Went here for dinner & it has a little moody ambience. The staff were so nice & very well versed in their wine selection & menu. Every dish we had was incredible. Definitely not many spanish restaurants/bars so this stood out. I definitely recommend sharing a few items when you go here. This is perfect for a date, a celebration or just a good night out with a friend! I would love to come here again. read more

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I'm sorry to say, our dinner Thursday evening was disappointing. I took my girlfriend out for her birthday dinner, after having just left The Mudd House next door. Our waiter was friendly and knowledgeable, but I wouldn't say I appreciated him saying "you're wrong about the Rose", not once, but twice. We both ordered the wine trio special. I cannot remember the name of the winery, but the wine rep was there talking about and pouring our wine; an Albariño, Rose and a red. I am generally much more detailed about the wine I drink, I was just not impressed. The Albarino was not good, the Rose was better and the red was decent. $30 each for 3 short pours (3 oz.). The Crudo Del Dia was tuna. It was cubed, but mushy, not firm. Their baguettes are to die for! So delicious! The Gentleman's Rice was pretty uneventful. Crispy, which I love, but a smaller than you'd like portion of rice, with not a ton of flavor. It had two shrimp with four small pieces of Calamari. The Basque cake was as delicious as always! We had a wonderful evening getting caught up as we always do. Sadly, neither of us will be rushing back to fine here for a bit. We should have ordered the muscles and the Chicken Paillard, which we know have been stellar in the past. read more

This is one of my favorite places in all of San Diego. Amazing food and the cutest location.

It was our anniversary and wanted to have a nice dinner, so we ended up here! Love doing tapas, because you can try a few different items. It's like a mini buffet of Spanish food! We ordered four items and that was good enough for the two of us. Plus they give you bread and olives to start. We got the local baby squids, grouper in a lemon butter sauce (had me at butter AND lemon), steak tartare, and the crudité! All were so good. The portion size for each was just right. It was nice to not be committed to just one entree. Definitely want to try other items! We will be back! read more

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Just when I thought I was over my visit to Spain, I find myself booking reservations at another Spanish style restaurant. This time it was Valentina. I'll say parking was easy. Weeknight though. Can't and won't speak for the weekends. Street parking. Parking across the street too. Read the signs. Don't remember what the restrictions are/were. I was there for a few hours and I wasn't stroked a ticket. Service was excellent. She was on point. Attentive. Friendly. Nice. Funny. All of the above. Will just say that if I found myself back at Valentina, I'd ask to be sat in her section. And the food. The food. I'm saying to see pics but know that the pics don't do the food justice at all. There were some dishes I didn't love as much as others - everyone has different tastes - but know that there wasn't a dish I didn't like. There were dishes I saw other customers ordering that I just ordered instead of trying what they offered me. That was the vibe there. Everyone just having a good time. Chatting it up with others. The table next to mine offered me a chance to try a dish they absolutely loved. I declined because I had already ordered an entire dish for me. Anyway, there's more on the menu for me to try the next time I'm in the area. Because there will be a next time read more

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Phenomenal food! Excellent service. We had the shrimp and octopus appetizer and the sea bass entree with the salad ar the bar and was well taken care of by David. Highly recommend. Basque cake was delicious! read more

We love Mediterranean food and sharing so we can try a greater variety of food. This restaurant is clean, cozy and airy. Staff is friendly and courteous. Food was delicious and brought to the table fast. We enjoyed every bite! We had mussels in wine sauce, shrimp in garlic sauce, smashed artichokes, tomato salad, patatas bravas, lamb meatballs and wienerschnitzel. read more

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Great happy hour with oysters in Encinitas a pricey town. Outdoor patio is cute. Have them out there.

Adorable little gem of a restaurant. Went here for Saturday brunch with a girlfriend. The service was wonderful. Attentive, knowledgeable and super friendly. Server enjoyed her job and she was good at it. The food was lovely. Seemed to have French and Spanish influences, and the wine menu was on point. Only thing I wouldnt recommend is their pre-batched cocktails, which honestly are more than likely never great. They were extremely sweet and lacked the personality of a drink made by a bartender. The wine menu is extensive enough you won't miss the cocktails. Ambiance was adorable. Indoor and covered patio seating was lovely for a beautiful afternoon. Overall if you're looking for a spot in Encinitas with its own vibe off the corporate crap path this place is great! Will be back read more

