Menu constantly changes based on season. Came for brunch for the first time and was pleasantly surprised. Really good food and massive potions. read more

We had a wonderful dinner Monday night for my birthday. When the brought the check I was appalled to see they had charged us a 9% surcharge here was four of us,so you know the check was sizeable. I have had a number of celebratory dinners there, but that one will be my last. read more

this restaurant is awesome. first of all, it's beautiful...all wooden and overlooking the torrey pines golf course. the service is also really good, our waiter was extremely helpful and attentive. but the food!!! so good. i got the smoked atlantic char. it usually comes with a potato/parsnip puree, but that had gluten in it so the chef made me a really nice red wine sauce and it was just unbelievable. MMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM the place is 5 stars, for sure, however i have to dock a star because during my second experience with the restaurant, a vegetarian plate cost $75 on christmas eve. really? $75 for vegetables? that's pushing it dudes. but yeah this is a nice spot. it's good for a romantic night, a business lunch or just a nice place to eat after going to the spa at the lodge. yum yum yum read more

Excellent Food but the service is not professional. This seems to be a problem throughout San Diego restaurants but you would think that a restaurant of this caliber would train their staff. read more

the food here are artsy and pricey. and they're small in portion so don't expect to get a food coma after eating here. brunch is over at 11:30am, so if you want brunch later than that this is not the place for you. the ambience of the restaurant is very cute and quaint though, if you sit outside in the patio area you get a nice view of the pool, which somewhat makes up for it. I ordered the crab salad stuffed avocado and it was absolutely delicious. read more

A.R. Valentien - crab salad stuffed avocado - New American Near Me - La Jolla, California

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We've only had dinner here, but it's our favorite spot and we try to come at least once a month. The ambience is great (my favorite is sitting outside), the staff is incredible; knowledgable, friendly. My husband has celiacs and they always cater to ensuring their is no gluten contamination. The food is delicious. I must recommend their chicken liver pate, so super yummy (if your into stuff like that). Prices are extremely reasonable when considering the high quality farms they source their products from!! read more

Pricey but wonderful. Lunch affordable. Everything is exceptional, on the high recommendation list from Conde Naste Magazine. Ordered and loved, ravioli appetizer, steak pannini with red onions, brick roasted chicken with sliced garlic. Their lunch menu offers a 3-course set meal. Exceptional wait, service and kitchen staff. Valet parking is courtesy parking so you only have to worry about the tip. Recommend dining on the patio if the weather permits, the view is simply stunning. read more

Actually 3.5 Over the years I've been to A.R. Valentien probably about 10 times, for regular dinners, private party dinners, artisan's table on Thursdays; every time I've been there it's been five star extraordinary. We were there Sunday night, just the two of us, birthday celebration, and we were both, frankly, disappointed. The extra birthday touches were sweet--personalized menu and happy birthday plate after the meal. The restaurant was very quiet. Service was very courteous but something was off on Sunday night at several levels. We had to ask for some additional bread twice before it arrived. Toward the end of our meal our server got engaged in a detailed conversation with another couple. Because the restaurant was so quiet the discussion seemed to be about shortcomings on the menu or lack of variety on the menu (we got drifts of this conversation because the restaurant was very quiet). As a result, we had to wait a looooong time for the check to arrive. The food was also somewhat disappointing. --The roasted beets with pistachio butter we ordered as a starter: pistachio butter was oversalted. --The lamb chops I ordered medium rare came out black and blue rare. --The accompaniments were less than satisfactory. A Japanese eggplant split in half was called "melted eggplant," not sure why ----the skin was difficult to digest. The fig stuff served with the lamb chops didn't taste particularly interesting. Tasted like fig newtons without the dough around it. My partner had the salmon which was very tasty but the green sauce that came with it was not particularly to her liking or to mine when I tasted it--to both of us it had a strange taste. When we were offered desserts I noticed that later, at the other table, the server offered them various sorbets or ice creams which were not on the menu--we were never offered that option. I'm not sure how to describe this but the platings this time just seemed to be too precious. I understand the creativity that was attempted, but sometimes culinary creativity steps over the line and becomes too precious for its own good. Sorry to be so down about this but the reason again is, as I said at the beginning, when we go to A.R. Valentien we expect an extraordinary experience and this was disappointing. read more

