bar while waiting, so by the time I was seated my food was ready. The dinner menu is on the smaller side, but I went with the halibut fish plate recommended by the staff. It was delicious, fresh, and well-prepared--though a bit lighter than I expected. Overall, it's a charming restaurant in a great location with a welcoming atmosphere. read more

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I come here about one time a year. Really loved this last trip! Our waiter, Will, was amazing! He was so nice and continued to keep checking on us. They actually have affordable burgers and sandwiches this time. The charbroiled chicken sandwich was so good with french fries. We celebrated a birthday and they brought out a complementary banana split with a super fun bright fireworks candle. The view is why we come! Breathtaking! We'll be back! read more

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Food was so good. The seafood pasta is a must. It is very creamy and has a lot of seafood in it. The burger was large and juicy, and worth it for the price. The steak frites were cooked perfectly. The fries are super crispy, would recommend the fries and seafood pasta. Only downside is that the fireplaces are first come first serve. Other than that, this is my favorite restaurant by far! Beautiful beach views read more

Shores Restaurant - Cocktails - New American Near Me - La Jolla, California

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Ambiance is excellent, right on La Jolla shores. Almost every seat has an ocean view. Sitting outside is also a great experience right next to the boardwalk. Food and service are good. read more

Shores Restaurant - New American Near Me - La Jolla, California

Do better. 2 experiences in 1 day. First, at lunch-- The service is slow. We have children playing at the beach so we ordered an app and our entree's at the same time, however, prefaced the that we'd like them to arrive separately. The salsa & guac app arrived with our entree (singular). My husband and I both ordered the fish tacos-- they brought one order for us to share. After adding the guac, salsa, and Tabasco-- the tacos were significantly elevated to something I'd like to eat. Second-- This afternoon, I went to the bar to order ice cream to bring to the beach for my children. I ordered multiple flavors to try different combos (raspberry, orange, chocolate & vanilla). After ordering, the man next to me made a fuss about his burgers to which the woman working at the bar informed him he hadn't ordered yet. That man and his companion ate their burgers and fries to almost completion well before I ever saw the ice cream. Do better. Best thing here: strawberry margarita. Salty, not too sweet- delicious. 10/10 read more

The Shores Restaurant in La Jolla is a stunning beachfront spot with incredible ocean views that make any meal feel special. The menu features fresh, flavorful dishes that highlight local ingredients, and the service is attentive and welcoming. The ambiance strikes the perfect balance between relaxed and upscale, ideal for a romantic dinner, brunch with friends, or a family outing. Dining here is as much about the experience as it is the food, and every visit leaves a lasting impression. read more

Shores Restaurant - Wings - New American Near Me - La Jolla, California

Highly, highly, highly recommended!!! Really paradise. We came here on Mother's Day just before sunset. The setting and view are incredible!! It must be one of the best restaurant views in the world. The hostess was fantastic and sat us at a great table right away. The service from every staff member was impeccable. We got water right away, and drinks very shortly after. The waiter made great suggestions. There was something for everyone, from kids to vegans. We had the vegan burger, pasta with butter, sweet potato fries, Caesar Salad and Salmon. Everything was fantastic. Absolutely perfect, memorable experience from start to finish. I could see sitting at the bar or one of the reclining chairs outside and sipping on a drink and watching the sunset. It's now top of my list to take out-of-town visitors. It really showcases what a beautiful city San Diego is. I can't wait to go back. It doesn't get much better than this. read more

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Parking was free and easily validated for the beautiful restaurant. Service was excellent. The menu was disappointing. Chef lead Christmas Eve fixed three course offer with Turnip Bisque? Are you kidding me? Seriously? We passed and ordered the Short Rib Ragout Papparadella. Pasta was way overcooked. If it had been my order it would've been returned to the kitchen. My Poke was ok, but the rice seemed dried out. Really, for the price, the food was way below expectations. Had our waiter not brought lots of olives with my warm martini, I'd have subtracted another star. read more

