Th food at the Brig never disappoints. We went to the lounge for a happy hour dinner. The oysters, crab cake, tortilla chips with white jalapeño cheese sauce, and potato skins were great. The only issue we had was with the service. It seemed like eons passed between times we saw our waitress. She was otherwise friendly, but her tip reflected the less than optimal service. read more

While we have always enjoyed this place last Saturday night, 11/22/25 our experience was dismal at best. The macadamia crusted halibut was so over cooked you couldn't eve tell it was halibut. I ordered swordfish and it was so dry and chewy only adding tons of sauce on it was it edible. I indicated this to the waiter but very little reaction from him. I really should have sent everything back but I'm not that kind of person, although I should be. Simply put we will not be going back here to the La Mesa location as something has changed. $127 with a 20% tip, my own fault as I don't like to burn the waiter over the kitchens deficiencies. I simply won't be going back after being a customer for several years. Something has changed in this restaurant for sure and it's not for the good. read more

Brought my aunt here for her bday dinner and had a great time. This restaurant was pricier than I expected (30 dollars for a glass of wine), but the food was good. Although my steak was way undercooked I ate what I could and saved the rest for breakfast next day. Calamari appetizer was delish and crème brûlée and mud pie delicious! My aunt had the fish and chips and thought it was delicious. Margaritas were perfection ! We sat outside and the heaters made for perfect temperature. read more

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We frequent Brigantine because it is close to home and, we love the food!! The service - we are always greeted by a few people when we enter but, I will always make a reservation because they are always so busy. You can sit at the bar as well but, we prefer sitting in the restaurant. I will say that the waiters and food are a little slow but, again this is because the restaurant is always so full. It's a good thing! We want them to stay open!! Menu Tip: We always ask for the bar menu because we love ordering the fish, chicken and steak taco's. They usually don't have some of those items on the regular menu. What we ordered: We started off with the Crispy Coconut Macadamia Shrimp. It was topped with a mango salsa and a side of ponzu sauce. First time ordering these and, fully plan on ordering every time we go! Brussels Sprouts: The Crispy Brussels sprouts. These are gluten free, crispy, have a slight caramel taste, pork belly and blue cheese. These are a definite favorite and we order them every single time. Mini Sliders: We got the mini sliders and these were good! They come with a side of fries. Sometimes you just need a burger and this is great. Fish Tacos: The fried pieces of cod are so big that sometimes I need to cut it in half and dip them in ranch. These come with cabbage, salsa Fresca, cheddar, and ranch. They also come with a side of chips or fries. Get the chips...they are so good and, addicting! Finished off with the mud pie! Oreo crust, coffee ice cream, fudge swirled in, nuts and whipped cream! The perfect way to end a meal. The ambiance is always nice! The one in La Mesa was recently renovated and it looks better. It is a little dark but, that's okay..it just means that it's more romantic! read more

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What sets The Brigantine apart is the attention to detail. From the beautifully plated dishes to the thoughtful wine pairings and friendly, professional staff, everything is done with care and intention. Whether you're celebrating a special occasion or just indulging in a night out, they make every visit feel special. Amazing food, gorgeous setting, and a vibe that can't be beat! The Brigantine is a San Diego must. I already can't wait to go back with my family and friends!! read more

The Brig has become our go to place on Saturday afternoons to enjoy great food and a frosty beverage. The staff is friendly and welcoming and we like sitting in the bar and ordering off the bar menu. read more

We came here for lunch, and our waitress (name rhymes with basin) had a smile, but was not very attentive. We were ready to order rather quickly, but had to wait for our waitress to come back to our table. It was like she disappeared, and we couldn't even get her attention since she wasn't even on the floor. We ordered an appetizer, a soup and a salad, and entrées. We had to ask for a bread basket and received that within five or six minutes while we watched others be seated and have the bread basket immediately put on their table. The appetizer arrived after the soup and the salad when it really should've been served first. Maybe there was miscommunication between the waitress and the chef in terms of timing. The food, as always, was impeccable and presented beautifully and our waitress was pleasant. Everyone can have a mediocre day, and if a person is new, these things are to be expected as things happen like this. read more

I'm not sure why we haven't been here in years, but we will 100% be going regularly now! The food was delicious, the best drinks I have had, and the service was perfect! Adil was exactly what a server should be! Fast, friendly, accurate and he had a full section including a big group right next to us. I highly recommend La Mesa Brigantine Halibut was amazing and the Strawberry rose lemonade is a must! read more

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What a hidden gem. This place was so good I even got dessert and I don't really do that unless the food is really good. We got Seabass with a delicious block sauce and a wedge salad with crab and blue cheese and all the other fixings. I also got the mud pie which was really good. I'm deathly gonna come back to try out more food read more

