I love the ambience of this place, especially around sunset. It's a great spot for seafood with a view. I just got a drink this time around which was tasty. My friend got the cauliflower steak which honestly wasn't very memorable, but to be fair I'm not sure a curry cauliflower dish is ever going to be the best thing at a seafood restaurant. I would say stick with a fish options. We were seated right away, and our hostess was friendly and attentive. read more

Brigantine - Portside Pier - Seafood Near Me - San Diego, California

Service was great and the view by the windows are gorgeous. It makes for a nice business dinner place either how nicely the people dress up here, turning it into a high end experience. The food is well made and tastes amazing but on the pricier end. Would I come here regularly? Probably not. I would make this into a special occasions spot though. 4/5. Boyfriend liked his fish and chips very much. read more

Brigantine - Portside Pier - Lobster Tacos (near) Fish and Chips (far) - Seafood Near Me - San Diego, California

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Another great meal at Brigantine! We got a table on the glass overlooking the water. The service was really good and we had some amazing cocktails fast. We started with some oysters, they were a little disappointing, barely any meat on them. My fish and chips were delicious. Nice and hearty with a light, flaky batter. Such a great venue! Great food, great drinks, great service! read more

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Four of us went and enjoyed our meal! Great selection of Seafood and the shrimp cocktail was huge, I believe 8 shrimp! I had the Tiger shrimp stuffed with crabmeat as a main entree, should have had one more shrimp only 4 served, but it was delicious. Another guest had the shrimp and crabmeat Cobb salad! Huge portion! They enjoyed very much! Another guest with dietary restrictions requested the Halibut to be grilled without butter. The waiter Brockton was very accommodating and provided excellent service! The Halibut came out great! We shared a s'mores brownie which finished off a great night! The restaurant was all windows surrounded by beautiful views. Sailboats coming in and out of the harbor! Overall a very nice night! Highly recommend! read more

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Chips were warm and delicious, not salty. Mister and I split the crab cake benedict. It was okay, asked for more hollandaise as you can see they hardly include any. Got a taste the fish and chips and it is very delicious. The fish was so fresh and tasty, the coating was not greasy or thick. Very nice relaxing restaurant. The TV was faced towards our direction so we were able to watch Padres baseball. There were 9 of us and the price was very reasonable. Staff are friendly, lots of parking, about 10 minutes from the airport. read more

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Had family in town and we were craving a great San Diego vibe so we made reservations for a 4pm Saturday early dinner. We found parking across the street at Waterfront park (which said no parking from 8/19 and on) so we lucked out with it being the 15th. We got a great table outdoors on the side. I wore a light jacket which was perfect for the afternoon breeze. It was a tad bit chilly for my nephew so bring a light jacket of you're outside. We had 2 mocktails - the raspberry and sunrise drinks. Both were good! For appetizers, we had the Brussels sprouts and coconut shrimp. Both great! I had the cauliflower "steak" which was decent. They cooked it more unique and had a bed of cooked veggies below the cauliflower with a light tomato sauce. My husband got the steak and said it was average. Our nephew got the chicken cordon bleu and was a little underwhelmed by it. The server was really understanding and kept asking if we wanted to switch it out or get something else to go but my nephew declined. Teenagers can be picky eaters so it's totally okay. Must try; Brussel sprouts appetizer. It's such a good combination of cheese, meat and charred brussel sprouts. Highly recommend read more

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I was in town for a work conference and before I head to head to the hotel decided to stop here for lunch over the water! The weather was typical San Diego perfect so enjoyed the outside patio out over the water! They are known for their fish tacos but as I wanted something lighter decided on a seafood salad! This dish is simply prepared and they let the seafood which was shrimp and crab Louis, be the star Everything was fresh and delicious but it just needed a tad more something - maybe dressing as it was all in the bottom under the salad. However it was still a great bowl! Service as fast and friendly and it was a great way to start the week prior to all day meetings! read more

