My friend visiting from out of town recommended this place as she'd dined the night before. She is Vegan so sometimes finds local offerings can be a challenge. I was happy to try CTZN with her for her second night in a row. We had the carrots, salad and pan con tomate. It was all so lovely, pleasantly flavorful and fresh. The carrots had a perfect slight char which wasn't too overwhelming and a hint of spice. The flavor balance was exquisite. The pan con tomate was toasty and refreshing at the same time. The salad had stunning presentation and was also delicious and garnished with gorgeous fresh herbs. Finally, the service we received was splendid. The first available seating area at the time was in the bar and my friend and I never felt forgotten or neglected. I forget our server's name but she was so nice! All these factors make me excited to discover this new restaurant and to return here with my husband. One thing I would like to note is that other reviewers complaining about portions seem to misunderstand the concept of tapas-style. If anyone is unfamiliar with it, a little research can be done to educate... or simply ask your server. The place gets busy, but is lively. The layout is rather open concept so a bit loud, but this did not bother me. Hope anyone who tries this place enjoys it as much as I did. read more

CTZN - Carrots (partially eaten), pan con tomate and salad - Basque Near Me - Solana Beach, California

Our experience here was about a one star as soon as we got here. Reservation at 7p turned out to be getting seated 30+ minutes later with a confusion in between where we were being ushered to the table from the bar that was ended by realization that the table was still not ready. Once we finally were seated there was just a meek apology maybe? We were all pretty hungry by this time so ordered some starters/pintxo, which took... I don't know... quite awhile again to get to the table. One of the orders was Spanish olives and we had to order bread as an addition. We had to ask for the bread a few times after getting olives and were told they were being toasted. Maybe it sat in the oven too long because to our dismay 2 of the 5 toast came burnt (partially black). We alerted the waitress and her condescending reply was that the bread was "toasted" so do we not want it toasted? We had to explain "see, 2 of them are black and 3 other ones were fine" This type of attitude is perhaps what you would receive from an overworked, careless teenager at Chilis but not at a new trendy restaurant that charges $13 for 2 small coquetas or $25 for cocktails! Other dishes we had were duck coquetas, prawns, short rib paella, ny strip, guacamole and talo. The paella, prawns, and steak were good but not worth the price and service. The potatoes that came with the steak were so salty that all five of us were shocked at how salty it was. When we told the waitress, she once again justified that it was salt cured etc as if that salt bomb was in anyway palatable. There are tastes that are personal preferences and then there's this - simply unpalatable. We suggested that she taste it if she didn't believe it but it didn't matter because at this restaurant, they are always right and we are wrong. Anyway, she did bring us a pan con tomate instead and that was fine. Overall, CTZN is a restaurant with small portions, but big inconsistency, big prices, and bigger attitude. read more

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I love tapas and was really excited to try this place. We made reservations and were seated promptly. Cute place but despite the restaurant being empty when we got there, we were seated by the kitchen door. Tried the cocktails and they were great. They don't have beers and my husband settled for wine which was ok. We started with the patata brava, con tomate and the salad which were all really good. And then it was disappointing- the vegetable paella was bland.no flavor and no salt with barely any vegetables. My husband got the chicken dish and it wasn't cooked well. It wasn't a busy night and was very disappointed with the entrees. Service was great with Kai and that got me to a four rating from a 3.5 rating. read more

This place was happening! Pretty busy on a Tuesday, we had a reservation. Service was excellent. Cocktails were unique and tasty, and strong!! They had a great selection on the menu with some smaller tapas plates and some regular entrees and bigger plates. We had the patatas Bravas of course and they were excellent, the sauce with them a bit of sauce, very flavorful. Duck croquettes - my friend liked them but I have a texture issue and when the meat and everything is pureed it's hard for me. I learned croquettes were not for me in Spain. Cana de cabra toast - fig and cheese-decent flavors but just ok. Fall salad was good and that squash in it was killer! Short rib paella - short ribs were perfect, melted apart. The rice had an interesting flavor I couldn't place but it was like a smoke or a miso which I don't care for so it really threw me. I've had paella before but not with this flavor. The mixed berry cheesecake was ok- the cheese texture was a little off for me and didn't get much of the berries. Overall, fun place and good food. read more