Valentina - Seafood Near Me - Encinitas, California

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Food was unfortunately underwhelming. We ordered the chicken and Sea bass.The vibe of the restaurant was lovely. Service could be better but I'll give them the benefit of doubt. read more

Revisited Valentina and I remember why this is one of my favorite restaurants in Encinitas! Our Sashimi Mediterraneo came out in a matter of minutes and came in a trio of buttery salmon, scallop, and tuna. We ordered a chunk of the tapas portion (and may have order ordered) of the menu with the steak tartare, French fries, mussels, potato bravas, and Carpacho de Pulpo (octopus carpaccio). You must get their bread and butter to eat with the mussels! The ambience and food is always comforting and I really enjoyed every bite of the tapas. It's a drive out here but I'm glad to have dined at Valentina again! read more

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Sat at the bar on Friday night with a girlfriend. We were well taken care of by David, attentive and friendly. My friend got the Aperol Spritz and I got a N/A IPA beer. I was pleasantly surprised at the amount of options for non alcoholic drinks. We shared the sashimi, Steak Tiradito, Patatas Bravas, Pan Tomate, and finished with the cake. Everything was delicious and came out quickly. The patatas bravas were my favorite- a must order. Bar stools were definitely not made for a long visit, I can't wait to come back and relax at a table with a bottle of wine. read more

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A charming coastal spot with fresh, flavorful Italian dishes! The pasta is perfectly cooked and the seafood is bright and well-seasoned. The atmosphere is warm and welcoming, though it can get noisy when busy. A lovely choice for a relaxed yet delicious meal. read more

Really enjoyed Valentina. Great food and service. To be clear, this is not a $$ restaurant. You could make an argument for $$$, but I suspect the average bill per person is over $60 making it a $$$$. read more

Such a cute little find! Right on PCH in Encinitas a cute little restaurant with a punch of flavor!! My husband and I came here and ate indoors. They have "outdoor" seating but it is completely covered and they have heaters, we actually would have preferred to sit out there, since the inside was very small and cramped. But now we know for next time! Not going to knock a point out for that because I booked the reservation for inside, so that's my fault. But loved the service, they were super friendly and very welcoming. The menu was small but perfect, love that the portions are shareable so you can choose multiple dishes. Everything we tried was so delicious. We wanted to try more but was so full. Will definitely be coming back! read more

Valentina - Spanish sashimi - Seafood Near Me - Encinitas, California

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Spanish tapas are served here! Tastes just like the food I had in Spain. I highly recommend this place! The octopus is delicious.

Had an amazing time at Valentina! This establishment is pricey, but every cent is well spent because the food is delicious. The service is also attentive, friendly and knowledgeable. We didn't have reservations but we're lucky to be able to find a spot at the bar. I recommend sitting at the bar if you want a lively experience. We ordered the fish croquettes, mussels, pan tomat con jamon and french fries. Everything tasted fresh, flavorful and had us craving more! I would say the pan tomat with jamon is a must order. Note that the drink menu is limited in spirit offerings. The bar drink menu consisted mostly of gin, beer and wine. I would make reservations if you want to come here and sit at your own table since seats are hard to get. If you can, sit at the bar. We will definitely be back if we are ever in the area. Thanks for the hospitality! read more

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The paella was phenomenal, and I would come back just for that! However, the ribeye was very disappointing. I was quite annoyed when I got home and realized that our waitress had tacked on $20 to our bill for a Cabernet that we didn't order. Check your bills! read more

Valentina - The arroz was phenomenal - Seafood Near Me - Encinitas, California

My son picked this place to celebrate his 25th birthday and it was amazing! The atmosphere was cozy and chic. The tapas plates were delicious and if you can't decide, the wait staff is super knowledgeable! I am looking forward to going back! read more

Had a great meal at Valentina for my birthday! My favorites were the padron peppers and patatas bravas - both are classic Spanish dishes but I thought they were done really well. We visit the area often and Valentina is a nice change of cuisine compared to everything else. The outdoor patio is heated and dog friendly as well! Will definitely be coming back. read more

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

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Cute little vibey restaurant. Best octopus dish we've had in the states! Service was spot on! read more