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Didn't even know this was here. Not busy and the service was fast. Food was good, but it was mainly the atmosphere. I would come here again even if riding solo based off how fast the food came out read more

Shores Restaurant - Views - New American Near Me - La Jolla, California

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The service here and food was terrible. We ordered the croissant sandwich and it came out as two pieces of toast because they ran out of croissants but didn't tell us until they brought out the food. I also ordered a $26 avocado toast and it was burnt. So disappointed. The manager was also unpleasant he yelled at the waitresses for giving us forks. Shame on you. The only two waitresses that were helpful were chloe and isabella. read more

Decent service Beautiful view Parking is a bit of a hassle to find but the restaurant does offer a discount if you park in the garage. Our server was not as attentive as we would have liked we sat with empty glasses for most of our dinning experience. They don't have a large menu but the Caesar salad with shrimp was delicious. Luckily there are signs when you enter the hotel that guide you to the restaurant- I was still a bit lost but the man at the front counter was very friendly and pointed me in the right direction. read more

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Great food, sweet location - - - - - - - - February, 2025 Visit My wonderful wife and I just enjoyed a trip to Pam Desert and San Diego, with a visit to La Jolla. Cousins joined us in San Diego, for the Major League Soccer game, with the new San Diego FC team, hosting or St. Louis CITY SC team... and they recommended kayaking La Jolla Shores. THAT was a LOT of fun, and afterwards, we needed lunch. Shores restaurant is right on the beach... water, sand, sidewalk, Shores Restaurant. They have tables at ground level, open to the surf air, other outside tables shielded from ocean breezes with clear plexiglass /glass, and they have inside tables. They have several gluten feee (GF) options. We ordered and enjoyed: - burgers & fries - rockfish tacos Everything tasted incredibly good and the views are great! Thank you, [La Jolla Hotel &] Shores Restaurant! ----- ----- ----- read more

Stopped in late and sat at the bar. We had some good drinks and cool conversation with the bartender. The prices are ok.

I'm surprised this place got such poor reviews. I had a great meal there w/ a friend and the sunset beach view was amazing. Service was wonderful. read more

The service is great here and I love that you can sit by the ocean. They have heat lamps for when it's windy too. Very cute hotel on the beach. I got a drink with gin and lemonade in it and it was great plus very strong. The guac was really good and flavorful. My friends love their wings and Cobb salad. French fries were nice and crispy! I got the tuna poke and it was really fresh and delicious. Prices are fair as well! read more

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This restaurant is truly incredible!! To begin, let me describe my overall experience. Food: I ordered the lemon herb half chicken as well as pretzel bites and the bread platter. Oh my goodness. This was the best meal I have had at a restaurant in quite a while. The bread on the platter was coated nicely on the outside and soft on the inside. The pretzel bites came with two dipping sauces, cheese and mustard. I enjoyed the cheese sauce very much. The chicken was also marvelous! It was cooked perfectly and served with some incredible Mashed Potatoes. To top it all off, I ordered their delicious brownie dessert. It was the perfect mix of a warm brownie alongside some cool ice cream, chocolate syrup, and a crumbled up cookie. Overall, the food was a 10/10! Service: The service was unlike anything I had seen in recent years! My family and I were served by this lovely woman who was very kind and a true joy. She was speedy and very helpful! 10/10 for service! Ambiance: My family and I were at the restaurant during the evening, but I can imagine that it is even better to see the gorgeous blue ocean in the daytime from this restaurant! While we couldn't see the beautiful waves, being able to hear them was quite peaceful and pleasant. The inside of the restaurant felt very welcoming and provided a relaxing atmosphere. 10/10 for ambiance! Overall, this restaurant was truly wonderful. The food, service, and ambiance provided me with a delightful memory that my family and I will never forget. This restaurant has most definitely entered my top 5 restaurants list. Thank you Shores Restaurant for the incredible evening! read more