A R Valentien was one of the first restaurants I dined in when I moved to San Diego. It set a very high bar for amazing food and wonderful service. The views and ambiance are also top notch. I have yet to experience anything better in San Diego, and my latest experience reinforced that thought. For our wedding anniversary I wanted to come to A R since I hadn't been in so long and I remember how amazing the food was. Anniversaries are great excuses to go to restaurants you otherwise would feel guilty spending the money on! I booked on opentable and wrote a note about it being an anniversary dinner and I have celiac disease and would need help with accommodations. Our waitress was fabulous. She was extremely knowledgeable about celiac and the strict gluten free dietary needs. Before we arrived she took initiative to have the kitchen make gluten free rolls so that they would be ready by the time we arrived. How amazing is that?! I have been to a fair amount of high-end restaurants, and I know that service like that is truly exceptional, and it is one of the many reasons you will want to come back. She also helped me get some ideas about how to modify dishes to make them gluten free. Almost the entire menu is either already gluten free or can be modified to be gluten free. Because it was our anniversary she brought out complimentary sparkling rose and then the most delicious truffles ever, served on a plate wishing us a happy anniversary. It is really fun to go out and have an amazing dinner and feel spoiled. The staff did a great job making the evening memorable. As for our food, it was fantastic. We ordered grilled octopus for the appetizer and it was perfect. I used to think I would never like octopus, until I tried it. This octopus was very fresh with a savory and complex flavor. I ordered the grouper and fresh shrimp, which was amazing. You will have a hard time finding seafood as fresh and flavorful anywhere else. My husband ordered the halibut which was also wonderful. Their seafood dishes are exceptional, and I highly recommend the scallops as well. In general, the chef has put together a collection of really great combinations and flavors that will have you torn about which on to order...they are all amazing. Not on the menu, but is secretly an option, is the gluten free brownie dessert. I could not tell at all that it was gluten free! Usually gluten free brownies have this oily consistency, but this brownie tasted real! So good. So if you are gluten free, call ahead and they will be able to accommodate you so that your experience will be worry free and you will remember what it is like to enjoy a meal at a restaurant. Overall, this was one of the very best dining experiences I have ever had. I don't think I'll need to wait for another special occasion to come here....it is totally worth it to come just because. I am really grateful for their exceptional service to the celiac community. read more

I have loved everything I have ever been served at the Lodge at Torrey Pines. Catered meetings? Amazing. Catered lunches? Terrific! Pool side service from the Grill and Bar! Yay for the drugstore burger! Catered weddings? Wow! But my favorite is A.R. Valentien. I love their focus on local, seasonal ingredients. My duck was fabulous, the wine was fabulous and the strawberry shortcake makes my heart go pitter-patter. In some ways the bar may be low b/c hotel food is typically awful, but I do think the Lodge rises far beyond that bar and succeeds at providing food and service that merits the price. To say nothing of the priceless setting and views. read more

had dinner here and really enjoyed the food, ambiance and service. the place is small, but very quiet and personal. the waiters were extremely hospitable and attentive. we had the sweet corn soup as our first course and it was sooo delicious. for our second course, we had the organic roasted hen and the white strip bass. the chicken was very tender and juicy and enjoyed every bit of it. i found the bass somewhat dry, but my wife enjoyed it. for dessert, we had the chocolate tart and that was sinful. we have had better, but it was good enough to make us want to lick the plate clean. some of the bonus features was our choice of breads at the beginning and the small fruit dish at the end after our dessert. we really enjoyed our dining experience here and wouldn't mind going back when we decide to throw down again for a nice dinner. read more

