Reservations not needed but highly recommended. After we arrived, we understood why: the place was populated during dinner time especially on weekends. However, we were immediately seated at a very cozy table for two outside with a nice heater - albeit still a bit chilly considering the day started out quite warm. Our attentive and stellar servers were Candace and Ben. Since it was our first time at Valentina, our attentive and stellar servers recommended appetizers, main entree and dessert. Each course that came did not disappoint as our palate reached nirvana with each and every bite we took. I ordered the pork schnitzel as my main course while my partner succumbed to his eyes that were drawn to the ingredients of the seabass. We both shared squash soup and a separate plate of grilled square shaped potatoes that were a perfect pairing we devoured with satisfaction. Dessert came as a surprise, as we were served not one but two desserts - the latter was an added thoughtfulness, acknowledging my partner's birthday. The taste was divine! The bill totaled at just a little over $100, which we expected for this fine dining experience. Oh yes, we plan to return - even way before the next birthday. In the meantime, happy eats everyone and hope to see around town. read more

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Upscale tapas place - be prepared to leave a lot of money for small plates, but very worthy plates. Seafood paella as well as clams were top choices for everyone in our group. Service was also very attentive. Lastly, they have my most favorite soap in the bathroom and I made a point to wash my hands multiple times during dinner service just to experience the scent. Small thing but leaves lasting impression read more

I think I would have written a better review had it not been New Year's night. It's possible the kitchen had an off night, as overall the food leaned overly salty. The standout dish was the patatas bravas! They had the perfect texture: crispy on the outside and tender on the inside. The potatoes themselves were well flavored and the sauces elevated every bite. The kabocha soup was too salty and we werent able to get through more than a few spoonfuls. To their credit, our server generously removd it from the bill. The octopus had a great exterior texture, but the inside was chewy. The beans and green sauce served alongside it were underseasoned and undercooked. Our server recommended the shrimp with bread which turned out to be excellent. The buttery garlicky sauce with the bread was sinfully good; slightly spicy and irresistible. The shrimp itself was perfectly cooked and ful of flavor. Worth trying again this small and charming restaurant read more

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LOVE. I've been here a few times now and it's on my favorites list these days. Some of my favorite dishes so far: pan con tomate y jamón iberico, arroz del senyoret (like a seafood paella with a lot of socarrat), chuleton, alcachofas, buñelos Very cute interior and great service as well. read more

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My second time here- equally as amazing as the first. Celebrated a friends birthday; and they took a cute Polaroid when we were seated! We shared all of our dishes and it was the best way to try everything! We got: Tuna Carpaccio Steak Tartare Octopus Artichokes Steak Frites (forgot to snap a photo) Crema Catalana for dessert. Will be back again read more

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Delicious meal! And they were able to accommodate our large party size (9ppl), which was their only large table in the restaurant. Otherwise, would recommend smaller group (4ppl) in this more intimate setting. Appetizers were all very tasty, even their bread! Which we ordered to pair with the clams, and the garlic shrimp. I was most impressed by the patatas bravas. Of the main courses, the sea bass was amazing! read more

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Came here for dinner and it did not disappoint. In the evenings it has a dark, moody vibe which creates a lovely atmosphere ( though you will have to dig out the iPhone light to see anything on the menu. Enjoyed a couple of their appetizers- namely tbe poke and the smashed artichoke and enjoyed the octopus for the main course which was very good. Service was fantastic throughout the evening and it was a great choice! read more

Valentina - Octopus - Seafood Near Me - Encinitas, California

4.5/5. What a lovely romantic neighborhood restaurant! My friend suggested catching up over dinner here, one of her favorites. Our server was warm and friendly, and she took good care of our table. I also loved their unique candle holders that were basically giant mounds of drippy, melted wax. For drinks, I enjoyed my sangria, which had the perfect balance of sweet fruitiness and wine, but I wished the gin and tonic had the option of adding other flavor elements. Highlights of the meal were the delightfully crispy patatas bravas, warm basque cake, and alcachofa (smashed seared artichokes). We also savored the tuna tartar, pan tomaquet con iberico (although the bread could have been more toasted), pulpo con alubias (octopus and white beans), mussels, arroz del senyoret (paella-like rice). I'd definitely recommend this spot for date nights and special occasions! read more