Brigantine - Portside Pier - Seafood Near Me - San Diego, California

Known for seating open air right above the water views, convenience off the boulevard walk and everyday seafood menu. They take advantage of the constant tourist flow and the prices reflect it $$$. It is busy at dinnertime, but lethargic service from entitled waiters is a common complaint. A few tables looked like date night ~ if you like tight seating with a lot of movement and crowd noise, this is your night out on the town. Lucky ones get the waterside view but the trade off is the amplified noise reflection off the glass window guard. The steamed clams arrived with almost all empty shells and cold broth. Crab cake was good but not jumbo as stated. read more

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Came with a large group of 15 for a dinner reservation. The restaurant has beautiful views of the harbor. Service was efficient. I was torn between the lobster tacos and swordfish and the waiter recommended swordfish. I was not disappointed. The fish was cooked very well, juicy, and tender. Broccolini was also a great addition. Unfortunately, the delicious dish was a bit small. I felt like it could have used a larger portion of sides. Overall I had a good time at Brigantine enjoying the ocean views over dinner. read more

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We came right at sunset and it's so beautiful! Tomato bisque- it was creamy and good. Its fine but nothing special. Lobster tempura tacos- The lobster was okay, could use more flavor. The aioli was good. The fries were great. Not too filling but was pretty okay overall. Oysters- They were huge! The sauce on the side was a bit like a soupy ketchup in my opinion but it was fine. I think it was a fair price with how large and creamy the oysters were. Fish and chips- fish were cripsy and big. Fries were a little stale, it should have been the same fries as the ones we had with the lobster tempura tacos but it wasn't... overall I would get it again but I hope they make the fries consistently Service was okay. We wanted to share the tomato bisque so we asked for bowls and spoons. We had to ask for bowls and spoons three times. They finally brought out bowls but no spoons. The soup was lukewarm by then and we gave up asking. We had to eat the soup with the fries or tip the bowl... I mean they were super nice though. Maybe it was just a busy day. The view was absolutely gorgeous... I would come again just to see it. read more

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We stopped by for a cocktail and a quick snack in the late afternoon. Great location on the water. We were seated quickly. We sat by a large window overlooking the water. Once I read the menu I wished we were staying for dinner. I cannot remember the name of the cocktail I ordered (I think it was the strawberry rose lemonade) but it hit the spot. I ordered a bowl of clam chowder and it was very good. There were so many things on the menu I wanted to try that I wish I lived locally. This is one more recommendation I have for dining in San Diego. read more

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I think ill say I liked the service and ambiance a little more than the actual food. It also could be due to having a big lunch. They do offer free parking in the back of the building and there's indoor or outdoor seating. The inside was very nice and fancy. We sat in the area which looked like it could be turned into a private room. Service was exceptional. Even the manager noticed where I was from based on my clothes and we had a good conversation. As for the food, I thought they were good but not great. The crab and shrimp fondue wasn't anything special and we could hardly tell if there was any actual crab or shrimp in it. The oysters were good too. The swordfish was great as it was flavorful and tender. The crab stuffed shrimp was just good too. Overall a 4 star experience. May try this place again if I ever take a trip back out there. read more

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Just went with a group of 13 to enjoy dinner after a conference and had one of the best experiences yet! We love this location and often choose this Brigantine over the other locations, because you can't beat the views and the atmosphere. It was our lucky night, because we found parking right away, but I have had experiences in the past where parking took a good 30 minutes. We have also had times where we choose not to go, because we just don't want to deal with parking, but not going means we are missing out on some pretty amazing food. Our server was OUTSTANDING (I believe his name was Josh). He made our night enjoyable and was super patient with our large party! We got the surf and turf special that he recommended and OH MY GOSH....I need to eat it again! I could not get enough; the lobster was so good and flavorful. For appetizers, we did start with the Brussel sprouts and the French onion soup and both were PHENOMENAL. The French onion didn't have the crunch and a lot of cheese like others, but the flavor was amazing! For drinks, I was having their Old Fashions and they were soooo tasty. Was the perfect drink for the night. Dessert, we had a Mud Pie and Apple Crisp. The only thing we were disappointed with was the apple crisp, because we wanted it to be warmer and a little more crispier, but it truly did taste like Thanksgiving in your mouth! I should have taken more pictures, but we were too excited for our dishes, so we just dove right in! Gives me another reason to go back! read more