AR Valentien is far more dated and mellow than we expected. The décor is opulent 1980s with a dash of hunter's lodge. Sadder still, the restaurant offers views of the pool rather than views of the ocean or the golf links. Inside, all we saw were oceans of blue hairs. The staff was much younger and friendly, for the most part. But the sommelier did not seem very friendly at first. Initially, he did not engage me in any way. He poured me my first course pairing of sparkling wine and lobster minestrone. But he didn't say a word about the wine, where it came from, or anything about tasting notes. We had to ask lots of questions to spark a conversation, and he eventually warmed up to friendly too. I guess there wasn't much to say: the sparkling wine was rather simple and extremely lemony. The tiny soup was a little odd, and the broth itself was far too subtle and mild to be noteworthy. The second course of pappardelle in peas and olive oil was very interesting, but more for its texture than taste. It was rather simple dish of fresh virgin olive oil and herbs. It paired decently with the Carneros Chardonnay, with its hay, grass, and other earth and mineral notes. The third course of hanger steak with Claret missed the mark. The hanger steak was perfectly cooked, but the accompanying brownish potato sauce did nothing. Like the second course, the texture was wonderful but the flavor fell flat. Moreover, the highly tannic Claret completely dominated this nearly fat-less steak. The Claret did not calm down or smoothen out until long after the meal was over. (If you get this pairing, I highly suggest that you have the Claret aerated). Even once the tannins subsided, the coffee finish on the Claret, I thought, was still too strong for the hanger steak. Finally, the dessert pairing of strawberry compote with the beautiful orange Riesling was probably the closest pairing of the night. My wife's sea bass and shrimp ranged from standard to strange. The shrimp and vegetables seemed drowned in butter, along with kind of Mrs. Dash or generic lemon pepper. I've made better at home. The sea bass had a bizarre onion and what-seemed-like cactus salsa on top, which simply was not good. Maybe we experienced an "off" night, but, at these prices, I'm not sure we can just consider the night a mulligan. read more

Some friends and I decided to give this place a try. The ambience is very pleasant. Great spot to have a quiet conversation. The food is good but, in my opinion, not worth the very high prices. I understand paying much when the food is truly outstanding - this wasn't. The ingredients are very fresh and the concept is advertised as Farm-to-Table which is an important plus. Their pizza was gourmet-priced, but was not better than CPK or Sammy's - so I ask myself, why pay more? I ordered a fish entrée (grouper) served with a sort of veggie stew. The piece of fish filet I was served was not prime, although the price certainly was. The veggie stew was ok - not great. The service is excellent, but the level of their cuisine is not extraordinary and the high prices guarantee that I'm not coming back. read more

Magical Evening with Superb Food and Incredible Ambience. If you are in the mood to have an OUTSTANDING meal and be treated with superb service in an environment with incredible ambience then this is the place to go. I can not say enough about how excellent our food, our service and our evening was at A.R. Valentien at The Lodge at Torrey Pines. I highly recommend this restaurant with it's array of exceptional selections from the menu. This is not a place that you would want to rush through your meal, but a place to savor the moments of fine dining along with a beautiful environment both inside and outside. Be sure and save some time to stroll the grounds. This property is absolutely beautiful. Our family meal was an event we will all remember. read more

We had a delicious and graciously served dinner. I'm writing my first Yelp review to especially compliment the sommelier. We didn't ask his advice on choosing a bottle, but when we asked why the wines were arrange by California location, he explained the reasons in a very special way that made more sense than any label ever could. We didn't think it was appropriate to tip him, so I'm writing this review as thanks. He made a very good dinner extra special. A.H. read more

Charming Southern-like flavor in every bite. I was at a catered lunch so I was presented with some foods that I would have never ordered such as a salad with beets, baked chicken with artichokes, polenta, etc. It was all amazing. Service was top notch, of course. read more

