My friend and I came here with our two daughters after a late-night soccer tournament game. We left…read moretalking about how great the entire experience was. Jacob was our server, and he was fantastic. He was friendly, attentive, and made sure we had everything we needed without ever making us feel rushed. Later, Kaitlyn brought out our butter cake, and what started as a quick interaction turned into one of those unexpected conversations that give you a different perspective and refresh that we all need every once in a while. The food was just as impressive. We started with the Spinach & Artichoke Dip, which was the perfect appetizer. For dinner, we ordered the Center Cut Filet, Cha Cha's Spicy Rigatoni, and the Buttermilk Fried Chicken. Every dish was fresh, flavorful, and something we'd happily order again. If you're thinking about dessert, do yourself a favor and order the butter cake. It absolutely lives up to the hype. What stood out most, though, was the people. Working in a restaurant can be overstimulating and exhausting. Everyone we interacted with was kind and welcoming. It's easy to enjoy a great meal, but it's the people who make you want to come back. From the service to the food to the atmosphere, the entire team is doing an incredible job. Thank you to Jacob, Kaitlyn, the manager, kitchen staff, and everyone else who made our evening so enjoyable. We'll definitely be back.

First time for us at Nick's and it was amazing on every level! It was my husband's birthday and we…read morewere close by so we stop in for dinner without reservations. We were seated in 15 minutes. The restaurant has a beautiful atmosphere. The lighting was inviting and there are very cool design details everywhere from the bar to restaurant seating area. Our server, Fran, was so welcoming and let us take our time selecting a drink and then a starter dish to share to our final entrée. I had a small gift for my husband and Fran noticed so the restaurant of the evening she kept commenting on his birthday. Before the check was brought to the table Fran gave my husband a birthday card that was signed by all the staff. Such a sweet person touch. We enjoyed a complimentary chocolate dessert. Enjoy we ordered was a 10/10 but Fran made the evening unforgettable! Thank you! Well done!

This place was great. We came here after kayaking on bass lake. The view (pictured) is great - I…read moredefinitely recommend eating outside if you can. The service was friendly and attentive. I got the apple salad (forgot the name) with chicken added and it was fresh and flavorful. My girlfriend got the teriyaki chicken bowl and she said it was just OK, so I'd recommend sticking with the more American options. Also got garlic fries which I liked a lot but my girlfriend said were too heavy. Only recommendation would be to make a reservation if you can. We came here in the low season in march and it still took 35 minutes for a table for two. Have to imagine it's 1-2 hour wait in summer.

it's saturday night. we don't have a reservation. they tell us the wait is over an hour. what do we…read moredo? we wait. and thank jebus we did, because this ended up being one of the best meals i've had in a while. we started with the prawn. we each got one, and given that they're $10 a skewer, our bill started off STRONG. the prawns were perfectly roasted with hints of mezcal and prickly pear. the candied habanero or whatever garnish of death was on there totally kicked my ass in terms of spice. in true Asian fashion, we ripped the heads off and sucked all the goodness out of them too. no shame. you don't waste the good stuff. then the cornbread showed up. the group collectively agreed we'd pass on this one next time. for me, the goat cheese threw me off, but that's entirely on me because i hate goat cheese and still knowingly ordered something with goat cheese. i played myself. there was absolutely nothing wrong with the dish, but compared to everything else we ate, there wasn't anything particularly standout about it either. but then. the fucking broccoli showed up. it is literally charred broccoli with chermoula, lime, and peanut. that's it. BROCCOLI. and after taking one bite, i learned that broccoli could, in fact, be life changing. suddenly i was a new woman. a woman who wanted nothing more than to sit there and stuff her face with massive amounts of broccoli. unfortunately, i couldn't because we still had dishes to taste. and so i moved on to the pork belly. when people describe something as "melting in your mouth," they are specifically referring to Campfire's pork belly. because that's exactly what it did. just melted all up in my mouth and lit my taste buds on fire. normally, i find pork belly prepared this way a little heavy and can only stomach a few bites, but i could have eaten the entire dish. but of course i didn't, because i'm a lady. and the octopus was about to show up. and show up it DID. i don't like celery, and this dish had plenty of it, but because it was shaved super thin, it was actually super palatable. the octopus was incredibly tender, and there were little bits of chorizo throughout that gave it the perfect balance. also, love me a good chimichurri sauce. and finally, last but truly not least, the chicken. a whole ass half bird, charred to perfection with roasted red pepper, kumquat, and fennel. apparently i like fennel now??? i didn't even know i liked fennel like that, but here we are. if i hadn't already been stuffed to the absolute brim, i could have destroyed this entire dish. the chicken was juicy and tender, and paired with the fennel, you're almost like just having a healthy dish??? LOL. although we went in with every intention of ending the night with s'mores, our bodies simply said no. there was no more room at the inn. see what i did there :P so instead, we left and went on a very long walk to digest all the delicious goodness that was Campfire. i cannot wait to go back. mostly for the broccoli, which is a sentence i never thought i'd write in my life. and this time, i will absolutely be making a reservation.

