Happy Hour & Sunset on the roof of Del Mar Plaza is the ultimate treat of living in this area! there are amazing restaurants that you can go inside and have a fabulous meal or happy hour. My preference is to be outdoors! Enoteca is one of two food/drink options on the patio. they have their own "fenced in" area where happy hour is available. the food is great and the drinks are great. the view is stunning! More than likely the weather will be perfect... read more

Really cool location to grab a quick bite and drink without waiting in long lines. The spot has a fun atmosphere and a great location near the open community deck. The service felt a little off when I first walked up to the bar. Employees seemed more focused on chatting with each other than helping customers. Even with the slight hiccup, I decided to give the place a chance and order food. It took a bit of effort to get service, but once we did, everyone was friendly -- just somewhat disorganized. Our appetizers arrived, but the bread we ordered never showed up. When we asked to cancel it, we were given an excuse about the staff being busy elsewhere. Even the restaurant manager appeared to be wandering around without really checking in on tables or helping direct service. That said, the food itself was actually very tasty. Overall, the experience had solid potential, but the service felt convoluted and lacking direction. read more

Enoteca Del Fornaio - Wine Bars Near Me - Del Mar, California

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What a nice treat to be feeling like the Europeans we are in Del Mar. Usually when you go to a chain like Starbucks or other to get a coffee you get a coffee cup and lots of noise. And not an atmosphere. Only people on laptops and people who get their coffees to go. It is a pleasure to be able to sit at the Enoteca with friends or alone, listening to the beautiful live music from the plaza, beautiful people watching and excellent service. Here you can get a cappuccino, a moka, a latte...and spend quality time in a prime location. Thanks for allowing us to feel like back home but in our adopted home! read more

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Il Fornaio is in a great location with a huge indoor-outdoor space where you can see the sunset over the Del Mar ocean on a clear night. The regular pasta is made fresh in house and there are gluten free pasta options. I've been here a few times and the vodka cream sauce is my favorite. read more

Enoteca Del Fornaio - Gluten free pasta with vodka sauce - Wine Bars Near Me - Del Mar, California

Best place for sunset! Franco was the BEST! So friendly and best recommendations. Will be back every Friday!!!

I have been to over 5000 restaurants and I must say I had a wonderful time. Manny was a very nice and attentive server

Food: The Piatto Di Salumi is a nice sharable, but the quantity is a tad smaller than what you'd expect. Probably good for 2-3 people tops. Wine: The wine in of itself is okay, but the happy hour deals are great. Venue: Add in the beach vantage point and the rooftop-esque vibes, and it's a good time. Sunset views and night lighting are quite nice. Dress: Casual wear is fine, but the setting suits a short sleeve button up with shorts better on most normal days. Overall: Great place for a date or to take your out-of-town friends. read more

So just want to make sure this doesn't take away from Il Fornaio, which is always awesome. The star of the show here is the view. One of the best in the county. The food we had was good, shared the calamari and the Mac & cheese balls. A decent wine selection. The service was not good. Slow, and not attentive. Either way, we will be back for the view, but not if we are in a hurry. read more

How have I not reviewed this place yet? I've been coming for YEARS and I absolutely love this amazing spot to eat, drink, and relax. This is NOT THE RESTAURANT. It's the open air patio and wine bar next to Il Fornaio, but the full menu from the restaurant is available here (last I checked). I usually don't eat here. Only drinks. Typically I eat at Shimbashi just down the stairway and I come to Enoteca before and/or after. The service has always been attentive and prompt and the servers are keen to answer your questions about their wines and what they'd recommend based on your tastes and mood. I've brought dozens of people here and they all enjoyed both the service and the atmosphere, but the be all end all is that I've brought my parents here. I don't take them anywhere unless I feel confident they'd enjoy themselves, and they did. So mom and dad approve, so I cannot say anything bad about Enoteca Del Foranio. Thank you for taking care of me, my friends, my clients, and of above all, my parents. I was just there a couple weeks ago and I am sure I will be there again soon. read more

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a wednesday evening visit to ENOTECA DEL FORNAIO made for the perfect date night. my wife and i sat at a high table by the bar. PABLO, the bartender, doubled as our server. engaging and charming, attentive without hovering, the service was perfect. we shared the ANTIPASTO DELLA CASA (prosciutto di PARMA, ITALIAN salame, caprese calda, bruschetta calda, grilled artichoke, grilled zucchini and eggplant, roasted bell pepper, grana padano, green and black olives) and a basket of bread and enjoyed a couple of cocktails (a MOSCOW MULE and GREY GOOSE dirty). rumor has it the sunset view from the patio is spectacular. truth is i was preoccupied with my dining companion and didn't even notice ... read more

Enoteca Del Fornaio - ANTIPASTO della casa - Wine Bars Near Me - Del Mar, California

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I want to start by acknowledging that we're still coming out of a pandemic, and things are tough. A lot of places are short staffed and that can make it really stressful on a busy Friday night. However, I was disappointed with even basic customer service tonight. Didn't greet us when we walked up, made brief eye contact and then who I assume is the manager kept talking to the host and blatantly ignored us for a solid few minutes and eventually asked "are you dining in?". No, we just like standing in front of host stands for no reason. Then proceeded to ask us to wait in a "line" (there was no line). In the host's defense, he did try to greet us but his manager didn't really let him. We're also pretty certain the manager was chewing him out for something which is pretty unprofessional to do in front of customers. The host himself was really polite and kind. The couple who was ahead of us also made a comment that they felt the manager was rude. Server was super attentive when we first sat down, but it took almost 30-45 minutes from when we finished our food to be acknowledged again by our server and by that time we just wanted our check to leave. She also never stopped by to check in to see how our food was after we got it, but that could be from being short staffed and her coworkers checked in on us, which I did appreciate. Food was really good though - ordered calamari, the pasta special of the day, pizza, and a glass of rosé. Maybe we weren't dressed nice enough? Didn't look high end enough? Who knows. read more