Brigantine - Portside Pier - Seafood Near Me - San Diego, California

Let's start with the parking situation at this restaurant. It's not great. My brother told me to get valet so that I wouldn't have to worry about parking. It's difficult to even get into the parking lot, which is in a tight strip that's in between the sidewalk where the restaurant's building was located and Harbor Drive, which has its own navigating issues with the street also being the main drag to have access to the airport. I had to circle around the area using PCH to get back onto Harbor, then approach the restaurant from the north. When I got into the "lot," I had to flag down a couple of valets to ask if they had any open spots. One of them told me to circle back around AGAIN to get an open spot. I decided to heck with that and just pulled into a parking garage on Ash St. just 50 yards away from the restaurant. Once inside, we were able to get into a private dining area for my mom's party. The eating space was nice and spacious, acommodating for our party of at least 20 people. The restaurant is also very nice and clean. The entrees and appetizers did seem like standard wedding fare, though. I ordered the braised shortrib, and while it was good, I couldn't escape the impression that it was something that one would normally eat at a wedding reception. The beef was soft and tender, the mashed potatoes creamy, and the carrots were cooked very well. I enjoyed the strawberry lemonade cocktail and appreciated that they reduced the vodka content so that I wouldn't get so buzzed from one drink. Eventually, I had to order a regular lemonade though, which I did enjoy. It was sweet and not overly sour. Also one point in their favor was the clam chowder starter course. That also had a little sweet flavor to it, which was definitely preferable to having an overly salty taste. The bits of bacon in the chowder helped to cut down the sweetness. The desserts were pretty standard fare. I liked the chocolate brownie more than the raspberry cheesecake. I will also note that the two servers we had for the dinner party were terrific. It couldn't have been easy to handle that kind of workload but they looked like they've been doing this kind of thing before. read more

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This was a really great place to eat with awesome views, a good menu, and great service. I will say the food wasn't exactly remarkable for the price which is why this is a 4/5 stars review, but it was good! First, this place really does have a beautiful dining setup. My group was sat outside and the view really was nice. We were able to enjoy our food while looking out to the sea. There were also quite a few options for food. Most of it was seafood, but there were limited non-seafood options, which was nice to be offered. Additionally, I do wish that there was an option for sides listed on the menu which I couldn't seem to find. Besides that, the service was great. The server checked in on us multiple times ensuring that we had a good experience! However, for the price paid, the food wasn't crazy good. I ordered the Blackened Salmon and tried the Cauliflower Steak. First, the salmon was good. It paired well with the buttery vegetables. It was a bit of a smaller portion than expected, but still good. As for the cauliflower steak, the result was okay. I expected a seasoned twist on cauliflower, but it was just slightly roasted cauliflower. I don't usually try vegan options, so maybe it should've been expected, but it really was just cauliflower and vegetables. I wouldn't expect to leave this option feeling very "full." So if you're looking for something a bit smaller, you may enjoy this spot a bit more. I will add that the coconut shrimp appetizer was really good! Delicious sauce and garnishes. Overall, I would go again because of the great dining experience, but I might order something else. read more

Brigantine - Portside Pier - Blackened Salmon - Seafood Near Me - San Diego, California

Brigantine Portside is all about the view and the rooftop views are absolutely breathtaking. Sitting above the water with the harbor stretched out in front of you is incredibly relaxing, especially with a good cocktail in hand. The atmosphere is lively but still laid-back, and this is easily one of those places where you can sit for hours enjoying the scenery. The cocktails were very good and honestly matched the setting perfectly. Unfortunately, the food was a completely different story. The crab cakes were extremely disappointing. They were very underseasoned and seemed to have way too much filler rather than that rich crab flavor you expect from a waterfront seafood restaurant. The wings were better...they were nicely crispy and tasted okay, but still nothing particularly memorable. I'm giving Brigantine Portside 4 stars almost entirely because of the spectacular rooftop, waterfront views, cocktails, and overall ambience. The setting really is that good. But the kitchen seriously needs to level up its food game to match the location. Would I come back? Absolutely for cocktails, that rooftop, and those incredible viewsz read more

Brigantine - Portside Pier - Too much filler in the crabcake. - Seafood Near Me - San Diego, California

