Really amazing spot, great vibes and all food is absolutely delicious. I had oysters, mussels, seafood paella and steak there and all was so good. I am craving it still. Must eat in Encinitas. read more

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Awesome gem of a restaurant. Great food, amazing service, great atmosphere. Always our go to for date night

Solid meal all around, amidst inattentive service and poor operations. We all enjoyed our meals, although found the food generally unremarkable. The one exception was the Basque Cake, which was outstanding. The overhead heat lamps cycled on and off all dinner, leaving us cold at times. Several requests to turn the heat back on were ignored by staff. With so many local options, we won't be rushing back. read more

We've all been there: In town for one night, wanna have a nice dinner -- but only one shot to not screw it up. So, where do you go? Valentina. I stopped here for dinner while just walking around, and I was very impressed. Vibes were spot on. Service was great. Wine pairings were great -- and accurate. And the food was perfect. I've lived in Brooklyn, Chicago, Los Angeles -- roll your eyes, go ahead -- but Valentina's sea bass with lemon butter sauce happily rivals anything those big food cities can muster. Highly rec. read more

This place was everything I've covered. With a Spanish style, the atmosphere matched perfectly. Just like the small cafes and restaurants you'll find in Europe, this place offers the same European vibe. 2 small dining rooms with Max of 17-20 people each, the waiters are very attentive so service was excellent. The menu was a bit on the pricey end but the food was amazing. I had lunch with my mom and sister and we shared everything we ordered. We decided to try the chicken paella, chimmichuri steak and frites, and an heirloom tomato and thyme salad. The food was fresh, and though what I thought to be small portions, actually turned out to be the perfect amount of food. I would recommend this place for first date, dinner with friends, or even a lovely Sunday brunch. Though parking was extremely limited I would still come out to have food again. I will definitely be returning and recommending this place to all. read more

Valentina - Steak frites and chicken paella - Seafood Near Me - Encinitas, California

Wow!!! This restaurant was amazing. The service, ambiance, and food was all amazing. Love that it's a smaller space so it's more intimate. Must get the octopus and black rice! Music was a bit loud but nothing crazy, was just expecting it to be quieter for a small place. 100% would recommend. read more

Had a very nice experience here tonight except when they tried to squeeze seven of us in a booth that will only fit 6 skinny adults. Luckily we were able to switch to the community table, which worked out okay (but was not ideal). The food was delicious except for the Wiener schnitzel. The two men who ordered it both said it was tough, which maybe is not unusual there as they were served with steak knives!? We do not recommend it. Minus one star. With seven of us, we were able to try many of the other appetizers and dishes mentioned in other reviews, and they were good. So, no need to write about them. read more

Love their paella! Service was excellent with friendly and helpful staff. Ambiance is light and comfortable.

We love Valentina! Food and staff are always great! Make sure to make a reservation or call ahead, seating is limited.

Loved everything about this spot - even though it was a bit pricey it was a memorable night. way to go team Valentina !

We ate dinner on a Monday night. The place was quite full, but high backs on the seating kept it quiet. We had a few appetizers, drinks and an entree. The wine selection was very nice, with a standout Tempranillo. It was fairly expensive ~$14/glass. The star of the appetizers was the spot prawns and the squid. Both were fresh and garlicky. I would skip the Cesar salad and the fried artichoke. Both were below average in flavor. The entree was a short rib with mashed potatoes and asparagus. It was good, but $34 seemed quite high and it was listed much lower on the menu. Food came out fast. Service was adequate not special. In some cases perhaps a little slow paced. Overall, go for the seafood. It was wonderful and I will return for it. The other stuff was expensive and underwhelming. read more

Liked the restaurant. Felt tables were to close together. The calamari with black rice was flavorful enjoyable. Also had a lamb shank , was very happy with the lamb, the polenta was a bit average. All in all I will go back. Service was very good. Basque cake was also very good. Recommended read more

Great food, wine list, and ambiance! The fresh oysters are always one of my favorites. Love going there for brunch as well I would recommend making a reservation since they are a busy restaurant. read more

Don't waste your time. Food is unremarkable, service is terrible, and they will nickel and dime you in everything. Go elsewhere

*DURING COVID* this is the SPOT. Just went here for dinner, our waiter was so knowledgable & nice. Great conversation with staff. i tried the steak tartare, i was so worried about trying it but our waiter convinced me it was GOOD & it so was. The drinks were cute & classy & i loved the atmosphere. Ill be back! read more

Great service. The restaurant is fun and decorated just right. I love the self Portraits.

