Ambience 10/10 Service 10/10 Friendliness 10/10 Drinks 10/10 Happy Hour Deals 10/10 Basically a very very good dining experience and date spot, highly recommend. read more

Came for the happy hour, and there were definitely some pluses and minuses to the experience: Pluses: the oysters were good, I enjoyed my bees knees drink, and there's an ocean view. Minuses: when the waitress was clearing the oyster plate from the table, she spilled a bit on my boyfriend. Okay, mistakes happen, but rather than responding with an apology and a napkin, she just said that there was too much ice on the plate ??? After my boyfriend cleaned it up, he kindly requested another napkin... she said okay then brought the napkin over to another person at the table. It felt very weird and uncomfortable. Also, the happy hour food we received (crab cakes and a slider) were laughably small... i wish I took a picture but it was nothing I wanted to remember. This place has potential but the customer service has room for improvement and the food portions should be reconsidered... or at least be consistent- the table next to us said they also ordered from the happy hour menu but their crab cakes looked nothing like ours. Disappointing read more

Beeside Balcony - Oysters, bees knees and Del Mar drink. - Mediterranean Near Me - Del Mar, California

What a gem in La Jolla! We started with fresh oysters that were beautifully chilled and incredibly fresh. The seafood stew was the highlight of the meal--loaded with mussels, calamari, and seafood in a rich, flavorful tomato broth that paired perfectly with the toasted sourdough bread. The atmosphere was relaxed and welcoming, with a lovely coastal vibe that made for a perfect lunch. Service was friendly and attentive, and every dish felt thoughtfully prepared with high-quality ingredients. If you're looking for fresh seafood and a great dining experience in La Jolla, Beeside Balcony is definitely worth a visit. We'll be back! read more

My fiancée & I have come to really appreciate San Diego Restaurant Week as an opportunity to try out eateries we've never been before. Which is what brought us to Beeside Balcony in Del Mar during the 1st SDRW of 2026. We had Saturday night reservations & got into town early with some time to kill. We found nearby street parking fairly easily. The hostess was able to quickly accommodate us with a table despite our early arrival. Indoor dining space is minimal. But as an upstairs restaurant with "Balcony" literally in its name, the outdoor patio is where you want to be. Our server was a inconsistent on attentiveness & was slow to warm up, though she was quite personable later in the meal. Along with all of the al fresco charm dining on the balcony offered, there was also a curious & less desirable element of the ambiance. During our meal, someone went around shooting pics/ videos for social media. It felt distracting & intrusive. While the SDRW menu was what brought us here, we opted for the Chef's menu after looking over all the options. I ordered the Salmon Croquette/ Denver Steak/ Churros. She ordered Cioppino Soup/ Barramundi/ S'More Cake. Although the pacing of our courses from the kitchen was uneven, most of what we had was good to great to wonderful. Sharing tastes of our dishes with each other, the 1 egregious miss for me was the Cioppino Soup. The seafood in it was good. But that broth was not. Aside from that, the Salmon Croquette & the Barramundi were delicious. The Denver Steak was a revelation. I'd never heard of this cut before, so I looked it up. Truly, a bang for the buck all star. & prepared perfectly here with a fantastic chimichurri. For our desserts, my Churros were good but not anything to get particularly excited about. Now, on the other hand, that S'More Cake? Wow. insanely indulgent with an ooey-gooey center. I honestly can't think of a better way to end a meal. Overall, the ambiance, service, & food all had highs & lows. Collectively, though, the sum total of the experience was pleasant enough that I would be interested in coming back. My threshold for 4 stars is if I'd come back. So, 4 stars it is. read more

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My friend and I came here after pilates, we decided to try this place. You will have to walk up the stairs/escalators, not sure if handicap accessible. The view was incredible, so beautiful. The burger, fries and drinks were okay. The hummus and pita blew my mind, each one tasted different and it was delicious! The pita is soft and fluffy. A great place to enjoy food and a view. Staff was friendly and checked on us multiple time, food and drinks didn't take long to come out. Will come back if near the area :) read more