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The Brigantine is located right across the the freeway from my house. It used to called "The Top Shelf" years ago. The bar is very, very busy seven days a week, but it is fun and lively, so sometimes I prefer to sit in the bar room instead of the main dining room. Even though the bar room has a special menu, the full dinner menu is also available in the bar after 4:30 p.m. There are usually about three daily specials a night, one of which I usually end up ordering. The prime rib special when available is particularly well prepared at the Brigantine. On Wednesday, the bottles of wine are offered at a fifty percent reduction. However, any day of the week, the Brigantine private label Chardonnay is a treat. Be sure to save room for an Irish Coffee after dinner. read more

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Came here with my dad last week. We love coming here ! The ambiance is always nice and relaxing with the dim lighting. The host staff and our server were really nice, although we had to get our servers attention a few times & it almost seemed like she forgot about us. Our food was delicious: we ordered the coconut shrimp to start off, the crab stuffed jumbo prawns & a bowl clam chowder. Everything was delicious, the prawns were rich & the sauce was very tasty. We were stuffed by the time desert came around but next time we want to try the mud pie ! read more

We brought a free app w entree purchase coupon and were disappointed the server said only brussel sprouts and calamari could be chosen. The terms on the coupon did not say that. Friends we know who also had the coupon said they didn't have a problem picking any app. Disappointed by dishonesty. read more

Went here last night for dinner.... And it was AMAZING! Our Air BnB host recommended it, and I'm so glad she did! At first the prices seemed a little high but overall our dinner meal was less than lunch at a popular San Diego taco place. I had the shrimp and grits and my husband had the wagyu burger and I highly recommend both! read more

Working so close to this Brigantine, I've been here a couple times since my initial check in. I most recently came here for their happy hour which is 3-6 PM and it is such a fun place with great food and drinks! We got a table for 7 and ordered oysters, calamari, nachos, potato skins, sliders, salads, and tons of different drinks. We didn't even need to dig into the "main menu" as the happy hour menu here is literally amazing. I've also been here once for dinner and got the filet which was pretty good. It comes with a sauce over top, veggies, and mashed potatoes. I enjoyed the meal and the steak was cooked well. Brigantine is our go to option for convenience and good eats. Looking forward to coming back soon for more happy hours! read more

Brigantine - Seafood Near Me - La Mesa, California

Rigoberto has taken care of our group a few times now. He is an amazing waiter, very pleasant and professional. He is a great asset to The Brigantine in La Mesa. As a business owner myself, I appreciate great service! Lily P, business owner in La Mesa. read more

Brought my family for an early birthday dinner to the La Mesa location. Excellent service. We ordered an assortment of appetizers- brussel sprouts, crab cake, shrimp cocktail- all delicious. The shrimp was fresh and so good. Then New York steaks or sea bass stuffed with shrimp, swordfish, tiger shrimp with grits. Steaks were prepared as ordered and perfect, seafood not overdone. We've eaten in several locations of Brigantine and have always been pleased. read more

Great location as it's down the street from home and made reservations here to celebrate my birthday with my nephew. Ample parking and as you enter the premise, lots of tropical trees and the sound of water. It's faint because this location is located next to the 8 hwy thou when you enter all that freeway sound disappears and you walk into a vibrant place. Their is a bar on the left and always seems to be packed during Happy Hour. I was here 3 weeks ago and they have a $6.00 menu and the food was great (the salad, clam chowder, the sliders )- epic! The dining area is spacious and we sat at a booth and very quiet. The tables are nicely spaced from other tables, thus you don't hear other people's conversations. We started with the coconut jumbo shrimp appetizers over a bed of cabbage and mango served with a soy sauce dipping sauce. The mango was not sweet and paired well, thou it wasn't ripe and the dipping sauce was too salty with this delicate shrimp. I would have opted for a sweeter red pepper sauce. The oysters were delicious thou the sauce it came with was very basic. The clam chowder here is a staple and doesn't disappoint. It's very creamy and flavorful. The sea bass stuffed with crab is one of their top seller special. I can understand why. Cooked to perfection, the flavor, the color, the portion was artistic how it was plated. Served on a bed of creamy risotto- it was quite decadent already with the crab, nevertheless I enjoyed my dish immensely. For dessert we had their blueberry and apple cobbler alamode and it was a fine way to end the evening. I can see why this place is popular, great seafood menu selection. Our waiter was excellent, attentive, professional, and kind. All the staff were attentive and friendly. Looking forward to returning. read more