You know when you so look forward to a lovely little lunch and it ends up being a huge disappointment and messing with your entire day? Well, how wonderful that A. R. Valentien is not that kind of experience! We pretty much loved everything they put before us, and left thoroughly satisfied. We enjoyed the terrace setting over the pool, and service was excellent. Go! read more

The burgers are to die for. When you first walk in it's going to be top notch fancy, but when you plop down and ask for a burger they grin at you and mentally say, "hell yeah." This burger had so much flavor and it was cooked to perfection. They began to tell me how every morning the chefs prep all their patties from scratch and the meat is just so fresh and soft. Haven't found a place with a fresher burger. read more

Very few restaurants in San Diego provide a consistent experience time after time, except this restaurant. Our waitress was Christie, the Sommelier was Paul, the runner was Avery, and Fernando was replenishing the wonderful bread. The service was superb and operated like a well coached team that made the evening exceptional. Don't get me wrong, the food is fantastic but the service made the experience absolutely perfect. It's no surprise to me why they are #1 on Trip Advisor and for me it's the go to restaurant when I have guests in town. Oh, and valet parking is on the house. One of SDs finest! read more

A throwback to when I last had dinner at A. R. Valentien at the Torrey Pines. Sat outside and watched the sunset as I had the Duck Confit, the goat cheese mousse with roasted plums and Merlot reduction. The Duck Confit they have here was cooked closer to that of a roast duck method as opposed to the French styled duck confit in which the duck is cooked in its own fat and thereby entails more sauce. The Confit, being roasted and with light crispy skin, allows you to taste more of the robust flavor of the duck itself. At the rims of the duck skin you taste slight spikes of saltiness (in a good way). The goat cheese mousse was rich and smooth and what I liked about it was you can tell you're eating goat cheese but without any of the cheese's inherent pungentness. This is something I cannot afford to eat often because my digestive system does not work well with it but I decided to take a gamble nonetheless (no regret). The service here is top notch, the staffs tend to give you samples of appetizers and baked goods throughout the course of the meal. The scenery is refreshing and awe inspiring as you look out to the Torrey Pines golf course. Only come here for a special occasion is my recommendation. The A.R. Valentien is easily one of the top restaurants in San Diego. read more

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After a morning at the spa I ate lunch here with my friend. The food was delicious, but the service was mediocre. We had to ask for bread 4 times before we were served. For the prices they charge, I'd expect service to be excellent. Next time we'll try the other restaurant they have onsite. read more

I have to say. I have been blown away by this place. From the moment you are greeted at the front door of the Torrey Pimes Lodge hotel you will feel like royalty no matter who you are. The hotel grounds are absolutely gorgeous. The restaurant has beautiful views of the pool and golf course both from indoor and outdoor seating areas. The attention to detail from the staff is just delightful and the food was, in our case, some of the absolutely best I have ever had. We were there for breakfast and kids had the chocolate chip pankaces and wife and I had the slow roasted eggplant and wilted broomsdale spinach. Kids loved the pancakes and both the eggplant and spinach dishes were incomparably mind blowing yum and new. After breakfast take your time to walk around the hotel and golf course to enjoy its beauty!! Def will be back here again as much as we possibly can afford to!! read more

Went last night on a whim because I had heard they made an incredible hamburger but that was not on the menu. After being in La Jolla for the past 2 months and eating out I was just so unprepared for this extraordinary dining experience. Dining alone, it's never really comfortable to be seated at a table in the middle of a restaurant, but here they seated me In a nice booth off on the side. The service was impeccable, my waiter let me have the time to review the menu and pair my entree, the oak smoked pork loin, with a nice half bottle of wine. They brought me a muse bouche, an olive tapenade on cucumber, refreshing and different, but something you don't get too often except at really fine dining establishments. The entree came with a creamy polenta filled with bacon and apple. Now I admit, this side did not seem too appetizing but oh my goodness, it was out of this world as was the pork loin.... Done to perfection and complemented by beet roots with shoji mushrooms. In all I would not only say this was the best meal I have had in 3 months here in La Jolla, but the best meal I have had this year! And I spent 2 weeks in Paris dining on wonderful food but nothing came close to this meal. I will be back!!! read more