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Our server wasn't attentive enough to realize we barely ate the food. I was glad that there was nearly 30 minutes between the time we'd received the seafood fondue was cool, but still in what appeared to be a microwave dish, and the burnt bread charcuterie board that looked and tasted like grocery store manager's special left overs. The scenery and the patio were really nice, and earned my star by existing. There was a fireworks show at an adjacent event that really made the moment memorable, and was a welcome distraction from our otherwise terrible experience. We'd researched in advance, and based on the pricing and photos, my expectation was very different than the reality. It was so expensive for the quality. I wouldn't recommend this to any tourist trying to have a nice meal, but if you're looking for a pricey cocktail and a photo op, you could find it here. read more

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This beautiful restaurant/upstairs bar has beautiful views and very friendly staff, and for that alone I have to give 5 stars. We had a reservation for the restaurant downstairs and were seated fairly promptly. Our waiter, Blake, was awesome the whole evening, giving us suggestions, etc. We were seated at a table not with the spectacular views, but we all got up and went outside to take pictures while waiting for our food. I ordered a lavender lemon prosecco drink which was excellent. I also had the clam chowder. It was decent, not the best I've had, but ok. My friends ordered the pasta special that had shrimp and salmon. They said it was very delicious. We all split 2 large Brig house salads, which were also excellent. After dinner we checked out the upstairs outdoor bar. It had firepit tables and such beautiful views of the boat of the Maritime museum; just gorgeous. I would love to come back here for drinks for sure!!! read more

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We had reservations and were seated right on time, which made for a smooth start to the evening. We were seated inside in the bar area. While the water view was limited from our table, the atmosphere was still lively and comfortable. Service throughout was attentive and accommodating. Anytime we needed assistance, every staff member we interacted with was friendly and happy to help. Since we were celebrating a birthday and the birthday guy specifically wanted oysters, we went all in and ordered three dozen. We also shared the fried calamari, French onion soup, steamed clams, fish tacos, potato wedges, sliders, and shrimp cocktail. The food was solid overall and made for a fun variety to share around the table. One of the highlights was the thoughtful birthday surprise--they brought out a huge slice of ice cream cake for the birthday celebration, which was a nice touch and definitely appreciated. The food itself was good, though not quite memorable enough for a full five stars, which is why I'd rate it a 4/5 overall. For happy hour, though, this place is absolutely worth visiting for the combination of value, generous portions, and attentive service. read more

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Happy hour is a great time to meet friends and grabs some bites on the cheaper side. Drinks are perfectly made. The sourdough is delicious. The crab cake is always a solid choice. Service is pleasant and efficient. The vibe is perfect. Especially on the water at sunset read more

Brigantine - Portside Pier - Seafood Near Me - San Diego, California

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Quite possibly the most affordable ocean side restaurant I have ever had the privilege of dining at. The staff was courteous and thoughtful and the back patio was right on the ocean. The food options were massive and I had the French dip. I was able to get garlic truffle fries with no additional charge and the ambiance was that of a five star restaurant for a three star price. Our server was kind and helpful and it's one of the few places I'm choosing to dine at on back to back days - it was that good! read more

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Too many times reviews are too negative. Our servers were very good as was the food. Whoever this review is for the manager who was working on Tuesday afternoon. We had a problem with the bill, or so we thought. When we reviewed it when we got home, it didn't look right. Since I live walking distance from the restaurant, I walked back. I asked for the manager and only had to wait for 2 minutes. The manager explained the bill and printed it off to reflect what was actually done. This is true customer service and we truly appreciated it. read more

My husband and I had a great early dinner at Brigantine. It was our first visit. We were immediately seated on the patio with an amazing view of the port. We were thrilled. Our server, Kate, was super friendly and offered excellent service. We enjoyed the brussels sprouts and oysters appetizers. I ordered the pork chop. It was flavorful and juicy.. My husband ordered the halibut. It had a beautiful presentation. It was flaky and delicious. We decided to have dessert and ordered their bread pudding. OMG... it was warm and perfect amount of sweetness, topped with vanilla ice cream. It was a great ending to a wonderful experience. If you're looking for an oceanic view restaurant, this place is it. However, parking is challenging. We will return during our next visit to San Diego. read more