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I have been a regular here for years. My main reason is Mikey the bartender. This man is such a good person and DAMN good at his job. Makes the best drinks out there. Not to mention his signature bloody! I have never had bad service with any server here and the food is amazing every single time. read more

La mesa restaurant. Carla was our waitress. Wonderful service. 5 stars. Fast, Friendly. Birthday club surprise! Food was delicious. Will come back for sure. Highly recommend. Upscale atmosphere for special occasions. Cozy atmosphere. read more

I don't know. I know the Brigantine is VERY popular here in East County but I'm not exactly sure as to why. Last night my cousin and I went there for dinner. I ordered the Parmesan Crusted Halibut. It was ok. A tad dry for my liking. The waitress was very nice. I wished that the restaurant would turn the lights up a click or two because it's a little hard to read the menu in that low lighting. I don't know that I would go back. I've been 3 times and each time I'm like eh what's the big deal about this place? read more

A++. Food, service - perfect. Ordered the battered fish and chips, house salad. This Brigantine has been here a number of years. Never disappoints. read more

I will start with the most important part.... THE FOOD! We were a party of 5 and we all finished our food! Literally crumbs....if you travel to this area GET HERE.... Employees were attentive and accommodating, we arrived early for our reservation and they seated us right away and the place was packed, parking lot was full Ambiance Fun, Food and celebration, we sat close to a retirement celebration, and other large parties.....people were laughing, eating, drinking and talking....GREAT VIBE ...we will be back! Crab Stuffed Tiger Shrimp read more

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We came in Tuesday evening for a early dinner they accepted our reservations for 4. Our 90 year old friend was celebrating her birthday dinner and was happy for the attention given by our wonderful waiter Todd; very patient and was not ruffled by the requests for split checks. He is a true professional and a true gentleman dealing with a maturing population can be nerve wracking with smaller orders and demands can be trying on one's patience! He surprised our friend with mud pie and provided a song! I always feel bad when groups don't eat plenty as they age. read more

Dined in on a Sunday around 6p. Our waitress Monica was a gem. The Lavender Prosecco Sour was ok, it was mostly a glass of ice. After two small sips, it was gone. The oysters were divine. The Jumbo Lump Crab Cake was far from jumbo, and lacked any flavor. I really wanted to try the crab stuffed tiger shrimp, but they failed by wrapping them in bacon. Ending the night with cheesecake was heavenly. Overall, I probably wouldn't return. read more

I just had a birthday lunch for my mother in-law. My wife paid the bill and our server Trent came up to us and asked if we over paid. We then realized we left $200 extra. Instead of Trent just pocketing the money he came up to us and asked if we made a mistake. It is so rare to find an overly honest person. But Trent obvious is. Thanks to Trent I'm going to buy my wife glasses. read more

Although the steak was undercooked at first, wait staff promptly noticed and had it fixed without me even needing to ask. Once fixed, it was delicious. I don't usually go for a blue cheese crust on my steaks but this one worked really nicely. The clams in whatever curry sauce they put together was heavenly. Some of the best seafood I've ever had, I even dipped my steak in the leftover sauce lol. Restaurant is nice inside, with a good atmosphere and attentive wait staff. read more

I have no complaints about the service. They were very accommodating. I've been going to the Brigantine since the beginning as I know the original owners. Food was always very quality and the best seafood in town. It has consistently gone downhill since then. Last night, I ordered the shrimp and crab Cobb salad. I could not believe that they tossed the salad in crappy canola oil dressing. Not even a blue cheese dressing. They can't even use olive oil or avocado oil but they use gross canola oil which is cancer-causing. Yes, it is cheaper so I guess the whole point now is to skimp on the quality of the food. One of the few restaurants in town however, that does use real crab. Unfortunately, the crab was very watery and minced, not real crab chunks. The shrimp was good. Not sure I'm going to be back which is a bummer. read more

I dined at The Brigantine in La Mesa last night and had a lovely experience. The hostess was accommodating and friendly. Everything we ordered was delicious and the cocktails were generous. The service was excellent. AJ is an awesome server. He is attentive and fun. He knows the menu well and had delicious recommendations. He definitely made our meal great. A+! I will be back again. read more

I love the Brig and used to dine at the one in Del Mar frequently, but this was my first time at the LaM Mesa location. What a treat! There are two patios, the indoors is dark, intimate and has great decor and character. And of course the service is exceptional no matter what location you're at. My hubby, friend and I all got the exact same thing! We started with a Caesar salad which was served with the most delicious peppery croutons ever. There was also house bread with lots of butter to go around. We then had the sea bass, which was stuffed with a crab and cheese mix, served over mushroom risotto and asparagus. My hubby opted for the Brussels instead which were good. The sea bass was tender and delicious, risotto was creamy and perfectly cooked, asparagus was nicely salted with a tenderness and subtle snap. The Brigantine never disappoints with their classics, but I always go for whatever special the chef has concocted that night. You can't go wrong. read more