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Valentina has quality, flavorful and unique Spanish cuisine. The parking was difficult, so we parked in the dirt road across. We were seated on the bar since we didn't have a reservation for dinner. Shoutout to David! David was cool, attentive, and friendly. He took time to explain the menu. We ordered , -Arroz Del Synoret 5/5 It is Valentina's version of paella. The rice was crispy and there was a great amount of seafood in the dish. It is highly recommended. -Steak Tiradito 5/5 It is Chimchuri, pickled Fresno. It was flavorful and well marinated. The steak was juicy and tender. -Side salad was very fresh -Crudo Del Dia 5/5 Bluefin was the fish of the day. It was really perfect. For dessert -Creme Catalina 5/5 Spanish Custard topped with caramelized sugar. It had creamy and rich texture. The service was top notch. We had an excellent experience and outstanding dinner. The restaurant had very cozy vibes. I cannot wait to go back and try more dishes. I highly recommend Valentina. read more

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Came here to celebrate bday on a Friday night, this place was packed. The ambiance was relaxed with a cottage feel. Every so often, you could hear the whistles of the train passing by. We ordered: 1. Pulpo con Alubias : 5/5, sweet and tender octopus with white beans 2. Gamles al Ajillo : 4.5/5, garlic shrimp in delicious chili oil, perfect to enjoy it with their soft and warm bread. 3. Crudo del Día: 4/5, blue fin tuna with a silky and citrusy sauce. 4. Alcachofa : 5/5, smashed seared artichoke with aioli, perfect crispy soft bite, super delicious! 5. Chicken Paillard : 3/5 , light but full of zing with that lemon mustard sauce. 6. Steak & Potatoes : 4/5, a hearty classic 7. Arroz del Senyoret - 5/5, crispy arroz rice with seafood. This dish had the perfect socarrat, that golden, toasty bottom layer, and each grain of rice was coated with infused flavorful oil. Superb! Desserts: 1. Buñuelos : 2.5/5 , fried dough + cinnamon + sugar. It was pretty light and puffy, but I prefer a little bolder flavor in cinnamon. 2. Crema Catalana : 2.5/5, crème brûlée with that burnt sugar crackle, it was light but lack of creaminess. 3. Basque Cake: 2.5/5, pastry cream, cherries, vanilla ice cream, it was not as rich and creamy as I prefer. Overall, the savory dishes were all so delicious, this place definitely is a gem. read more

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We used to come to Valentina almost weekly back in 2021 and had tried everything on the menu back then. Fast forward a few years and we finally made it back, and it was still delicious. While a lot of their menu has changed, they still had some of our favorites such as the steak frites, gambas, and basque cheesecake. We used to love their corn soup and would get it every time, but their current soup was a butternut squash soup which was yummy as well, although I liked the corn soup better. We tried their smashed artichokes for the first time and these were perfectly grilled. They were very busy when we went last night so it did take a bit of time for our server to come around to us, but they were able to seat us earlier than our reservation which was very appreciated by our group. It has a cozy modern vibe with really great candleholders throughout. Definitely recommend read more

Valentina - Steak frites, gambas (shrimp) with a side of bread, smashed artichokes, and squash soup - Seafood Near Me - Encinitas, California

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Oorah! We were seated and then served within 2-3 minutes. Absolutely great service. Arroz del senyoret is a must and i mean a MUST! We had to order it twice. The sangria was delicious as not being too sweet. I would definitely return here over and over again!! read more