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If you're looking for a beautiful coastal vibe with elevated flavors and great service, Beeside Balcony is it. The food was absolutely delicious. The mussels tasted fresh, with flavors that were balanced to perfection. The cocktail I ordered was very bland and flat in my opinion. The service was great. The staff were attentive without being overbearing and made great suggestions about the menu. It made the whole experience feel seamless and enjoyable. Between the atmosphere, the food, and the service, Beeside Balcony is definitely a spot I'd return to. Highly recommend if you're in the Del Mar area and want something that feels special but still relaxed. read more

Beeside Balcony - Mediterranean Near Me - Del Mar, California

3.75 stars... My fiancé and I visited Beeside Balcony during SDRW. Located in the heart of Del Mar, you'll want to grab parking wherever you can on a busy Saturday night. I'm sure their outdoor patio is lovely during the day with a fantastic view. A few things to note: There are a lot of stairs to enter. I'm sure there's an ADA compliant way, but it's not visible from the main entrance. Be sure to call them and ask. The restrooms are outside the restaurant. Not really a bit deal, just something to note. Now for the good, the bad, and the weird... The good.... We had 7:30pm reservations but arrived early and they were able to seat us right away. They offered more than just the usual SDRW menu and their menu. They had a 'chef's menu' which we ended up ordering from. Their outdoor patio is spacious. I loved my branzino and their s'mores cake was divine. I'm still talking about that cake days later. 5 out of 6 dishes were enjoyable...so that's pretty good. Our server, Sofia, was pleasant. The bad: As an appetizer, I ordered cioppino. While the seafood was cooked well, the broth was awful. I'm not sure what caused the off taste, but the broth is not representative of a true cioppino. It's suppose to be a stew, not a thin broth. Note to the head chef: please revisit whatever recipe you're using for this dish. Now for the weird (and this is what would make Beeside a 3.75 review but Yelp won't let me) When the servers cleared our appetizer dishes, they also took our utensils. But, when the entrees were brought out, we had to flag someone down for utensils. Our entrees sat for a few minutes, staring at us...just begging to be eaten! Now...the really weird part. There was someone roaming the patio taking photos and videos for social media. It was pretty obvious they were looking for a certain demographic, lighting, etc. We happened to be seated right next to two of these tables and overheard everything- poses, video snippets, etc. Hands down, it felt weird and intrusive. As a content creator, I understand the need to get content for social media. It's the way of the world. But it's weird, especially on a busy Saturday night. 3.75 stars. read more

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Came here on my birthday for brunch and really enjoyed it! We sat outside and had a great view. I had an elderflower spritz which was great. We started with the meatballs and crab cake, the crab cake was definitely the winner! We split the buzzy burger and fish and frites both were great! Our server was very friendly and attentive. We'll definitely be back if we're in the area! read more

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Fun place with a great view. We went for brunch and they had a good brunch menu. I liked the way they keep the bee theme going with the cocktails too. Food was good, service was great, and the atmosphere was laidback. And yes, I had oysters for breakfast. No regrets. read more

We went to the happy hour, and the food was pretty good! The cocktails not so much. And the beer was not as cold as it should've been. All in all, the happy hour was definitely worth it. However, I do not think any of the items on it would have been worth full price. If you come, go for the beers and for the food! Their angle is that they have a real chef who owns it, and you can taste the difference, but the portions are very small and priced accordingly. Great view from the balcony. 3 to 4 stars. read more