Came here for my anniversary dinner. The view was pretty enough like any other fine dining restaurant in San Diego. The service was very good and the food was excellent! I would come for the food, each dish my husband and I ordered did not disappoint. Every dish was really good. If you are looking for a romantic atmosphere with top notch food this is a great place to consider. read more

In a word: amazing. I did not expect such a delicious and well presented meal in San Diego. Liked that meals were light and French style portions to savor, not to over indulge. Staff extremely courteous and attentive. Sommelier even let me taste a couple dessert wines to compare. The sunset view, also amazing, but expected. Prices were fair for the services. Would have cost an arm and a leg in New York, but only cost an arm. read more

I was very disappointed with the service from this upscale restaurant. Our waitress, Tiffany, was not attentive nor was she very friendly. She checked on us just once during our meal. I expect, from any restaurant, that the waiter/waitress fills up my drink without having me wait. I had waited over 20 minutes before she came to our table and then had to ask for a refill. It was clear that I needed a refill. I ordered a Caesar salad which was very poor quality. The lettuce was mushy and the dressing was nothing like Caesar dressing. read more

This restaurant has it all: great food, great service, great ambiance. If you like Mission or Arts and Crafts decor, it is an absolute must. And the prices are surprising reasonable, especially the fixed price lunch. As for the food, it is easier to talk about what is not good - which is just the hamburger. Everything else (and I have been there many times) is great. Once, I ordered the fixed price lunch even though the app included looked weird, it was spaghetti squash with poached egg and some garnishes. A dish I would never order. It was so amazing, the whole table was fighting over the scraps - the richness of the squash complementing the egg and the olive tapenade giving the perfect zing. The trio of pates is a huge app, perfect for sharing. The fish dishes are some of the best fish I've ever had - somehow the outside is always crispy but the inside is super moist, almost melting. I don't like sea bass, but I love the sea bass here. The duck, the pasta, I could go on and on. So let's get to service - usually very very good. And finally, the ambiance. I love sitting outside - the view of the golf course and ocean is so relaxing. You can just take your time and sit for hours. I've never been rushed, but I have never been there at peak times or weekends. But the inside is also wonderful - look up and notice the fantastic light fixtures. There are little details everywhere that show how special the restaurant is. The combination of elegance, simplicity and relaxation means that I will have a big-deal dinner here or just a post-spa lunch with a friend. I highly recommend Valentien. read more

Disappointed- on my bucket list of places to try and had high expectations. Steak was really tough and recommended fish was a bit fishy. Service was spotty. Good descriptions and friendly but had to wait 20 minutes to even get a drink order in. read more

We had a beautiful lunch on the patio! Food was amazing, atmosphere was relaxing and service was impeccable. The chef here is a star (Kelli Crosson). Be sure to try the burger, one of the best I've had! read more

Let me start by saying that this is a 4.5 star review. We were given a lovely amuse bouche of crispy pork belly to start our meal. We then enjoyed a very nice salad (grapefruit slices, avocado, lettuce) which they were kind enough to split for us. I had the duck confit, which was excellent and cooked perfectly. We shared the brussell sprouts with bacon, which I would highly recommend and I'm not a fan of brussell sprouts. My girlfriends pork tenderloin was a bit bland although the sides (acorn squash, spinach, etc) were very tasty. The service was excellent, from our greeting by the hostess to the end of our meal. Their wine prices were a bit high and yet my Manhattan was priced as I expected. It was very nice of them to bring out a little bday treat for my gf as well. We were too stuffed to indulge in any of the desserts. Overall, we had a very nice meal and would return again. read more