Brigantine - Sea bass stuffed with a creamy crab mix over mushroom risotto and served with grilled asparagus - Seafood Near Me - La Mesa, California

Man this place is so inconsistent. I LOVE the spicy chicken tacos, off the main menu! Sometimes the shrimp cocktail is fantastic! Big and firm and yummy. Today the shrimp cocktail was soggy and horrible. I've had good oysters and I've had horrible warm slimy oysters. Inconsistency is consistent here. Tonight I spent $135 for two of us, for prime rib we didn't eat. We already complained about the soggy shrimp cocktail and didn't want to complain about the dinner also, as we ate the entire baked potato and unseasoned vegetables..... and a few bites of prime rib because we were hungry. It was not GOOD though. The meat tasted cheap and gross. Such a bummer we keep thinking hey this place is ok! And then it always goes back to, oh yeah, this is why we stopped coming ... read more

This truly a beautiful place to eat and enjoy the ocean view. A few hiccups with service/billing, but we will return! Nobody is perfect!!

My husband and I enjoyed our anniversary once again at the Brigatine and the service and the food is beyond comfortable for celebrating any occasion Tammy our server was awesome and I'm amazed on how well that they keep the tables clean and bring the food out as soon as it comes out, I so grateful we can go somewhere where it's quiet And the food just is beyond. We ordered all new food that we didn't order before and it was awesome. Never have a regret. Can't wait till the next time we go out there read more

Good service, good kids menu, good options! It wasn't the best of the best... but it's a nicer option for La Mesa. We were able to make a patio reservation & we're seated a bit late but that's ok, they bring fresh bread out right away! I like the 9oz wine option too. I miss the blue cheese potato salad. It was such a unique tasty side. I had to settle for a baked potato this time. read more

I really like this restaurant. It doesnt feel like one of the typical Chain Restaurants. I like the decor and the ambiance of the La Mesa location. Plenty of parking too which is a plus. Self parking too. They were very nice to take our reservation for a party of 6. They have a delicious menu. I had the crab stuffed Jumbo Bacon wrapped shrimp and it was yummy. They do bring rolls and butter, but those were dry and tasteless. Maybe they can sitch to the bread that is yummy and served at CCF....No biggie. Service was nice. Planning on a return. read more

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Just had an AMAZING experience at the Brigantine in La Mesa. Had a wonderful lunch ( the prime rib sandwich was awesome!) our waiter AJ was one of the best waiters I have ever had. Attentive and super efficient! He definitely knows what he's doing! We had an incident where my cousin was putting her leftover fish in the to go box and it slipped out of her hands and landed on the ground. She had only taken a few bites and was very disappointed. The manager Max stepped up and replaced it with a fresh piece of fish. What Amazing customer service!! 5 star experience today! Great job by a manager who did the right thing! Way to go Brigantine!! This is one of our favorite spots for a reason! read more

Been going at least once a month now. It's always been good but now, discovered 1/2 off wine bottles on Wednesday's lol. Anywhere from patio to dining in is excellent. Anything off the menu is delicious from baked oysters, prime rib, salads, everything! Service is excellent. All the servers are knowledgeable on the menu and great service! read more

When in San Diego, original Brig fish tacos are a MUST!!! I literally crave them the second that I smell the fresh beachy air. This time I had to wait until the end of our trip, on the way out of town, to get my fix but this location did not disappoint!!! We sat on their patio and soaked in our final hour of cool, 75 degree air before heading back to the hot desert and it was absolutely lovely. Our server was fantastic, attentive, and the food came out quick (which is ideal with tiny humans). Our boys loved their kid's cups, crayons/coloring page, and the chicken tenders (hello, yummy ranch!). The Bloody Mary was also one of the best that I've ever had. I was a little nervous because I had only been to the Brigs near the water (Del Mar & Coronado), but this location is just as great as the rest!! 10/10 recommend. We'll be back next time! read more

Great great service here!! Got drinks and apps with friends here, and everything was perfecto! It was definitely a Sunday kind of vibe. Thanks for having us Brig! read more

The La Mesa-El Cajon branch of AAUW held our installation luncheon for 60 guests in their banquet room. Melissa Herring, their coordinator, was easy to work with and provided us with a podium and microphone for our speaker. The wait staff did everything we asked of them and the food was delicious. It was a special event that all in attendance enjoyed! read more

Never had a bad meal here. Never had a bad server here. Always enjoy the atmosphere. Highly recommend. read more