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I rarely write negative reviews, but this experience was bad enough that future patrons deserve a clear warning. We started with cocktails, including the Prickly Lady, which was watery and completely tasteless. I then ordered the trio of dips, which were equally underwhelming--nothing memorable or distinctive, and no better than what you could buy at Trader Joe's or throw together in a blender in a couple of minutes. While we were trying our best to enjoy the drinks and appetizers, we also couldn't help but notice the very blah ambiance around us. It was quiet, cold, and insincere. There was truly nothing charming about the place and the whole vibe felt off. That should have been our first red flag, but we tried to ignore it to make the most of our rare date night. For my entrée, I ordered the branzino piccata. This was especially disappointing because branzino is one of my favorite dishes, and when you commit to a whole fish, there's no turning back. While I'm used to navigating bones, I found a bone in nearly every other bite, which made the dish unpleasant to eat. Worse, the fish itself was incredibly dry and completely lacking in flavor, accompanied by nothing more than a few warm cherry tomatoes. There was no cohesive sauce or flavor profile to speak of. Dessert followed the same theme. The s'mores cake was also dry, with a barely-there chocolate ganache center and a marshmallow topping that was honestly laughable. Unfortunately, the food wasn't even the worst part of the evening. At the end of the meal, we were told we could not use a gift card despite having called 24 hours in advance to confirm it would be accepted when we made our reservation. This led to an interaction with the owner and chef that was shocking and completely unprofessional. He caused a scene, raised his voice, and yelled at my husband and me, the paying customers. He repeatedly cut me off mid-sentence while allowing my husband to finish speaking, which felt blatantly disrespectful. When I calmly asked if there was anything he could do for us, given that he's in the hospitality business, his response was simply: "No. You can pay the whole bill and leave." I have truly never been treated this way at any restaurant in my life. Between the consistently dry, flavorless food and the hostile, misogynistic behavior from the owner, I am genuinely shocked this place is still in business. Sadly, the restaurant seems to be run exactly the way the food is cooked--poorly. read more

Beeside Balcony - Branzino Piccata - Mediterranean Near Me - Del Mar, California

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Was taking a walk around the area and noticed the cute restaurant at the corner. Checked out the menu that they posted and they offered San Diego Restaurant Week Lunch and Dinner options. SDRW Lunch price is only $20 and you get 1 appetizer and 1 entree. I chose the meatball trio as my appetizer and seaside sandwich as the entree. I wish the menu had a little bit more info because I was not sure if it came with fries which apparently it did! Ended up upgrading it to truffle fries though. Food came out pretty fast and I really enjoyed the seaside sandwich. The fish had a nice crisp to it from the panko crust with little bell pepper bits and honey mustard sauce. Overall you would think it's a heavy meal but no food coma here. I did noticed that they did post the menus at the front, but when I sat down the waiter did not include the SDRW menu. Have to ask for it specifically. I did look at other tables to if they got the same experience which they did (even though it's a different server). Other than that service was good, waiter checked in often and made sure everything is good. read more

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Thank you, Yelp, for helping me find this place. It was a really great rec! My boyfriend and I came here this past Saturday afternoon at around 12:30pm. There was a lot of seating available so we were seated immediately. The restaurant also takes reservations, and the waiter told us that it does tend to get busier during dinnertime. They have happy hour every day from 3-6pm. Their lunch and dinner menus are different. Ambience was chill and had beach vibes; diners were dressed in nice casual attire (matching the beach vibes). Our waiter, Francisco, was fantastic. He was very friendly and attentive and gave multiple detailed recs and thoughts on all parts of the menu, which were way more recs than I've ever received at another restaurant. His personal favorite was the Seaside sandwich, which naturally we ordered, along with a side of salad. It was really good! The fish was very crispy on the outside and very flaky, soft, and flavorful on the inside. The rest of the burger/sandwich was also very flavorful. It has habanero honey mustard, which is supposed to give it some kick but I didn't notice anything spiciness (I have moderate spice tolerance?). The side of house salad was a good standard salad. We also shared the crispy chicken sandwich. It was indeed very crispy, but we both thought it was too greasy and not as flavorful as the Seaside sandwich. It came with a side of French fries, which tasted great; they were also freshly fried, crispy, and seasoned with Italian herbs. Would love to come back to try their happy hour menu! Also they have a small parking garage located underneath their building. There is some street parking available. We didn't have any issues finding parking. Granted, this was Thanksgiving weekend. read more

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Once again, following the advice of Elite reviews for Del Mar, Beeside Balcony is in fact the place to go. Granted the view isn't absolutely fantastic but it is pretty nice being up on the 2nd floor and seeing the ocean. Our server Francisco was extremely nice and offered a few suggestions. We took him up on them. Most unique was the octopus ceviche. Having only had octopus one time in my life, had to try it. (Francisco was honest and said that wasn't something he personally likes but still very good). It was EXCELLENT. As was the Roasted Beet Salad & the Rockfish tacos. Oh yeah the Red Sangria was very good loaded with fruit. read more