Valentina - Steak - Seafood Near Me - Encinitas, California

The restaurant is very nicely decorated and the ambiance as well. The service was very good as well. Everything that we ordered was good and flavorful. I would order mostly everything again. What you ha e to take into account is the very small size of the plates. Although the idea is tapas do take into consideration that the main courses is not even enough for one. The other thing to consider which I personally dislike is the extra 5% taxable surcharge which many restaurants add to the check at the end. For me personally I recommend places that do not charge these extras. Having said this we had a good time and a flavorful dinner made possible by the nice people that work there. read more

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I really love this charming Spanish restaurant. The staff is friendly and the food is great. I love the Gambas and Patatas Bravas. Decent wine list as well. Parking can be found across the street. read more

Absolutely fantastic experience at this restaurant last week. We sampled many different dishes and all were fantastic. The service was very friendly, can't wait to come back! read more

Wow wow wow what a meal!!! My fiancé and I were completely blown away by the food here. Almost everything was *chefs kiss* and probably one of the best meals we've had in San Diego (and we go out to eat A LOT). Everything we got for appetizers were truly phenomenal. The tomato toast with ham - YUM. You won't regret the mussels (add the bread on the side!). ABSOLUTELY MUST ORDER PATATAS BRAVAS!!! I usually steer away from patatas bravas because they tend to be too dry but the way these are made and sliced so thin was sooooo delicious. For entrees we got the steak & potatoes and the sea bass. The steak was cooked beautifully but the potatoes were the star of the show for me. Mashed potatoes are easy to ruin and get mushy but these were still chunky and the plate was perfectly balanced. The seabass was disappointing however. I've never had this type of fish before but I'm not sure if it was supposed to be rubbery? The skin was extremely difficult to remove as well. I just didn't care for it but everything else was incredible. read more

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WHY WE WENT HERE: - dinner THE LOOK (FROM THE OUTSIDE): - located on N Coast Hwy closest to the Europa St cross street - very limited parking lot parking; we ended up parking in the dirt across the street and walked over - simple white shiplap exterior wall with a black awning and VALENTINA written in black - potted plants surrounding the property - gives coffee shop/intimate restaurant vibes because of the smaller look/size THE LOOK (FROM THE INSIDE): - SUPER cute! - white and black throughout; very simple yet modern and cozy - a little stuffy inside (not sure if it's because it's also super close to the ocean) - intimate gathering (like tables of 2-4 people) vibes THE MENU: - fuertes - tapas - wine (pages of wine, etc. on a mini clipboard) WHAT WE ORDERED: - white and red wine per suggestion by the server (forgot the names) - Steak Aguachile - Cauliflower Raclette - Carxofa a la Plancha THE TASTE: - white and red wine per suggestion by the server (forgot the names): wines were good and went well with our food orders - Steak Aguachile: served chill; tender and flavorful - Cauliflower Raclette: like a semi-crunchy cauliflower mac n cheese; hearty and tasty - Carxofa a la Plancha: roasted artichoke was very tender and tasty, especially with the lemon and the dipping sauce it came with CUSTOMER SERVICE: - knowledgeable - attentive but not overbearing read more

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Came here on a Thursdays night around 530pm, before the rush so parking was easy to find. I like how they have a free small parking lot in addition to street parking. The restaurant is intimate, set a classy and romantic mood. The menu was small but had a lot of variety. Primarily seafood items but I like how they have a chicken dish and steak for those that might not like seafood. We ordered the escargot with bone marrow oil, flavor was not that abundant, don't think I would order it again. steak tartar was amazing, great texture and flavor. Bread was crispy yet soft and chewy fish sampler can vary in the type of fish of the day. We had the blue fin tuna belly, scallop, and salmon. Honestly it wasn't that fresh tasting to me. I have a theory that sometimes the "fish of the day" at restaurants is to sell out all the old food that's about to expire. The sampler was over seasoned and way too salty, might be an attempt to cover up the not so fresh tasting fish. octopus carpaccio was uniquely delicious! This was my favorite dish we ordered that night. Thinly sliced and drizzled with herbs and oil. I had the seabass as my entree, smaller portion than expected. I didnt mind as we ordered so much appetizers and was full before it came out. But if I had only order the sea bass I would not have been full. Seabass was on a bed of mashed potatoes paired with a tasty sauce. Service was attentive, food came out pretty fast during our time for dinner. read more

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Cute decor and place. I got the lentil and butter squash soup..cauliflower..and bread. So many different tapas to choose from. I also got a non alcoholic lager. The food was flavourful and so good. The lager tasted just like beer too. read more