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On an early night first time visit we were seated after waiting 15 minuets after our reservation to be seated in our second seat where rain started coming in on our table. Eventually w were seated inside and ordered a very nice charcuterie board and drinks. I could tell the bartender used an actual measuring jig to make mine because it was vey weak, so I suggest asking for "a strong" drink at your visit. I was served a very dry breaded Ahi on mashed potatoes. I ate the vegetables and the charcuterie.Thankfully they took it off the bill. My partner had some huge bacon wrapped shrimp, together we would not choose theses dishes again. This is a stop on the "tourist trap" map of restaurants that has great views, plenty of space, a huge bar and an okay menu of...okay food. read more

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Food was amazing and service was friendly. Great views of the ocean. We will definitely come back again read more

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Food: - oysters: 8.5/10, buttery and amazing with their hot sauce - fish tacos: 6/10, really good slaw and potato chips but the tacos itself were not flavorful - crab cake: 7.6/10, creamy and refreshing - chowder: 5/10, would skip next time Service: - friendly staff - fast service Ambiance: - right over the water - amazing view read more

Came here for a quick breather after touring The Star of India. I ordered the fish and chips, which surprisingly was very good. The fish was quite fresh and they did not cheap us out by over-battering the fish. Highly recommend dining outside because the view is absolutely to die for. Service here is very lackluster, however. The waitress give us a slight attitude when we wanted to switch seat. The waiter was not super attentive either and took quite a while to get our check. However that being said, I can also see what the service can be lackluster due to the frequent visitation by the tourists. If you are touring the area, I do recommend coming here for a quick bite or a quick breather. A small snack next to the ocean with a breathtaking view, there isn't much more you can ask for. read more

What a great experience. Probably one of if not my favorite brigantine locations. The location, ambiance and views are unmatched. Our service was wonderful. Fast, friendly and knowledgeable. I tried the crab crusted NY strip surf and turf special. It was really good, the mashed potatoes, grilled shrimp and asparagus were all cooked perfect. We had a great time celebrating our friends birthday and Brigantine made it special. The desserts, creme brûlée and mud pie were amazing. Great date night or special night out spot! read more

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I came here yesterday for happy hour/taco Tuesday all rolled into one Happy hour applies in the bar area, not on the patio There are a variety of drinks available in the happy hour menu. There are also appetizers on the happy hour menu. Since it was also taco Tuesday, there are tons of tacos available on special I opted for a grilled mahi-mahi taco. Just one and that would've been enough. My colleagues had ordered that big fish taco, which is battered and fried and delicious. I ended up ordering that as my second taco. Yes it was delicious. No, I did not need it. This is really not much different from any of the other Brigs, other than a great view I generally frequent the one in Del Mar, but this was a cool change up. The server was very friendly and was happy to give us all our own checks. I also saw that they have a QR code paying on the receipt which we could've each just paid for other items, but that was really kind of her. She was slightly absent like would forget to bring my water give everybody a straw except for me I basically just went to the Bartender to get the things that she missed. Maybe she was busy. I don't know. read more

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Don't come for the bar snacks. Coconut shrimp we could barely cut through and artichoke hearts overly breaded. Bar is nice and big and the female bartenders were super sweet. Just wish the food was on par. read more

Nice Restaurant right on the bay in downtown. With a view that good, you think the food doesn't have to be good but it was! Been here a few times and had great service and food each time. Best coconut shrimp appetizer and other great seafood options. read more

Brigantine - Portside Pier - Outdoor seating on the water - Seafood Near Me - San Diego, California

All of the Brigantine restaurants around San Diego are phenomenal, each one has a little sonething different & I used to favor the location in Del Mar, until a friend took me to this location & now this is my favorite! They have amazing wine and seafood pairings, and if you havent had the clam chowder than youre misding out! Sometimes we go just to get big bowls of soup, and the kids love the fish tacos, there is something for everyone - great place, local favorite!​ read more