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Beeside Balcony, you are my go-to recommendation for brunch, lunch, or dinner any time my friends & family ask for a unique SD foodie spot to try! You never disappoint with your perfect ocean view location and friendly, attentive servers. My most current visit (& this review) is for brunch. Our server (Jaz?) was very sweet & patient with our questions about the menu. Although the omelette order was wrong the 1st time, she brought the correct one as soon as possible, full of apologies. Overall, I would come here again and again without ever tiring of their menu. Next time, I'm going to try their HH! read more

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This place had a really great happy hour with $1 oysters and good drinks. You also sit up high on the 2nd story allowing for an ocean view. The service was attentive and we enjoyed ourselves immensely, we will be back! read more

Beeside Balcony - Happy hour drink - Mediterranean Near Me - Del Mar, California

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Pleasantly surprised by Beside Balcony. Definitely come with a reservation so you can get one of the best tables on the balcony! The chef's menu is such a great deal at $55. You get an appetizer, main, and dessert, and the portions are generous. Everything came out hot, beautifully plated, and full of flavor. The staff was super friendly and attentive, which made the whole experience even better. The risotto alone is $42, so doing the fixed menu was a no-brainer. Perfect for a date night or a nice dinner with friends! read more

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Had a great dinner with my daughter here! I enjoyed my ginger mocktail and shrimp linguine. The ambience and service was also a great experience. Ryan was a great server. read more

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Looking at all those amazing reviews, makes me notice that maybe last night wan' the greatest. The 3 stars are for the service. All of them were great, quick and fantastic. The ambiance is also good and we really liked it. Now the reason why I gave 3 starts: 1- I asked for extra dirty martini, I got the lightest martini instead. Our waiter was on top if his job and got me the olive juice on the side. 2- everything we tried were either missing salt or have extra salt. There was no balance at all. 3- which made me the most uncomfortable was the Denver Steak I ordered. Most of the meat was full of fat, the plate had also too much oil/butter I don't know but made most of the fries be soggy. I could not eat it much. Unfortunately I did not take a photo, but I wash I had. Hopefully next visit will be better read more

Beside Balcony is a Del Mar favorite for me! I highly recommend the hummus platter - it's heavenly. If I could go every happy hour for that and a cocktail, I would! There's some limitations on their drinks as they aren't a full service bar. So I wouldn't rave about the cocktails! Most are syrup based, they can't make just anything. Vibes are good. It's quaint but has a view of the water. It's not too loud. I look forward to going back! read more

Beeside Balcony - Mediterranean Near Me - Del Mar, California

The view from the rooftop is astonishing. My favorite thing was the view of the ocean from the restaurant, elevating dining experience to another level. Kip was our server very friendly and made our experience even better. Complements to the chef for this delicious and phenomenal food. My favorite was the Beeside burger. I don't think I had a burger crafted so well in a long time. The house beer was outstanding. My suggestion is to reserve in advance. I am definitely coming back. read more

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We had a pleasant time here. Some hits and some misses. Parking is terrible so plan accordingly. There's a spot behind the shops, in an alley, that is designated for it. It's a find. Service was super friendly and helpful. They were patient with our large party and helped us decide what appetizers to get and which entrees they liked. Appetizers were delicious. We had the octopus ceviche, crab cake, bees board, beet salad, escargots and Cioppino. The board was the star. The whipped goat cheese and the onion jam were perfect with the bread. The blue cheese was also subtle and creamy. The hummus was just ok. The entrees were: shrimp pesto linguine, Denver steak, scallops, and bolognese. Everything was tasty except for the bolognese. The nutmeg and cinnamon were so strong, I couldn't eat more than 3 bites. The waiter didn't even bat an eye when he took away the almost full entree when clearing the table. Didn't even ask if I wanted a box. Which I didn't. So maybe he knew nobody would take it home. Fish, scallops, shrimp linguine had great flavor. Not sure if I would return given all the other restaurants available in the area. Everything was tasty but necessary memorable and would make me want to return The ambience was nice. A little dark, breezy, intimate mostly outside seating as there are only a couple tables indoor. read more