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Had an amazing dinner at CTZN in Solana Beach! We ordered the Pan Con Tomate with Iberico ham, Patatas Bravas, Grilled Prawns, Pulpo, Trucha a La Navarra, and Basque Cheesecake, along with a Verde San Sebastian Old Fashioned and a Citrus Fruit Spicy Mocktail. Every dish was very tasty and perfectly cooked -- from the tender octopus to the flavorful trout and creamy, caramelized cheesecake. The presentation was beautiful, and the flavors were balanced and creative without being over the top. Great service and stylish atmosphere too. Definitely worth a visit if you're looking for elevated Basque-inspired dining in North County! read more

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CTZN delivers an exceptional dining experience from start to finish. The staff's warmth and attentiveness immediately set the tone, while the kitchen's culinary artistry and the bar's skillful precision shine in every bite and sip. The décor is comfortable yet elegant, creating a welcoming atmosphere perfect for a memorable meal. Owners Karine and Willy are passionate about not only great food but also culture, making guests feel both comfortable and inspired. Special thanks to Aaron, whose professionalism, knowledge, and kindness made the evening seamless. CTZN is more than a restaurant. It's an experience you'll remember long after the final bite! read more

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Vibes are there fam Food brought me back to Spain, and it was actually better than the food in Spain. Believe me bro. Cocktails were spot on! We'll be back Service was unmatched, it was like a well oiled machine! Esteban and Ella were great! Treated like a VIP Make sure you order the "Cana de Cabra Toast" CHEFS KISS read more

Unfortunately, I was not impressed by this restaurant. Although our server was nice, the service was so slow. We waited almost 30 minutes to get our drinks. We ordered the patatas bravas and octopus for appetizers. The octopus was good but the patatas bravas were honestly horrible. They had no flavor and they were not the traditional ones / they were like hashbrowns. For an entree we ordered the vegetarian paella which was a good size (one is big enough for a whole group) but again, lacked depth and flavor. I like that it had a lot of vegetables on top but I didn't think it was overall that good. We were going to order more for the table but decided that it wasn't worth spending more money on food that I didn't think was that great. Also, we were sat outside and it was super bright lighting, which affected the ambiance. I feel bad writing this review but hopefully it helps them make improvements to their menu. read more

good food . arrived at a quiet time ; 20 minutes early for a 5:30 table and we were seated ( party of 2) at a tiny table and the larger booths weren't occupied by the time we were finished eating. Also made a note that there was a Birthday on the reservation and there was no acknowledgment of that . Good food , good wine . Service was ok . We would visit again to sample more of the menu , but will be on guard for customer service read more

A wonderful dining experience. Great food in a delightful setting. Our server was Esteban and he was knowledgeable, attentive, and professional. We've been to Spain and the food was authentic. This was truly a great venue for dinner and we will definitely be back! read more

Great service, we were seated immediately and the server was on it. The cocktails were not the best (it was a weekday and it's a new place so might still be figuring out the bar). The old fashioned was all bitters, my cocktail had a questionable flavor profile. The patatas bravas and the basque cake were the best we have ever had!! A must order. I had the El Bulli olive and was able to forgive the $6 price because it was good. I don't have anything to compare it to though so don't take my word for it. We were very disappointed in the sea food pallela, it was mushy, very low on any flavor or seasoning and the fish was overcooked. Might have been a one off but we didn't eat much of it. Overall good ambiance, food and service. We would recommend it! read more

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Been to Spain multiple times and this upscale tapas place captured the tastes perfectly (with a little extra SoCal flavor kick!). Brought a group of artist friends and we loved every single one of Chef Matthew's creations. Glad we snagged a reservation on a Friday night cuz it was packed! Despite that, the food came out in a steady flow paired with super unique cocktails!! Everything was fresh, tasty, and picture perfect. Highly recommend the duck croquettes, octopus, patatas bravas, short rib paella, and basque cheesecake. All tastes were perfectly balanced with nothing too sweet, salty, nor spicy. We were so impressed!! Still dreaming about all the flavors. Be sure to snag your table soon cuz with the upscale energetic vibe, excellent food, easy parking, and a block near the beach, this is becoming one of the hottest spots in SoCal. Run don't walk!!!! read more