This was a wonderful event for my Husband's Alumni Association visiting in town. We were the designated "hosts" of the dinner reception and it was a wonderful time. We arrived early and checked in with the restaurant hostess. She indicated that until the rest of our party arrived, we would need to wait until 6p (25 more mins), to be seated in our area. Turns out, the CEO/President of the Alumni Assn & University Foundation walked up at the same time. We were directed to sit at the bar to wait. As we started to sit at the bar, about 5 others from the Alumni Assn and Foundation came into the restaurant. We greeted each other with hugs and handshakes. Then, the lead hostess came up to our group at the bar and said that we can now start seating in our reserved reception area. The area was right next to the beautiful wood wall art mural. The restaurant was alive and thriving. Our server was Lindsay, who is ALWAYS a perfect server whenever we have her. Everything was wonderful. Excellent customer service, food, cocktails, mocktails, and ambiance. Overall, a 5-star experience! Thanks Brigantine! read more

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We wanted to find a restaurant by the water and this did not disappoint. We took pictures outside and then came back inside for our meal. We split the seafood pasta special and it was delicious. We also split their house salad, which was equally delicious. The drinks were wonderful and we had a great time. It is kind of pricey though. Our server Blake was outstanding. read more

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Several of us dined for lunch on a weekday. We enjoyed a high top indoors, which was nice an almost provided a bit of privacy for our party. Service was outstanding, and we tried a variety of dishes: Seafood platter - lobster, oysters, shrimp Blackened ahi tuna sashimi Swordfish Charcuterie board Calamari Stuffed shrimp Coconut shrimp Fish and chips Crab cakes Tempura lobster tacos I personally enjoyed a crab and shrimp Louis salad, which was delicious and featured a generous amount of seafood plus hard boiled egg, tomatoes, and the Louis dressing on the side. All of the aforementioned food was reported as very good... I also tried several of the appetizers; the blackened ahi sashimi stood out to me. Brigantine has a near indoor bar and of course the outdoor seating and views are amazing. read more

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Arrived in San Diego on the Pacific Surfliner and headed straight to Brigantine Portside Pier. The location couldn't be better--beautiful waterfront views, attentive service, and excellent food. Our server Ms. Kate was so accommodating..... her food recommendations were on point. Our margaritas were DEEEEELIIIIUXOUS My dad , uncle and I had a wonderful lunch while watching boats come and go in the harbor. Even though we later discovered he'd misplaced his jacket on the train, Brigantine ended up being one of the highlights of our trip. I'd happily return on my next visit to San Diego. read more

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Took the train to downtown San Diego for the day. Looking for great seafood by the water. We happened upon Brigantine Portside Pier and sat on the patio on a beautiful sunny day for lunch. We had the bacon wrapped shrimp and the sand dabs with risotto and broccolini, and for drinks we had a mai tai and a margarita. All the flavors of both the meal & drinks were amazing and so fresh!! Both dishes were highly recommended by our wonderful waiter Tyler M. His suggestions and knowledge of the menu were very helpful and spot on for what we were looking for as I have some dairy sensitivity. This is a definite gem and I see a revisit in the future. If you haven't been to this amazing restaurant, make sure you go see Tyler M. He will take excellent care of you. read more

Brigantine - Portside Pier - Sand dabs with risotto and broccolini - Seafood Near Me - San Diego, California

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Beautiful venue with gorgeous view of the bay and ships from the nautical museum next door. This is a great place to take out of town guests to. Beautiful view, delicious fresh food, and great service every time. We had reservations for happy hour and were a little concern about parking on a weekend. Fortunately there were a few spots available on Harbor Drive in front of the restaurant. We were seated outside and was well taken care of by our waitress. We ordered a bottle of Grenache Blanc, calamari, and their house salad. All were delicious. We will definitely be back! read more

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The place was on my radar as I wanted a spot to eat after playing pickleball at Waterfront Park. I took a couple of old friends to grab dinner. I will say, if you want to come later in the night, best, to get a reservation. It is a beautiful location and the food was delicious. Our server was great and I wouldn't mind coming to eat here again. Overall takeaways, great seafood and atmosphere. Great service as well. I think the food was delicious but could be a little better. Would likely order the salad again but not the sea food platter. read more

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We had a group of eight hit the Brig for an early meal and catch happy hour. The service was amazing, food was great, came out quickly, drinks were always full and our server, Hannah was simply amazing. She was very busy yet had her crew all over us to make sure every detail was perfect. Can't wait to get back there again. read more