Great service and atmosphere. Tuna Carpaccio was the highlight of our meal. Steak Tartare was alright, would be better if the chips were slightly crispier. Potato bravas was second best and was a much better side than the artichoke dish. The seafood rice has a mild seafood flavor and reuses the aioli from the artichokes. Capers seem to find their way into many dishes. Overall great place and not too pricey. Everything shown here + 3 drinks came out just under 200$. Solid meal. 4.3/5 if I could be more accurate. read more

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Went back on a Saturday around 6:30 and was immediately seated without a reservation at the bar. Ordered cachofa and it's a new favorite for me. Flattened artichokes with charred bits, dolloped with an aioli or something then finished with a squeeze of lemon. So good. The arroz del senyoret is also very yummy. Served on a hot platter so the bottom rice gets crispy, nicely cooked head on shrimp and other seafood. Pan tomate is a classic banger. Toast is very crispy. I like it with a touch more salt but I really like salt. Migas y setas was great: good portion of mushrooms that we quickly inhaled. Still a favorite date spot. read more

Beautiful atmosphere - prices were reasonable but there was zero protein options for vegetarians. The patas bravas was delicious and Shishito peppers. Just wish they had more of a protein selection for non meat eaters. Service was good. Nothing blew me away though. read more

I treated my partner to a romantic birthday dinner date night, and Valentina checked all of the boxes! We were greeted almost immediately upon being seated. Our waiter was super friendly and was able to offer some excellent suggestions. Ultimately, we decided to try a bit of everything! Here's what we had ~ Spanish Sashimi Olives Croquetas de Iberico Pan Tomate Tartare Schnitzel Quail We loved the experience! read more

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Had an amazing time! Valentina's food is amazing!!! Morgan is super amazing! The hospitality, service, ambiance, decor, cleanliness, food and ALL.... I loved! Tip: parking looks tricky, but, ounce you realize you. A park across the street... lol! It's not... so just know there is plenty of parking across the street. read more

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Stumbled upon this spot and am so glad we did. Delicious food, beautiful ambiance. The servers and hosts were so kind and welcoming. Next time we visit, we'll plan on a couple hours and sharing a bottle of wine. Thank you for the great experience! read more

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I've known about this place for some time, but I never had a chance to come up here for dinner since it's a bit far from my house. My friend lives nearby, so we came here to celebrate her birthday. We made the rsvp for 6 pm on Saturday, and when we got there, the place was packed. The hostess was lovely, and we were seated right away. The place had lots of tables and nice bar seating inside. We ordered a few tapas: grilled octopus, artichokes, sausages, bread, and thin seared steak (I forgot the name). Arichokes and grilled octopus were our favorites; the octopus was very soft, and the green sauce with beans was delicious. The sausages were too salty for our liking. Overall, the food was good but a bit pricy for the portion (it's tapas). Our server was super tentative, and the food came out pretty quickly. She brought churros as a birthday treat; they were warm, crunchy, and delicious. Overall, we had a great time, and I would return to try more dishes. The ambiance is beautiful and great for a small group dinner or a date. read more

Wonderful date night at Valentina. Sat inside at one of the booths. Service was great and the food was excellent. Highlights of the evening were the patatas bravas, the steak tiradito, the weinerschnitzel, and the basque cake. We also had the tuna tartare and the churros type dessert which were good, but nothing to rave about or that I would order again. Will certainly be back for the atmosphere, and great food. read more

Valentina - Weiner schnitzel - Seafood Near Me - Encinitas, California

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The restaurant's ambiance was incredibly relaxing and quiet. The theme was seafood, Spanish, and Mediterranean. If you're looking for a great place to have lunch or a romantic dinner, this restaurant is a must-try! read more

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Stunning. Absolutely stunning. The food, service, wine. Relaxed atmosphere and carefully curated menu. I came here for a solo dinner and was so pleasantly impressed with my experience. read more