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Came here a 2nd time for lunch. Beautiful day out and since it was a Monday, it was not crowded at all. Just a couple other diners. We were promptly greeted and the servers were friendly. I ordered the rockfish tacos this time. VERY good! Fish was perfectly cooked and I loved the sauce with it. Didn't add any sides but next time I may add fries. Looking forward to trying more items from this place! read more

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This place was so good! The Caesar salad was easily top 5 caesars I've ever had. The dressing was tangy and delicious. Trio of dips was also really good. Our favorite was the tzatziki but the other two were also great. Definitely coming back! read more

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Came for the Beezy burger deal. Great food and drink combo with an amazing view. They were out of oysters when I went. Parking was easy to find. read more

Beeside Balcony - Mediterranean Near Me - Del Mar, California

We came here for dinner on Saturday and were seated in the outside balcony area. It was crowded that evening because there were a few celebrations happening then so it was kinda loud. But I can see how this place would be a nice spot to enjoy a meal in Del Mar on a quieter time. They did give us a good spot to look out to the view which was just okay. Anyway, we ordered the Denver steak, seafood risotto, barramundi, and branzino piccata. The steak and risotto were very good. The branzino and the sea bass were okay. We did also order the scallops but the order we got tasted awful so the server replaced it with the seafood risotto and offered a free drink so that was nice. Overall, I would rate the food 3 1/2 stars. Service was good. We appreciated the server's effort to rectify the scallops. I think because it was a crowded evening, service was a bit on the slow side. But overall we enjoyed our evening. Parking wasn't bad. We found street parking but there's parking lots available. read more

Cute restaurant in Del Mar located on 2nd floor. Met here with friends. Great choice. Parking was not difficult at all. I ordered the Pork Osso Bucco (braised pork). It was good but I would probably order something else. It was braised pork with tomato sauce. Great atmosphere and servers are great. I had 3 lavender bee's knee's. They were very strong and really good. I recommend this cocktail. Beautiful color too. I would definitely come here again: read more

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We had the Chefs 3 course menu. We found the ingredient quality lacking in every dish. Frozen and overcooked seafood in the Cioppino. Oso Bucco that tasted more like canned soup than a typical oso bucco. And a desert that was overbaked and not particularly edible. At the price point we expected better overall. read more

Beeside Balcony - Mediterranean Near Me - Del Mar, California

We are here right now. Came here straight from the beach with our kids. We came here at 520 pm on Sunday. We got here right on time for happy hour. Ambiance - perfect. The weather was great in April. There was a nice breeze and nice shade. Parking - underground . Lots of parking. Free 2 hour parking for restaurants. Food - kids - they have a kids menu and the kids loved the pas-ta and chicken tenders - single sliders - small but delicious - tacos - small but fresh and really good - ceviche - small but good! All items were happy hour items. The drinks are good! I loved the lavender drink! Service - great! Our waitress were so nice Overall, totally recommend - kids read more

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Jesus, our server was amazing! Wish we could always have servers like him! Food was great, great ambience. Family friendly :) read more

Beeside Balcony - Sinaloa tostadas - on the sweet side - Mediterranean Near Me - Del Mar, California

This was a spot that was poppin' on Valentine's Day and my boyfriend brought me here! The ambiance is bright, the lights are shining, and the area itself is clean. Our waiter Greg was extremely welcoming and delightful. My boyfriend and I got the Lamb Loin Chops, Jidori Chicken, and the Trio of Dips. These were all super delicious, and everything was played so nicely. Water was always filled up and the atmosphere was incredible. The only things I disliked (not enough to put a star down) was that parking can be super small for the amount of restaurants around the area, they had the smallest garage of a free complimentary parking except it maybe fits 15 cars. Lots of people had to park on the residential streets, but at least it was free, not very convenient however. Bathroom was not in the restaurant either, it was outside on the other side of the restaurant, it was a bit odd and they need more lights especially at night. Other than that, the restaurant was such a tremendous place to go to if you are going out for a dinner night or a date! read more

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The service was nice enough. I suppose. The dip's in a small container not even half full. The happy hour menu price of these unsatisfying in any regard chips is $1 per. Un-tasty and expensive, particularly for what it was. Math is just not there. read more