I went here for dinner recently and we had a great time. The food was amazing other than the steak--that wasn't good. We also asked to be seated outside and the hostess acted like it was the biggest thing ever. She even told my friend who got there first that we couldn't sit outside. Anyways we finally sat outside and everything got better. read more

Have only come here for lunch but the food is consistently very good as is the service. The view from the patio overlooking the golf course is always a plus. I always get a seafood dish here, which never disappoints and is always cooked perfectly. Recently I had the smoked trout, which had lots of trout, and some avocado and radishes sprinkled around (I wasn't looking for a salad so the bit of greens was perfect). Delish. Ended with the marionberry galette with yogurt gelato, accompanied by a bit of Torrey Pines syrup. Unique and the galette was out of this world. Perfect size (though I could have eaten at least another one!). I love that they always give truffles at the end of the meal. read more

Five star Sunday breakfast here just now, back in our room still dreaming about those spectacular lemon ricotta pancakes and perfect bacon that I just had. Think lemon soufflé with a raspberry coulis that's light and eggy, rather than traditional pancakes. Love their house coffee! It's simply delicious. Perfect service, a view overlooking the golf course and ocean, gas heaters, all made for a perfect quiet breakfast that was thoroughly enjoyed and highly recommended to all. You can thank me later. read more

The view from the restaurant is absolutely gorgeous. I was here for a company event and decided to go to a nice dinner with my boyfriend. The food was delicious, they accommodated something off the menu that we wanted and generally just made it awesome. We got a steak and lobster tail and both were absolutely perfect!!! A Great selection of California wine with a very knowledgeable, friendly sommelier - was not cheap, but DEFINITELY worth it. read more

Quiet possibly the most exquisite and delicious fine dining we have experienced. We went for our 5 yr anniversary in august 2014. My husband order the duck which he said was the most juicy and flavorful he's had. I had steak and mashed potatoes which were cooked lovely and to my likening. Very nice ambience and will visit again! read more

Awesome place. Had the artichokes and baquetta. Excellent service. Highly recommend.

We are here several times during our recent vacation both breakfast and lunch. Every time the service was friendly and the food impeccable. The views are fantastic and the atmosphere is relaxing. Next time we come to San Diego, we will stay at the Lodge at Torrey Pines and dine here again. read more

I had a great anniversary at this restaurant. They printed special menus for us, and treated us to additional courses. Our server, Kristy, was very helpful in explaining the menu. Everything about the night was excellent. Thanks! read more

If you're looking for an amazing location for a romantic meal, this is an excellent choice. Okay, I'm a sucker for arts and crafts, but even so, this place is beautiful. Bring a hoodie or a sweater just in case; it overlooks the golf course and the ocean, and can be cool even when it's hot just a mile or two inland as it was the day my sweetie took me for a romantic lunch. Veuve Cliquot by the glass, yes please. They're cognizant of GF requirements including bringing me some of the best GF bread I've ever had. I had the duck confit which was divine! It was a little weird that they brought me the sauce with flour in it after I told them that I was gluten intolerant. Either make the sauce with corn starch or don't bring it, but a sauce with gluten on the table isn't doing anyone any good. My husband had the seared ahi which he declared to be perfectly prepared. He even offered me a bite, but manners would have dictated sharing a bite of my duck confit which was not happening. I asked two different servers (one of whom brought in another) about the GF bread. They said that everything was sourced locally and all their bread was from Bread & Seeds. Um, it's call Bread & Cie, and they don't do make anything GF, so I'm still in the dark. But if you don't have gluten issues, the experience would have been perfect. read more

went there looking for a quick bite to eat for lunch and found the place to have excellent food and service. i had the (small) pizza appetizer and skirt steak. both excellent! can't vouch for dinner, but if it's anything like lunch, i can imagine it being excellent. read more