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Super friendly staff with indoor/outdoor seating. It can accomodate a few larger groups. They have some tables just for reservations. Got full after 6pm even on a Monday evening. The best tapas I've had in a while. We only did tapas because we wanted to try everything and there were only 2 of us. The blistered shishito peppers were pretty good. The The potatoes bravas were excellent. Layers of sliced potatoes packed into a cube topped with 2 different sauces. My favorites were probably the local mushrooms with breadcrumbs and smashed seared artichoke. Never had artichokes like that before. Tried the basque cake which was good but really liked the churros. They were so light, crispy, and had layers of flakiness like a croissant. Need to go back with a bigger group so we can try some entrees. read more

Food was amazing! We ordered a few different appetizers, a salad and a main dish to share. Everything was yummy! The dessert was amazing! Service was good compared to how busy they were. As the place calmed down, the server became more attentive but overall I can't wait to go back when we are in that area. Ambiance was on the noisy side. Very loud:) also a train passes by every so often. read more

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Delicious tapas & more, a little on the pricey side, but worth it. They do have a good Happy hour, which I had only one of, as everything I wanted was not on it. My waitress service at the bar was excellent, friendly and helpful, in fact all servers were nice from start to finish. read more

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We had friends visiting from out of town and wanted to take me out for my birthday and my daughter made reservations at Valentina. This was my first time and I've heard so many great things so we were excited to experience this adorable restaurant. We made a reservation for 5 and a baby ( not a good place for babies.) I won't go into details but the person who "greeted" us at the door was very rude and condescending and let us know that they open at 5 o'clock not 5 till. We understood and waited for the restaurant to open. We were shown to our table and then made aware that there wasn't room for the stroller, again understandable, but the way it was communicated was abrupt and she offered no solution. Luckily after asking if we could sit at a lower, smaller table they accommodated us with the warning that this is the only time they will do this. Phew! Once we were seated a lovely server turned the whole experience around! We ordered the octopus, artichokes, mussels, steak frits, sea bass and a few other treats. The food was beyond excellent and the wine we paired was on point. Our server acknowledged the greeting we received and apologized for the way we were treated. We walked out with full belly's and warm hearts and are looking forward to our next visit. read more

Right on the wall it reads: "Relax, this is not a fancy place." It does have a great ambiance but the prices reflect that of a fancy and bougée eatery. We waited over 5 minutes for our server. Service is definitely that of a relaxed eatery, not a fancy place, but, if you're going to price gouge is at least give us good service. I ordered a sangria for $13. At least fill that wine glass at 3/4 instead of 1/2 full. Come on! Half an empty glass for $13 is that of a fancy place. I then ordered a glass of wine. Same thing, 1/2 empty. Let's move to the food. We ordered Steak Fritte for $39. Definitely was wishing for something much more tasty and tender. We also had Croquette Imberico for an appetizer. $15 for 4 little rolls that tasted like it came out of a frozen box at Trader Joe's. On a positive note, We also ordered Mussels and side of French fries. These were actually good. Priced around $20. My entree was the Seabass with mashed potatoes. Tasty but small portions. I believe this was priced around $27. The bottom line is we felt this place was definitely over priced for the quality and portions. They didn't win us over and won't be going back. . read more

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Nice vibe. Solid service. What we got: * ($24) Arroz Del Senyoret was OK. Not memorable * ($110) Chuleton (32oz ribeye) was poorly prepared. Ordered it medium rare...half of it was well done, quarter was rare, quarter was actually medium rare. Very disappointing. * ($14) Patatas Bravas looked good in Yelp photos, but IRL, they're just potato wedges. Not memorable. * ($18) Basque Cake was best part of meal. Tastes like kettlecorn. * ($10) Crema Catalana- Taste like every other crème brûlée you've had. * ($60) Sangria and spritz cocktails were great * ($7) Sparkling water = With tip, we spent ~$330 I was told it's best to visit Valentina during the day and just getting tapas. We probably screwed up going for dinner and getting entrees. We're very likely to give it another try, but our first visit wasn't the best. read more