They sure know how to make a girl feel special here! A variety of unique appetizers kept arriving…read moreat our table. One after another, just an amazing array of tastes for the palate. My favorite main course is hands down the swordfish. The way they cook and season is just divine. More side dishes kept arriving to pair with the fish. Everything was absolutely wonderful. Desert was no different; a variety of sweets. My favorite of course was the decadent chocolate with a tiny happy birthday greeting in chocolate of course! The ambience is classy with a spectacular view including the golf course. Service was impeccable as always.

3.5 stars Came on a weekday for lunch. I had originally…read moremade a reservation to be seated outside to take advantage of the view of the golf course but it was really hot so I opted to be seated inside which was more comfortable. My seat still looked out and had had a great view so same view just more comfortable. I got the beet and peach salad. It didn't really have a dressing but instead came on a bed of caramelized yogurt which acted as the flavor vehicle. It was also topped with frisse, sesame, za'atar, granola and mint. The peach was a nice surprise as it added a nice sweetness, freshness, and texture, I liked when I got a bite of mint, it brightened up the dish. Very unique and different. I also got the house made pastrami Ruben. It came with gruyere cheese, sauerkraut, kimchee, thousand island dressing on rye. The rye was nicely grilled which made it crispy. The pastrami was also grilled which brought out a more salty profile. The kimchee stood out and was a great pairing with the pastrami, it added some spiciness and that fermented funk that you get with sauerkraut. Over all a great sandwich I just wish there was more pastrami. I had the choice of salad or fries but since I got the beet and peach salad I opted for the fries. The fries were triple cooked and came with a truffle ketchup. The fries were cold and I didn't care for the truffle ketchup, I'd ask for aioli next time. Ember & Rye is located on the 18th hole of the Aviara golf course, There's free parking out front but seems like it could fill up during more busy times, like nights or weekends. You can see the touches of creativity from Richard Blais in the dishes. I did see a 3 course prefix menu for $40 which woulda been cheaper than my 2 choices but I wanted to try the pastrami. That's probably the way to go.

Food was excellent, ambiance first rate, but the best was our service from Hoke. Best service we've…read moreever had. He was so friendly and helpful

We came here for a birthday celebration. The wait staff made us feel so comfortable and special…read more Brian, our waiter was very knowledgeable of the menu and made great recommendations. The restaurant is very elegant and well decorated. The steaks here are best in San Diego. We tried the bone in filet, ribeye, and Ny strip. All three steaks were seasoned perfectly and expertly grilled. We loved the seafood, appetizers and sides. This restaurant is one of the very best in all of San Diego. We loved it here! The staff made us feel so special for our birthday celebration with a handwritten birthday card and fine dessert at the end.

This is what I imagine visitors from out of the country think of as an authentic American…read morerestaurant. This place screams America, from the huge portions to the national pride decor. They get really busy, and seem to have a coordinated system, like theme parks, to seat customers efficiently. Someone greets you immediately and gets your party size and has you stand by a number. Someone else grabs fresh bread and a bag of peanuts as they seat you. Then your server is right around the corner to get drinks and apps started and answer any menu questions. We decided to try to eat lightly and shared a combo 12oz ribeye with ribs. Came with two sides -- we chose chili and mashed potatoes. And of course we had the warm bread with honey cinnamon butter, as well as the peanuts to start. I was definitely stuffed by the end! Loved the bread and the steak - would order again. Ribs were okay, sauce on it was a bit sweet for my liking. Sides were okay too. Service was awesome. Ethan was our server and took note of it being our first time. He was super helpful in answering my questions and giving us some tips and recommendations.

We came here for a birthday celebration at lunchtime on a weekend and they were PACKED. TO. THE…read more BRIM. Be ready to wait, especially when you're coming over during peak hours. Ambiance and space were good--the place was lively and generally clean. There were just way too many people that they almost made a ginormous area feel tiny, if you know what I mean. Service was mediocre--we had to wait quite a while for our main entrees to arrive and staff could have been more attentive. Food was decent--we all enjoyed our meals. One thing of note was that they nailed the cook on all of our steaks (they better since they are a steakhouse after all). Also worth noting was their complimentary bread rolls with that signature honey cinnamon butter--they were so divine, I could've had maybe three servings of that for lunch and leave with a happy belly. The bread rolls were pillowy soft and had that hint of sweetness that just paired so perfectly well with the luscious honey cinnamon butter. Would we come back? Maybe. But I think we'd consider other places first before we go back here.

Celebrated a dear friend's birthday with a big group on a Friday night, and the evening was…read moreseamless! Excellent drinks, quick nice service, and an incredible menu. The drink menu is great. Lots of tequila and mezcal cocktails, which are personal favorites. Really liked Tangerine You're My Sex Machine. For food, we basically ordered a massive spread of it all. Standouts were the yelllowtail ceviche--creamy & coconuty!--and all the steak dishes. Looking forward to more visits in the future. Vibes & ambiance are fun too.