CTZN - Short rib paella, patatas bravas, prawns, octopus, apple tart, basque cheesecake, charcuterie - Basque Near Me - Solana Beach, California

I love the concept of bringing Basque/Spanish food to North County as my family is from Spain. Regarding the food, the croquettes and squid were solid. Gilda peppers were too tiny. Wish they would bring bread by default with our jamon and tapas order. I'd pass on mushrooms. Basque cheesecake tasted great but the presentation was sloppy. Excited to try more dishes. Service wise, we ordered drinks, tapas, and entrees together assuming things would come out staggered with the drinks first, then a few tapas at a time etc. It ended up that most of the food came out at once and then we had to ask about the drinks which came out later. I'd recommend staggering your order to force correct spacing/timing between drink and dishes. In terms of atmosphere, on the patio, the overhead light bars are way too bright and cool hued, almost fluorescent. It feels like you are under a spot light. For dinner, it would be great to switch to the non-light strips with warmer bulbs dimmed, and maybe a small light at the table for ambience. I'm excited to try CTZN again in the future and just leaving the feedback in hopes it's even better next time! read more

We went on a Saturday and had such a wonderful time that I'm still smiling thinking about it! We ordered six tapas, and every single one was a hit. The tuna tartar was so fresh and flavorful, and the chips it came with were addictively good. The beef paella? Perfection--perfectly cooked, so tender it practically melted in my mouth. The drink menu is next-level. Our bartender, Freddy, is a true artist and one of the friendliest people you'll ever meet. I told him the flavors I liked, and he whipped up a completely custom drink for me--so good, I immediately ordered a second without even asking what was in it! My husband tried the Say Cheese cocktail, and wow... it was unlike anything I've ever tasted--fun, creative, and absolutely delicious. Even our teenager was treated like a VIP, with Freddy crafting her a gorgeous, colorful mocktail that she adored. The atmosphere is perfect--beautiful location with a refreshing ocean breeze. Parking is a dream: a free covered garage plus plenty of street parking. Even though the place was full, the noise level was perfect; we could actually talk without shouting. We sat at a table, but the bar area looked super inviting, too. CTZN is a refreshing, one-of-a-kind experience. We left full, happy, and already planning our next visit. Run, don't walk--this place is a must! read more

The snapper paella was bland and full of bones. Questionable. I talked to the manager and he was rude and unprofessional. Stay away. read more

Great new place. Couple of the drinks are a little strange but the food is really good. Staff is friendly and willing to adjust whatever is needed to please. Good date place read more

CTZN - Sirimiri - Basque Near Me - Solana Beach, California

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I went to CTZN, one of the new restaurants in Solana Beach for cocktails and appetizers. The service and ambience were great! Incredible craft cocktail! My appetizer was very nice. Looking forward to going back and trying other items on the menu. read more

Food was delicious! Small portions but perfect to share tapas style. Menu was very diverse. Atmosphere was chill but very nice and service was great, super attentive and warm staff. Loved it and will be back! read more

CTZN - Say Cheese cocktail, Sirimiri cocktail, chicken croquettes, prawns - Basque Near Me - Solana Beach, California

SO LOUD!!!!! as too be physically painful. I do not recall if the food was good or bad....I could not get out of there quick enough due to the pain in my head from all the noise!! read more

Service is fabulous, room is beautiful and the food is spectacular. Highlights were the shrimp, pulpo and mushrooms. And very interesting wines, too. Special shout-out to our server Freddy who made my birthday dinner SOOOO special! I haven't had that kind of "over and above the call of duty" attention since I ate at Eleven Madison in NYC. read more

The food is excellent. Best meal I've had since moving to San Diego. The Grilled Octopus and short rib Paella were both exceptional. Service was on point and responsive. When you're enjoying dinner with good friends the ambience is always nice. read more