Such a cute and cozy spot in Encinitas with wonderful food. We went here on a Saturday night and it was a great spot for a date. I would definitely recommend making a reservation in advance because it was pretty busy. The restaurant has a casual but more elevated vibe and the interior is cozy and well decorated. We had the steak with chimichurri, potato bravas, shrimp, crispy rice, and octopus. All the dishes were wonderful and id recommend any of them based off what your preferences are. My personal favorites were the steak and the shrimp dish. I'll definitely be planning on coming back and trying a different menu of theirs! read more

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This place is fabulous! We came here for my daughter's birthday and could not have been more pleased. It was intimate but still super fun and stimulating. The food was glorious from the oysters to the octopus to the crispy rice. The presentation was beautiful and the taste was perfect. I loved the elevated casual vibe. I'm definitely coming back for my anniversary. The churros were a revelation- do not skip! read more

Valentina - Perfect place for celebration or first date- such a lovely atmosphere - Seafood Near Me - Encinitas, California

We enjoyed the food and lively environment . The tapas style plates were unique and amazingly good. Each plate was 18 - 24 so be ready to pay but worth every penny read more

Food here overall is really good with Spanish style tapas but some of the dishes feel a little heavy on the sauce and the cream. The service was on point and the ambience is fairly romantic. read more

Loved the ambiance and the tapas! Celebrated my daughter's birthday and finished with a wonderful dessert. Look forward to returning again. read more

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This was our last night visiting the San Diego area so we wanted to go someplace special. We found Valentina, and it is special. The food and service was 5 stars, however, I have to subtract 1 star for the sidewalk seating. It is right along the train track, and the train came by 3 times during our meal. It's so loud we can't hear the person next to you. It's also along a busy street, where some motorcyclists feel they have to rev their engine extra loud. However, on the positive side, each table is separated by a large olive tree, so you have your own private space. The food here is sophisticated, but not stuffy. The staff is friendly, knowledgeable, and casual. The plates are small and meant to be shared. What we ordered: + Chicken paillard - butterflied chicken breast in a lemon mustard sauce. The chicken is flavorful, and the sauce we so good, I could have licked the plate. I wish there was just a bit more sauce, though. + Pesa del dia - tonight's fish was monk fish with roe over mashed potatoes. The fish was buttery smooth, and the roe pops in your mouth. Potatoes were soft and delicious. The serving was very small though; about the size of a side dish. + Side salad - spring greens in a vinaigrette dressing, with pepitas, olives, red onions, and red peppers. All the components complimented each other. + Basque cake - what a way to end a meal. Cake with pastry cream, cherries, and served with a scoop of vanilla ice cream. The best part is the burnt edges on top of the cake. Our server also recommended a Donkey and Goat chardonnay blend, which paired wonderfully with our meal. Overall, a wonderful experience. read more

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First, you all have to pardon the crummy food pictures. I was having too much fun and the vibe was just outrageous. Last night it was packed and everyone was out to have fun which is the way it should be. kalen our server was fantastic and he was overwhelmed with a lot of crazy tables, but took great care of our table. We started with Wine and ended with Wine as it should be in between we had some quail, great chicken and my favorite thing schnitzel. As good as the food is, the atmosphere is better. I've seen this restaurant grow since it opened and they've learned that the experience and the energy are just as important as the food can't wait to go back. read more

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Ok, so while deciding where to go in Encinitas for dinner I stumble upon this place. The ambiance is cute and the wait staff/ host were great offf the get! We got the steak tartare, patata bravas, squash soup, brocolini, and the pork schnitzel. We were hungry boys. The patatas bravas was like soooooooooo good. Potatoes light and creamy with sauce a flavorful sauce and aoili. Like seriously I luved them (probs my fave thing)!!!! The steak tar was alright it had a soft delicate flavor but I don't know why it's paired with their thin potato chips... kinda makes me feel cheap. Squash soup was packed with FLAVOR! Probably the most flavorful thing we ordered but a little bit to thick for me, personally like my soup on da creamy side I wanted the schnitzel to be that girl and sadly it just wasn't. It was cooked to perfection and had a nice sauce, but idk the flavor just didn't jump at me and tackle me to the floor. Overall I think none of the flavors on my plate really made my eyes roll to the back of my head. Like a place like this needs a signature dish that's like one of a kind and make it a commodity. Everything was good but eh, nothing really great. I would definetly say check it out but, I probably won't come again personally. Once again the staff was INCREDIBLE AND SOOOO LOVLEY. They're the reason I'm giving 4 stars. But nothing I had today is gonna get me back in the resturant again. read more