The service was horrible! We were seated and given 7 menus but then were only brought 6 water glasses, 6 utensil rolls, and 6 bread plates and not enough bread for everyone. Will was not attentive or helpful. I asked for the extra utensils and it took forever after multiple asks that I shared with someone else. We received our food and the French fries were hard, sweet potato fries soggy, and food was cold that should have been hot. I ordered an extra dressing with my meal and asked again when food was delivered and never received the extra dressing. Will asked when we first arrived if we wanted the heater, we said we were good at the moment, so then he rolled it away, but then since service took so long, we were freezing and would have loved the heater but it was moved away from our table and never offered again. The food wasn't even that good and with this poor of service - sadly I won't ever be returning. read more

We came for the Christmas buffet, at $89 per person. It was good, yes, just good. Service was lacking big time. I ended up asking the person who kept filling our waters who the server actually was and he said the bartender, Dylan. Odd, since he only came to our table when we first sat down. He was really just standing behind the bar chatting it up with another worker. The bill was $192 and I only left him $25. BUT.....I gave another $40 to the 2 workers who continuously kept our waters full. We ended up having to ask one of them for our bill because Dylan was non existent. A table next to us had to get up and ask for a few things as well. If it was busy I could understand but it wasn't at all. Beautiful place, ocean view. read more

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Service - good, polite, attentive. Ambience - good, nothing fancy, seating next to beach walk over artificial turf, possibly see the sunset if timing it right. Food - So, so. Salmon came with just sauce & some round, caper-like stuff. No taste. $40. (Farm-raised salmon is $4.99 for an 8 oz portion). Second dish was some kind of steak with fries; steak was chewy as I was told. No bread and butter. Very simple dinners. read more

We had a very disappointing experience here. We wanted to have some drinks along the beach before sunset and saw half price margarita mondays advertised on their website. When we sat down we were not told about happy hour even when we asked about drink specials they said there weren't any. Then we asked again about happy hour and were finally told yes. When we went to pay the drinks were full price and it took several rounds with a manager to have this fixed. We were told that you don't get happy hour or any specials unless you explicitly ask. If you don't ask you don't get the special the restaurant is advertising? On top of all that the service was half hearted and very sporadic. This was a huge disappointment. read more

Great spot right on the beach--can't beat the view, especially around sunset. The vibe is relaxed but still polished. Menu's not huge, but everything on it looked solid and the dishes we tried were fresh and well done. Perfect for a laid-back dinner by the water. Would definitely come back. The ceviche is worth a try. I had the short rib ragu for dinner. It was heavy on the mushrooms, but it worked well. read more

Shores Restaurant - Short Rib Ragu - New American Near Me - La Jolla, California

Iconic restaurant, unfortunately overrated. I should've listened to the other reviews. Ordered the ceviche and the steak -- the ceviche made me sick, and the steak was disappointing. Their chips were stale, and even the guacamole was just okay. Wouldn't recommend. read more

Excellent seafood with an incredible view. The staff is friendly and attentive. I always order the Fish Trio with veggies--three types of fish, each cooked and paired with a different sauce. read more

Shores Restaurant - Fish trio - New American Near Me - La Jolla, California

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CHRISTMAS DAY BUFFET 2023 Just want to leave this review based on the experience my family and I had. It was a party of 7 sitting outside. What bothered us the most is that they allow people to bring in their dogs to the dining area. The space between tables was so narrow and limited. While we were eating an older man lifted his corgi dog off the floor to walk through. I'm not lying when I say the dogs hair were seen floating and flying through the air landing on our plates. I don't plan to attend this place for a special event again. We stopped eating as we lost our appetites since they obviously don't enforce a pet policy here. Just my input to those who may be allergic to dogs or would also be disgusted of dog hair landing on their food from the buffet. Even though this is 2 years late the experience still lingers as a place not to attend. read more