Fantastic addition to the Solana Beach food scene! We sat outside on the heated patio and we were well looked after. You can eat tapas style or entree style - either way, we loved the creative recipes. Blue fin tuna and pulpo raciones were outstanding. Decent drink menu too but, for a basque inspired place, wish they offered sagardoa (admittedly hard to come by in the US). read more

What a great gem of a restaurant in Solana Beach! The Reyes rib, paella and seafood paella were amazing. We got a number of Papas that included the Pulpo, the Patata, the fall salad, and the olives! The flavors were rich and crisp! Man... that salad! Yum!! We could not go wrong with anything we chose. The staff was amazing and extremely responsive! The ambience is cool. Gentlemen, come in your snappy casual wear. read more

OMG what a delicious place to dine. Bailey was our server and took wonderful care of us. Everything we had was so tasty from the mushrooms to the patatas bravas to the Iberco. So good! Thanm you to Bailey and Freddy who made this place so wonderful and the chefs who made the food so enjoyable and tasty. Highly recommend. read more

CTZN - Shrimp, octopus, mushrooms, drinks - Basque Near Me - Solana Beach, California

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Mediocre experience at best. Night started on a good note at the bar with a couple of drinks made by a really kind bartender. When we moved to the table is where the down of the night started. My wife and I were really looking forward to try the lobster paella, our waiter told us was not available because the spiny lobster is not seasonal (why is on the menú yet then?!) and he can replace it for pranws for less of the marked price ($90). After talking with the chef, he came back to us saying the chef won't cut the price down because they are low on prawns and the they are sushi grade (biggest BS ever). Ordered it anyway because we were craving seafood, paella came with literally 4 shrimp, not even prawns, shrimp. Tasted good yes, absolutely not worth the $90. Funniest part tho is the charcuterie board chef selection, which we upgraded for an extra $ to jamon iberico. How a chef with a minimum of common sense and experience put in the same plate of "chef selection" two pieces of prosciutto di parma that was cut AT least two days ago next to some jamon de bellota in a spanish charcuterie?! Service was ok, guy was nice, for sure inexperienced but at least he was a nice guy. Another yet overpriced and mediocre restaurant in Solana beach, good job you guys. read more

Great food, great service, nice location. Rare to find a restaurant that does Spanish food in a more authentic style. Paella was very good, tapas met our expectations. Our server (Alberto) was fantastic. He listened to what we said we liked and made recommendations that suited our taste. We'll be back. read more

Delicious food and great service! The ambiance is really fun. Highly recommend the lobster paella, pulpo, and pan con tomate. So good!

Exceptional service and food! We will definitely be going back! My wife and I went last Friday and had the tomahawk steak and octopus. It was some of the best we've ever had! read more

Pretentious yet still gets it wrong. This place, at least on our visit, is the opposite of food culture in the basque region: inflexible, serious, and overproduced. And that tone is set from the hostess stand onwards. If you've never eaten or heard about Spanish food before you might have a reasonable time being exposed to what they have to offer. Waitress managed to spill half a big bowl of oil and olives across the table then mop it up with guest napkin as a first act. Accidents happen I get it. Avocado tasteless and a mess. Steak overcooked. Paella charred within an inch of its life, could have been fried rice with chicken except it was $50. And let's be honest Paella isn't even from the Basque region it's originated from down south so I assume the Basque thing is more a Marketing angle and pretence than a legitimate raison d'etre. Spicy carrots. Service was ok but our waiter disappeared for ages after food up so didn't have opportunity to triage the experience better. Ambiance they are aiming for elegance but sitting outside is a freezer. It's great for the place to be inspired by Spanish food but you also have to be able to execute. Do the simple things well, then elevate that if necessary. I didn't hate this place, and wished our experience had been different, but couldn't see a reason to return in a hurry. It could have been so much better. read more

Excellent service and food was outstanding! The pork was some of the best I've ever had.