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Valentina is a cute little restaurant with casual and intimate setting; however, the train nearby runs through occasionally and for me, causes quite a disturbance. The service is casual but perhaps a bit too hands off. First off, the sangria was disappointing. Small in portion for $39, and lacking the fruity infused flavor especially when diluted with a big chunk of ice in the glass. Food overall was overall good but not outstanding. Crudo (tuna) Del día was fresh and light. Good but nothing you can't find in other places. The rest of dishes followed the same theme - gambas al ajillo, steak and potatoes, and octopus. Good but not a standout. My favorites were the artichoke and their version of paella (arroz del senyoret). The artichoke was soft with crispy edges and with the aioli it was delicious. The rice dish had a few mixed seafood and plenty of the crispy rice; however, I found the saffron flavor lacking and not enough of the softer rice that absorbs the seafood juices. It was tasty but not compared some of the more flavorful paellas. The chicken paillard was juicy but bland. The desserts - basque cake, crème brûlée, and buñuelo were all ok but nothing I would order again. Not a bad overall experience but I wouldn't go out of my way to return. read more

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Ended up here after accidentally going to the wrong address on our GPS. This was down the road. Best "mistake!" My boyfriend and I came right at 5pm. They were booked up on reservations as it was Valentine's weekend but had one nice table available for an 1.5 hrs just long enough for an amazing experience. We had the carpcho de pulpo (sous vide octopus) which was tasted fresh and delicious. The chiles on top gave it the perfect kick. I only wish a had a bit of bread because there was an abundance of olive oil, cilantro, green onion chile mix left on the plate when the seafood was devoured. Yummm! For entree I had the lubina con patatas (sea bass and potatoes). It was a creamy soft cozy meal. I throughly enjoyed it. My boyfriend had schnitzel which I am not a fan of so I have to compliment and say this one was actually tasty. In fact I used the lemon wedge that came with his food to perfect mine. I enjoy Tempranillo (which they had) and noticed they also had a Tempranillo Rosé which I got instead as I thought a lighter wine would pair better with fish. Great choice. Would order again. The star of the evening was the desert which I don't generally ever order, bc Im too full and often restaurants deserts are an afterthought, not where the heart and would went, and certainly not worth the extra calories. Not here. The crema catalana was incredible! My favorite desert is crème brûlée and this similar desert topped so many (bad) recommendations of crème brûlée from San Deigns for years. This is it!! Incredible no words. I also want note that our server Isa was top notch. I no doubt our evening would not have turned out as memorable without him. He is for sure an invaluable asset to this establishment. Attentive, knowledgable, warm, humorous, and always made sure we were taken care of. Fantastic evening. read more

Valentina - carpacho de pulpo - Seafood Near Me - Encinitas, California

Had the best experience at Valentina! Staff was super friendly right when we walked in and our server Kimi was amazing and recommended plates for us to share. Shared a bottle of Pinot Noir and enjoyed multiple tapas plates. I will definitely come back for another date night or special event. read more

Valentina - Gambas and Bread - Seafood Near Me - Encinitas, California

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Incredible service. Incredible food. Incredible vibe. The papas bravas and the arroz were fantastic. Some of the most flavorful sauces we've ever had. We'll definitely be back to try more dishes. There's a discount if you pay cash. Also, you don't need a reservation to eat outside. read more

Valentina - Papas bravas - Seafood Near Me - Encinitas, California

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