Beeside Balcony - Had one chip. Cold stale and greasy. The dip was nothing to write home about either. - Mediterranean Near Me - Del Mar, California

After a scenic drive up the coast and a full beach day, we were on the hunt for the perfect spot to catch the sunset over a delicious meal. Luckily, this restaurant checked a lot of boxes especially with a parking garage (a huge win when street parking is almost nonexistent in the area). We arrived just before sunset and were seated on the lovely balcony. The open-air layout really lets you soak in the San Diego vibes. There was a gentle ocean breeze in the air, and they had heaters on standby for anyone who needed a little extra warmth thoughtful touch! I was intrigued by the Norwegian salmon with lemon beurre blanc. I wasn't quite sure about the broccolini purée, broccolini is such a pretty veggie on its own, and I wasn't a hundred percent sold on it as a sauce. When the dish arrived, the salmon was perched on a colorful base of couscous, quinoa, purple rice, carrots, and peas. Unfortunately, the beurre blanc sauce had been completely absorbed by the grain mixture as it was on the bottom of the plate, making it all a bit mushy. The broccolini purée also lost its vibrancy quickly, turning brown and tasting just as dull as it looked. The salmon itself was cooked beautifully, but it really needed that sauce to bring the flavor to life so I was a bit let down. We also tried the prix fixe menu ($50 for an appetizer, entrée, and dessert), which is a great way to sample more of the menu. We ordered the cioppino soup, pork entrée, and s'mores cake. The cioppino had a classic tomato broth and came with garlic bread plus a nice mix of seafood. The pork was cooked to perfection, juicy and flavorful, and paired wonderfully with the sensory overload we chose. I especially found the black stone used as a plate was a beautiful way to present the dish making all the colors pop. The drinks overall were divine I really enjoyed the New Zealand Sauvignon blanc. Sadly, we were too full to really enjoy dessert, but enjoys the bites we did devour! Special shoutout to Matthew , our server, who was incredibly friendly and attentive he made sure our glasses were never empty and checked in without hovering. Top-tier service. We didn't get our dream sunset the clouds had other plans, but even without the perfect view, it was a lovely evening. The restaurant isn't directly on the beach, but the rooftop does offer ocean views just beyond the street. All in all, a solid spot we'd definitely give it another try, especially hoping for a better food experience next time (and a sunset too!). read more

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Don't even bother going to this place. Doesn't even deserve one star. Took my father and stepmom here for lunch on a Saturday afternoon, as my dad and I had a great experience here when we came for dinner before. My stepmom is a vegetarian as many people are in this world, and they brought out her sandwich with bacon which she already had taken a few bites from, when we specifically said she is a vegetarian and to please not put bacon. The apology at the table was very insincere and filled with excuses, not to mention they still gave us a bill. Completely unacceptable!!!!! I had worked in the restaurant industry for 15+ years and the way this was handled was completely unacceptable!!!!!!!! Will never go back here again! And you shouldn't either. read more

We came Friday night at about 6pm. There was a little wait. There were a lot of waiters and waitresses there. The restaurant was busy but seemed chaotic. Food and service were average. Ambiance, seems like a fun and casual atmosphere. We would come back to give it a try again maybe during happy hour. No pics taken on food. read more

Beeside balcony is a very nice restaurant near the ocean! I came here for Valentine's Day and got a reservation a month in advanced. They called me a few days before to confirm the reservation. When I came in, it was a bit crowded but got seated in about 5-7 minutes after checking in. Food was awesome! My girlfriend and I started with the trio of dips which was awesome. The dips was an artichoke dip, a creamy spicy dip and a tzatziki sauce. I ordered the lamb which was cooked perfectly medium rare and the jidori chicken was flavorful with great potato's. Service was great! Our waiter was named Greg and he was very kind and polite. My girlfriend initially ordered the lamb and didn't like it after the first bite (wasn't her preference) and he was kind enough to comp it and get her the jidori chicken which was a lot better for her. Bathrooms are a bit of a walk. We went at night and it was a weird hallway outside but once there, the bathrooms were clean and bright. Parking is limited. They have designated parking in a garage underneath that has a limit of 2 hours but it was packed for me. So I did street parking which wasn't bad but it was on top of the hill. Free parking for both tho. Overall, a great place and would definitely come back during the day to enjoy the seaside view! read more