Great find via Yelp. Great wines, delicious apps and food (schnitzel ). Service was A+. Probably a good idea to make a reservation.

Food was great...flavorful and prepared well. Dessert was good, but my least favorite. Nice selection of drinks. Service was outstanding...friendly, helpful, knowledgeable, approachable, happy employees and accommodating. Place is clean. Nice vibe and atmosphere. Will be going back. This place is not for people who are looking for huge servings. Recommend! read more

They brought back the wrong credit card after we paid (although to their defense it was from the same bank and the same color card, just a different name). Neither I nor the other person noticed, so it literally took hours with the bank to fix all the wrong charges when we finally did realize the mistake. When I called the manager, Justin, he promised to call me back with a way to make it right but of course he never did, so I will never go back. read more

Absolute Gem in North County. Love this for a European-ish feel (at the bar). Deliciously unique food options with great wine pairings and an over-all treat to experience. read more

Great food and drinks, awesome little restaurant so glad my son recommended it for my wedding anniversary. Service was excellent and so was the staff highly recommend this place. read more

Valentina - My Husband Paella was so on point highly recommend - Seafood Near Me - Encinitas, California

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Felt really special on my birthday here. Super cute little booths and best dinner I've had in North County so far (looking at you, Herb & Sea!) read more

Loveeeeee the oysters!!! Have been back twice now just for this appetizer. My absolute favorite, especially pairing with my favorite Rosé. read more

Valentina - Seafood Near Me - Encinitas, California

Beautiful aesthetic, nice staff and the food is fresh. I ordered the sashimi, robust flavor. The bread/crouton was okay, and the catch of the day was bass with Yukon potatoes and asparagus. 10/10 Crispy full of flavor. Ask for the mustard that comes with the steak tartare!! read more

we got a bunch of different tapas plates which was pretty good. My friends tried different wines Albarino, which was very fine

I have come here many times and the food and service has usually always been stellar. I recently came right after Christmas and the kitchen/ wine program/ food was amazing as expected however I have to say my experience was very affected by our server, Jade. I am a server myself and very understanding, however I just couldn't ignore how aloof, short and seemingly condescending the server was to our table. If we were patronizing some cheap diner, I would expect this disconnected, transactional service we received, but when we're paying a $300+ for a dinner, it dissuades me from wanting to return. The best service I got was from one of the runners asking how we wanted our meal packaged. read more

Ambiance , food and welcoming staff. Love the steak and the crudo. Good wine choices.

Utterly charming, perfect for a date night. Kim took great care of us, she made us feel right at home despite a very busy evening. Outdoor seating with over table heaters worked well on a cold night. Each table is well positioned to create an intimate feel. It still feels like a neighborhood place yet more upscale. Food was fantastic. We had the tomato bread with Iberian ham, artichokes, pork cutlet and sea bass finished off with a delectable basque cake. Extensive wine list and well made cocktails made for a perfect evening. read more

Awesome food, vibe and service. Would recommend . Everything was amazing except for the lamb meatballs which were just okay. Don't sleep on the artichoke it's a hidden gem. Muscles, basque cake, and crispy rice with seafood also incredible. read more

No complaints...and that's saying something..we have our standards and this enjoyable eating experience was stellar ! Only wish they had a liquor license...can't wait to come back ...I'm not gonna name everything we ordered because I don't think there is any point they pay a lot of attention to every detail ...all sooooo good !!! read more

This place is really nice and the food is top notch. The decor is elegant, but comfortable. The staff is super accommodating and made sure I got a table I wanted. I travel for business and would bring clients here on a future trip. read more