Nice place to stay and eat. I had several meals here as I stayed at the hotel for a few days. The muscles were great and the chips and guacamole were the best items I had. Plus the nice bar tender made me a couple pina coladas that we're amazing. The worse thing was the Caesar salad. It was super fishy and disgusting. I could eat more than two bites. I think I heard them say they were short staffed abd my waiter made sure that night to let me know. He was very unfriendly. This is a great place for light bites during the day. read more

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I had a salad that was delicious. It was huge and I made 2 meals of it. Fresh ingredients and very tasty. Presentation was perfect. It's always wonderful to sit on the patio and watch the ocean. They had live music for the holiday and Susanna was my server. It's always so nice to see her every time I visit. Definitely recommend! read more

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Parking was easy peasy. Thank goodness for the hotel's parking garage, or we wouldn't have been able to find parking. They validate, so that was another plus! We asked to be seated outside on the lawn, which was great for people watching. The weather was perfect and the view was entertaining. I've never had a sunny side up egg on my burger, but that, along with the jalapeno bacon was incredibly delicious. You know it's a good burger when you need multiple napkins. Hubby enjoyed his club sandwich, but agreed that my burger was the star of our brunch. read more

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The location of this restaurant is fantastic... right on the beach, live music and the bar has a great view. But the service was awful!!!! It was busy what so ever but I took over 5 minutes for some to greet me, 7 minutes to figure out where to sit and then another 8min for the sever to come. I decided to just have a cocktail and eat elsewhere. read more

Place is cool, right on the beach in a nice hotel. However the food is just not good and super expensive. Our medium rare burger came out dry and well done. The ranch chicken sandwich was dry with no flavor. Fries were good, but couldn't save it. read more

It's nothing crazy when it comes to food but the location is amazing. The food is still solid and can serve as a great place to eat that is basically right on the beach. Great to take people who are from out of town. read more

The hotel and restaurant are extremely dated, and feels very 'worn out'. The signage in the hotel has that cheap industrial feel to it- like one click above 'we got these signs at staples'. It's dark and cavernous. The bathrooms feel like old church basement... little rusty 'eljay' pipes sticking out, leaning partitions with rusty screws and builder basic tile. The restaurant was 'meh'. The prices were high and the taste was very basic. I had the tequila citrus chicken. Basically fried chicken with a dash of something like lemon pepper rub on it, right outta the jar. Maybe there could have been a sprinkle of tequila in the salsa verde? Not clear. My wife had the fish tacos. She said they were 'okay'. The iced tea was good though!!!! The view was great!!! The service was good. The place was nearly empty though on a Friday night. Parking is a nightmare too. I wouldn't put THE SHORES on my list again. read more

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Came in for lunch and found that this was a very nice restaurant for being in a hotel. I expected average service with average food but was pleasantly surprised. My wife had a mimosa flight and I had a Bloody Mary that were both very good. If you're looking for a nice spot for lunch with some nice views, stop at the Shores Restaurant. read more

Great view of the beach (and a sunset if you're lucky) and good food make this a worthwhile place to finish your day in La Jolla. Right off the boardwalk, The Shores has a nice ambience. The ribeye was tasty, the fish tacos were fine. The ceviche was delicious but they shouldn't have charged me $5 for a few more chips to finish it. My cioppino was very good, with large chunks of fresh seafood and good crisp bread for dunking We didn't eat on ground level, which was fine by me; it was even better to be up the stairs on the patio so I could look over all the umbrellas down to the surf. Our server Luke was very helpful and gregarious. We appreciated all of his insight on the meal and the area. We finished the dinner with two helpings of the churros and ice cream, and none of it survived. Come for the view. Stay for the view. But the meal was also pretty darn good. read more

Shores Restaurant - Clockwise from left: ribeye, cioppino, fish tacos, birria. Yum! - New American Near Me - La Jolla, California