CTZN was amazing start to finish. We had a 8pm reservation so parking was super easy to find. The restaurant is beautiful inside and out. The entire restaurant from the bar to the table seating even the bathroom is stunning. Obviously the best part was the food! The croquetas de pollo were amazing and we wished we ordered more. One of the special of the evening was razor clams which were mouth watering, some of the best I've ever had. We also ordered pan de tomate, a jamon flight, the NY strip steak with the duck fat potatoes-which were all simply cooked beautifully. For dessert we had the Basque cheesecake and the peach tart (which was a special). Both were very yummy. The food is delicious as ever however the cocktail I had was the BEST. The Sirimiri 12/10 would go once a month just to have I'm so serious. Our experience wouldn't be possible without our server, Megan, who made our whole evening even better. All in all the whole experience was one of our favorites in San Diego. We will be back soon !! read more

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The waiter guided me through the menu and patiently answered my questions. Had a fun time as I broadened my palate experience! The food was delicious! It was a relaxed atmosphere as everyone was enjoying themselves. I'll definitely be back. read more

The service, ambiance, and food were absolutely divine. Anthony, the head bartender was nothing short of kind. Freddy, a spectacular bartender! Maali, the barback was incredible kind, sweet, and professional! The food was delicious, tasteful, and beautiful plated. The kitchen and head chef did a stellar job. read more

Arrived about 4:45 and hostess was friendly and seated us immediately. Server was friendly and explained the concept of the menu. We have had Tapas previously and are familiar. Summer salad was just okay. Wild Mushrooms were tasty. Shrimps were good. Short rib croquettas were tasty. Rotisserie chicken was tasty. We have definitely had better Tapas. But, it was good. read more

I was really underwhelmed by this place. Our waiter seemed stressed and rushed which made me feel uncomfortable about being there (we got there at 7pm) one dish was $12 for two little bites and there was nothing remarkable about any of the dishes read more

If you're a millionaire or a billionaire, perhaps a $26 tapas dish with four local squid is worth the money. If you're a regular person that enjoys eating out than likely, this is not the place I found citizen to be overly exclusive and mediocre quality. We came on a Tuesday night and found the restaurant was half empty yet the hostess told us there was a two hour wait for a table. So we sat at the bar. We ordered appetizers and we're just shocked at the menu and at the prices. Not worth over $100 per person in tapas dishes only to leave hingry. We left still hungry. If you want to eat European food, then it might be worthwhile saving the money and just flying to europe read more

Went to try this restaurant as it was showing all over instagram and the food looked amazing, which it was. However, I'm so disappointed with the way the food was presented. For such an elegant tapas place with good flavor, they should train their staff on how to plate the food elegantly. we ordered the Patatas baravas and they were somewhat cold and did not look very appealing but tasted ok. Then the chicken croquettes were brought to our table and they looked nothing like how they presented in the instagram video. Maybe they just do the plating for the food bloggers I guess. We paid a total of over $200 and tip additional but not very pleased with the playing. Staff is super nice though! read more

If you're looking for authentic Spanish tapas, this is the place for you! The restaurant has casual and chic vibe! Love the yellow chairs in their bar! Service was attentive and we felt really welcome and taken care of! We tried the vegetarian paella, chicken croquettes, pan con tomate, octopus and prawn tapas. Each dish was prepared perfectly and presented so beautifully. The food was so delicious, I didn't even stop to take photos! We dug right in. Good selection of French and Spanish's wine To pair with !! We ended our meal with the Mango basque cheesecake which was so soft and light. Overall, was a great experience and I would come back again. Do give the restaurant a try - you will not be disappointed! read more

We live in Solana Beach and tried Citzn last night for the 1st time. We had a 530 reservation and were sat on the side patio. My husband took the chair and I took the bench seating. Hostess told me I may want to use the pillows behind me to either place behind me or sit on which was a little odd. Ended up doing just that as the bench seat is so low As for food we started with a wonderful cheese as well as the pan n tomate. Both very good. For a main we shared the seafood paella. It was quite dry with the rice all stuck to the bottom. Definitely overcooked For $75 wasn't impressed. The flavor was there but portions of seafood were very small. The cocktails were good I used the restroom and will say it was not clean. And we were 1st seating of night. read more

Fabulous addition to Solana Beach! The grilled octopus is one of the best I've ever had. Olive dishes, and unique cocktails were all amazing, and the paella was a hit. I want to go back and try all the various paella's. Great coastal casual yet polished ambience. Wonderful service. Perfect place for date night, or just drinks and tapas. read more

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