Relaxed atmosphere with very good service and exceptional food. We will be going back. We decided to go to Valentina's in Encinitas for lunch. It turned out to be a very good choice. Although parking might be a problem, we got lucky and found a spot right on 101. The place was active but Harvey, the waiter, did an excellent job. He greeted everybody warmly and spent more than enough time going over the menu with us. Despite managing the place on his own the food arrived hot and gave time to talk and relax. The décor was an eclectic beach vibe that served to contribute to the relaxed atmosphere. The food was excellent! The Gambas as Ajillo arrived piping hot and very flavorful. The Mussels Meuniere were equally as good. The only very minor complaint was that there was not enough bread to sop up the delicious juices. I would also strongly recommend the Paella Rice. We really enjoyed the butter crunch and flavor. Finally, the Tomaquet con Jamon Iberico should not be missed. Perfect. We finished off with the Bunuelos. Decadent fried to perfection with a nice crunchy outside and almost doughy inside. So yummy. The bathrooms were clean and well-appointed carrying on the same eclectic décor. The service was excellent, and the food was better than we had hoped for. We felt that the money was well spent and will be returning soon. read more

I came here with some old friends this past weekend, and was incredibly surprised by the lack of quality service. Our waiter, Zane, was not very friendly or helpful to our group. He was unclear when we asked questions about the menu, absent for long periods, and overall, unwelcoming. The food itself was decent, but not good enough to warrant a return with the way we were treated. I rarely leave bad reviews, and I'm sad to write that I had a negative experience. read more

We loved the shrimp appetizer, sea bass, and schnitzel. We're very glad we found a great intimate place that had great service! We will definitely be back! read more

The food was full of flavor and delicious! We didn't make a reservation and was sat at the bar during the busy hours and the guy up front was kind enough to tell us a table was canceled and if we wanted it. I wish they had ac but it's California and we did go on the hottest day and the flys were everywhere but they can't control that. Beautiful place and wonderful food! read more

Delicious food. Bar seats are better for two than the wood tables and benches. Pleasant, refined. read more

Valentina - Seafood Near Me - Encinitas, California

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The food is VERY good. Great Oysters, Spanish Sashimi, Peppers, etc.! It was all great. Malcolm did an amazing job of service even tough they were quite busy, and his knowledge of the tastes on the menu was exquisite. We followed many of his suggestions and were not disappointed! Nice laid back Leucadian restaurant that makes relaxing and enjoying very easy. read more

Very nice restaurant. I enjoyed the atmosphere and the waitress was lovely. The food is good. We had the skirt steak and fries. The fries were outstanding. A very relaxing and pleasant dining experience. read more

We had high hopes for Valentina but walked away disappointed. First off, our server was MIA for most of the night and when she did return to the table and we ordered something, she completely forgot about it. Really? We started with the charcuterie tray, which she explained came with a delicious honeycomb and jam (The server had a very difficult time naming everything on the tray i.e. types of cheeses). When it was delivered there was no honeycomb nor jam( never could get her to tell us what kind of jam). Since we couldn't find the waitress we had to ask the bus person why. He went to the kitchen and came back and explained that the kitchen was out of honeycomb and jam, The server should've known this and explained it at the time of ordering. We finally ordered our entrées and requested our $58 steak to be cooked medium +. It was a beautiful cut, super thick! My husband and I were sharing this and really looking forward to it being delicious ( also our server guessed at the ounce size serving). The flavor was great for the outside cut or two. Then all of a sudden it was raw. The server offered to take it back and have it cooked better and when it came out the second time it was perfect. The superthin french fries that accompanied the steak were very overcooked and crunchy, not what you want for a french fry. The best meal was the sandwich and that's no surprise given the Moto Deli ownership. Valentina, please train your servers better so your customers can have a more pleasant experience. She should have known your small menu top to bottom and should've been able to explain the nuances about dishes. She could do none of this. She also did not come back to the table to check on us very often. What a shame she made for a poor dining experience. read more

Not worth the price. Unfortunately not impressed. Super cute atmosphere but service was very slow. The wine was overpriced, my Caesar salad was a bit overdressed and chicken was dry. My boyfriend ordered the chicken paella which was a major let down. Not giving up on this place yet tho, hoping to come back and try something else on the menu cause the atmosphere was nice. read more