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Beeside Balcony is unquestionably a pleasant dining space set in a great location. An oversized, covered open space overlooking Coast 101 in Del Mar, you can enjoy views of the Pacific in near perfect temperatures. It is both lovely and lively. Staff here seem intent on providing good service in what can be difficult conditions. Tables are set close together and it gets very crowded at peak times. Although I would have liked a bit more speed, I can't really fault the waitstaff given the demands of the restaurant. What is deeply unfortunate, however, is the quality of food. To put it bluntly, it is amateurish, bordering on the crude. The owner in his Yelp blurb writes his restaurant serves "amazing chef-driven New-American menu." I can only say that the chef in question needs return to driving school. Let us begin with the basics--quality control. Two of us in our party ordered the dinner menu. We began by ordering the salmon croquettes, substantially sized balls of salmon mixed breadcrumbs, herbs, etc. Both arrived beautifully plated, but cold and raw inside. They were sent back and replaced--and to be fair they were fully cooked. But they were so fully cooked that they verged on burnt. They were certainly overdone. More concerning: the food itself was pedestrian and seemed to suggest a lack of basic cooking skills. The aforesaid appetizers, for example, had an accompanying saffron-infused and flavorless sauce. The entrees were equally slipshod. My osso bucco was a substantive piece of pork shank and was nicely tender. But it was cooked in a mirepoix that was salty, acrid, and clearly made quickly (and possibly with cheap ingredients). This dish should take time to cook; I suspect that the sauce was added separately at the last minute. It was, for the lack of a better word, coarse. Normally, I will eat everything put in front of me. I could only stomach about half of it. My wife's seafood risotto (a rather expensive item) was arguably worse. Risotto should be creamy and have an umami quality to it. This was grainy, made with cheap pieces of seafood (the aroma alone was a giveaway), and had no discernible herbal flavor. Another in our party said his Denver steak was "alright." Lastly, the s'more dessert was an ill-considered culinary misfortune. The textures of the graham-cracker crust against the sweetness of the dish simply failed. I should point out that churros were OK, but it is awfully difficult to mess those up. The only bright spot were the mussels, which everyone agreed were good. Overall, this was a deeply disappointing meal, in terms of conceptualization, preparation and execution. I will admit that all dishes were attractively plated--if that is what is meant by New-American, then well done. But once a couple photos are posted on social media, there's still the matter of having to eat the food served. And this is where Beeside Balcony needs a LOT of work. read more

chill vibe and easy to find parking on a Friday Eve. It's absolutely a beautiful way to wind down a week. I started with a white sangria that was refreshing - it was the quintessential drink to sit on the balcony and watch the sunset with. I followed with the octopus ceviche which was a nice variation of ceviche- people who normally don't like ceviche would probably enjoy this- very light, citrus-y. We followed with lamb shanks with a sweet potato puree and roasted Brussels sprouts-- every bite was absolutely wonderful. I enjoyed the lamb so much that (don't tell anyone-- I actually picked up the bone and ate every last morsel) Our server was extremely attentive and the staff made extra touches to make our evening special- they gave me a birthday card- very nice gesture. This is now one of my new favorites! read more

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Headed down here for lunch on Saturday. Casual spot with a great view of the Pacific and PCH in downtown Del Mar. Those cool ocean breezes are great. Pretty standard and well done menu with items like Fish and Chips, Chicken Sandwich, Grilled Salmon and not so common grilled octopus. Good selection of beer and cocktails/mocktails too. Wait staff was friendly and brought water for our dog. But like so many places that don't know protocol, they came and cleared plates as soon as each of us was done instead of waiting until everyone had finished eating. When are we going to learn to slow down in this country and just chill? Of sorry didn't mean to start a rant. Anyway, it's a pleasant spot, and seems reliable enough but not overly remarkable. read more

Ambiance is right on point. Rooftop dining, you can see downtown and the ocean. Food is OK. My Choppino soup had perfectly cooked varieties of fish, but was a bit bland. Service was very spotty. read more