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We made an OpenTable lunch reservation specifically for a birthday celebration. The place had a cute vibe and we were seated promptly. We chose a couple of appetizers - padron peppers, Gambas al ajillo (a must try!!) , chipirones a La plancha, and for our entrees shared the seafood and chicken paellas as well as the truffle risotto. To finish our meal, we tried all the desserts on the menu- the basque cake and crème brûlée were our favorites. Service was good but we had long wait times in between courses. There was no acknowledgement (not even a verbal greeting) of the occasion being celebrated so not sure why they requested the information in the first place. I definitely want to try some of the items on the dinner menu as the lunch menu options seemed rather limited. read more

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Paella was DELICIOUS! Service and ambiance were great. Great for dates. Located in Encinitas - close to several coffee shops and attractions. read more

Valentina - Seafood Near Me - Encinitas, California

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Romantic and food as good as another local favorite, Campfire. Server was sweet. We will definitely go back, our fav spot in Leaucadia so far. read more

I recommended this place to my cousin and aunt last month because it seemed like the type of place they would enjoy, but I hadn't even been here yet, after wanting to come here for a long time. We finally came here for lunch and thoroughly enjoyed everything. The Iberico tomaquet was flavorful and delicious. The chicken paella was excellent, with a good mix of sausage and chicken. We paired this with a white wine and also had oyster and the grilled squid. It was a pretty perfect lunch. Service was friendly and helpful in terms of suggestions. read more

Valentina - Jamon Iberico - Seafood Near Me - Encinitas, California

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This is a top 5 restaurant in the county. We were absolutely blown away with the food. Oysters, tuna carpaccio, alcachofa, migas y setas, seabass, wienerschnitzel , steak frites, olives, bread , buñuelos & ice cream... everything was perfect. Our server recommended an excellent Albariño to go with the meal & was very attentive. The decor is lovely too. We raved about this meal on the drive home. read more

The food was outstanding. We ordered the ahi tuna, garlic shrimp, croquettes, steak frittes, patatas bravas, crispy rice, banuelos, basque cake. The service is what tanked my rating. Every person we interacted with was rude and inattentive. The hostess started my telling me that they only had a booster seat and no high chair. No problem. The issue was she then proceeded to tell me she called me twice and left me voicemails to let me know but I never answered. Clearly. I never had an issue with the booster seat. I had to ask for both of my drinks after much time passed because my server never bothered. We asked for plastic utensils for the toddler. We were told, sure. Then, on the third ask, they said they don't have plastic. Say that the first time I ask. The food runner then delivered our food to the wrong table. I heard the server apologize to them. Never owned the mistake with us. 40min later, we get our order. Then, we wait 20min to pay. The service makes it so I'd never come back which is a loss since the food was good. read more

Absolutely love this restaurant! First time here and I want to come back already! Very gluten free friendly here and vegan options too. Their food was amazing. To start their oysters were good, tangy, and fresh. The beet & burrata salad was a great pick too. Their corn soup was super yummy and loveee their sashimi. The fish was so fresh. I believe it was salmon, tuna and yellowtail. For the main entree, I loved their seafood paella. So flavorful and filling. My sister in law ordered the arroz negro and that was super good too. Very creamy and tasty. Seriously everything we ordered did not disappoint. I can't wait to come back and try other items on their menu. Seriously still craving everything I had that night for dinner. Overall great food, atmosphere and service! Note - parking can be difficult during busy times. Plan ahead if you need to be here at a particular time. read more

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Such a beautiful place & amazing food! The theme & decor is so aesthetically pleasing. Everything we had was good: oysters, mussels, paella! The mussels in the wine broth was the best I've ever had. Usually other places the broth is bland. This has the perfect blend of garlic & butter & salt. Even the fresh fries that came with the mussels were delicious. The seafood paella was yummy and had some good char from the cast iron pan. read more

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The Wienerschnitzel was absolutely fantastic and the Seabass was spectacular. We enjoyed the ambience and the candlelight.

Excellent! The food, the decor, and the service. We tried the bread, pan con ibérico, ensalada con tomate, and the savory Dutch baby. All were just awesome. The food is on the pricier side but the quality of the ingredients justify the cost. A nice treat! read more

Good food and friendly service. Casual environment. I specifically enjoyed my sea bass. read more

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Would definitely recommend this place for date night or a night out with friends and family. Great ambiance, great service and delicious food. My favorites were the artichoke and toast with jamon but everything was delicious. read more

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