We had been aimlessly looking around for a spot that was open since our flight got in late at night…read more& we were starving. Places like the restaurant below were closing when their times were supposed to be open still. Kitty and Nate were awesome with their customer service! Super nice and accommodating, even when the food was a little too spicy for my mom. There were things like the drinks they made differently to accommodate for what we were looking for. Love the ambiance and the food was great. Whoever commented on having a midlife crisis, karmas going to kick your ass when you are that age. At least the owner has something going for themselves & has been really creative in the whole experience.

Staff Incredible Great Vibe…read moreFood was brilliant as was our Tom Holland look alike server x Been to the other location numerous times happened upon this place after walking out of Honor Bar where the experience was awful.

Despite so many glowing reviews, I feel obligated to share the positive and negative here…read more Positive: We made a reservation for happy hour for three people. It was honored on time. Negative: On arrival we were told we could only be seated at the bar itself (full) or at high tops outside in 90 degree weather. This is the first time we've ever been relegated as happy hour guests. We did nicely request a table inside which we got, but were told the happy hour menu was not available to us. Restaurant at 5pm was nearly empty. Positive: Our server was very knowledgeable about the menu and was patient as we took a bit to decide what to have. Negative: There was a lot of "have you decided yet?" returns. Clearly he'd wanted to turn the table. Positive: The food was very well prepared. Filet mignon was tender and flavorful (though I doubt it was a full portion and two of us had to share it). Negative: Everything is à la carte, and mains - like our steak - were served on completely bare plates. Not even a garnish for presentation. Lamb chop "lollipops" served in a bowl. Just tacky. The side of creamed spinach was more cream than spinach, and for a side billed as a sharing portion it was small. Positive: Once our meal started we were not rushed. Atmosphere is a bit dark but fine for this kind of steakhouse. The crème brûlée was lovely... Sorry, no desire to return to this pricey spot.

We came here for dinner to celebrate my hubby's birthday. We had a reservation at 6:45pm. Valet was…read morepacked so we parked around the corner. There is a host as you enter in the door. She greeted us with a big smile and checked us in our reservation. We were seated in the outside patio overlooking the beach. It was a beautiful view. The server came to greet us right away. He ask what we wanted to drink and afterwards told us the special menu for the night. First we started with the appetizers. We had the Fritto di Calamari e gamberretti and the Carpaccio di manzo. The calamari and rock shrimp were soft and crunchy. The batter was flavorful but subtle and the marinara sauce tied it altogether. We loved the filet mignon carpaccio. It was tender and rich. The cheese, capers and arugula provided a great balance to this dish. For our entree, we had the spaghetti portofino, Pappardelle con funghi e Capesente and Cappellaci di Manzo. When our food came we could not believe how huge their portions are. One entree is equal to 2 entrees and it makes sense because the price is up there. The Portofino, had huge amount variety of seafood and the scallop and jumbo prawn stood out which was placed on top of the dish. Wish they did have more spaghetti, but we were happy with it. All the seafood was cooked perfectly. Soft and tender and the pesto sauce was more like a little bit of marinara and pesto. The Parpadelle was cooked with just the right texture and the different types mushroom had full of Umami flavors. You can tell they make their own pasta. The 2 huge scallops in the sides were cooked just right, tender and just delicious! This was to die for. The Carpellaci was amazing!!! The hat-pasta was full of braised prime short rib and the porcini cream sauce with aged asiago and black truffles really excelled this dish. The sauce was creamy and just bursting with great flavors. All of these dishes were outstanding!!! Ofcourse none of us finished our entree. We were stuffed half way. We were not disappointed!!! We had plenty of leftovers. Also the bus boy and the servers really took care of us. Our water was always filled up. At the end they served my hubby with a birthday cannoli with a candle. We all got a taste of his birthday dessert and wow this cannoli is fantastic. It's a great way to end the evening! If you're heading to Carlsbad, this place is a wonderful restaurant to spend a special occasion or a celebration to the end of your vacation.

The service was exceptionally bad. Once my party arrived, the waiter did not come back and check on…read moreus. To make matters worse, when I asked for cracked peppers, he set the pepper dispenser on the table and walked away. The food was decent. I had eggplant. It was ok. I do not recommend this restaurant. For a place that charges $50/plate the food should be outstanding and the service should be excellent. I have been to Tuscany and this place doesn't come close.

The food and service were amazing! Matt helped us and couldn't have been more kind and positive…read more we had the tacos and all were 5/5!!

We came here for a 34th anniversary dinner and it was an excellent choice! It was our first time…read morehere! The atmosphere, waitstaff (Matt) and food were all superb!

Great environment, awesome customer service. Food was tasty…read moreand fresh. Not too busy when we were there for lunch.

One of our family favorites. The pork chops were devoted. The grits however were so bland. When…read moreyou're paying top dollar for dinner, please make the sides are good supporting players and not just something to put on the plate. The veggies were great! The red beans and rice were good, the andouille was not too hot. But the little loaf of bread we asked for helped a lot. The Sazeracs were perfect. I think the server was handling too much on his own. All in all, yummy. Please skip the grits unless you want to add some flavor. Maybe a little cheese?