After an afternoon at the San Diego Zoo, we were hungry and tired. Being a Monday, almost every Italian restaurant in the vicinity was closed. Thankfully, we found this restaurant on the way back to our hotel. Craving some pasta, this Il Fornaio really fit the bill. We started with the bread. Served soft and warm, it was flavorful and delicious. While my son ordered the kid's pasta with marinara, I ordered the Pennoni alla Vodka. My son said his pasta was great. My pasta, with a creamy tomato-vodka sauce, was wonderful. I knew my pasta was good because my husband would steal bites of my meal when he could. He had ordered the Margherita Pizza. Although he said it was good, I could tell he thought it was a little bland. I thought the service was good, and the views of the beach were amazing. The restaurant has a cute little patio, but I thought it was way too cold to eat out there yesterday. With great food, good service, and amazing views, I look forward to coming back when we can watch that beautiful sunset over the water. read more

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Happy Hour Review: 4-6:30pm wow 5 bucks generously poured glasses of wine and 5 bucks appetizers, including a full pizza for 2, is it a great deal or what? Combine it with a beautiful view of the ocean and you are in heaven. Highly recommend everyone to try this place out. read more

Enoteca Del Fornaio - HH menu - Wine Bars Near Me - Del Mar, California

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Rooftop view of the Pacific Ocean, great drinks, great food; be careful of the public parking in Del Mar...I was in an underground garage and had to pay a $40 ticket for being 10 minutes over on a $2/hr. spot. read more

Nice place to have a drink and enjoy the sunshine. Its on the rooftop of the plaza and you can see the water. Would be great for sunset. Clean Good seating Street parking - on a busy day its probably hard to find parking. I was here on a Monday night around 5:30 and I had a hard time finding parking. Great service read more

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We had a Birthday Reception and it was great! The food for a reception style serving was excellent. Th charcuterie tray was very good, and the seared shrimp with scallops were was amazing. Some mushroom with a green tapenade of sorts were fantastic. Great selection of quality wine and beer. What made the night so great was the service! We wanted for NOTHING! We never had an empty glass and the fun the servers had with us made the night very special! Cassis and Ana are the ones to choose for this type on an event. Friendly and they worked their tails off. Fun night for all! read more

Still the best place to hang for a Del Mar sunset. Sunday music and good food and drinks. Homemade sangria which is perfect, not too sweet but slightly fruity topped with everything, cucumber, mint, orange and lemon, lime. The bartenders know how to make a cocktail too. Flavorful thin crust pizza, crispy calamari including the tenacles which I favor. Great tomato based dipping sauce. Great fresh salads. Umbrellas to keep the direct sun off and a nice local crew relaxing before a grinding week. read more

The semi-ocean views are worth the wait for our food. Located in Del Mar, semi-overlooking (the restaurant and ocean is separated by quite a few buildings) the gorgeous Pacific Ocean, Enoteca El Fornaio is a beautiful restaurant. Perfect for a family lunch or a romantic dinner, it holds indoor and outdoor seating. The outdoor seating is massive and also has a huge bar just for the outside and deck area. The good was pretty good. Ordered; capellini pomodoro with grilled chicken, Chilean sea bass with mashed potatoes and roasted veggies, two kids spaghetti marinara (one with shrimp). Nothing was too spectacular, but it was fine, too. Service, while our Italian waiter was friendly, our meals took forever-- may not have been his fault, perhaps it was the kitchen or even just poor restaurant management, but 45 minutes waiting is a long time. Our bread basket was never replenished, our drinks left empty... We did tell our waiter upon being seated it was my mom's bday and our waiter did bring her a piece of Tiramisu cake. I did not try it, but they commented it was okay. Bill for our lunch and comped cake was $94, minus tip. I'll be looking for another semi-ocean view restaurant the next time I am in Del Mar. read more

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I spent a lovely evening here last night for happy hour with some girlfriends to celebrate liberation from a horrible job. Hooray! It's one of my favorite places to take people in North County on a nice day. The outdoor bar sits on the rooftop of the plaza in downtown Del Mar with views of the ocean. It's a very cool, relaxing vibe. I noticed that prices recently went up a bit but they still have a great happy hour-$6 glasses of wine and $6 pizzas from 4 to 6pm. The margherita and veggie pizzas were both quality and delicious, especially for only $6 bucks. Just beware of the parking! We ended up staying and gossiping for 5 hours and even with validation it was still $18, yikes. Either way, I couldn't think of a better place to celebrate new beginnings. read more

Enoteca Del Fornaio - Outdoor bar area - Wine Bars Near Me - Del Mar, California

Really one could not have a more beautiful spot...atop Del Mar Plaza overlooking the ocean. There is live music, so I hear, but when I arrived there was one performer playing a saxophone, but really we could not hear him. It is a great idea, but should be improved. The drinks are good...there is a full bar and I had a margarita with my favorite tequilla and made perfectly. Prices are really appropriate for the location. The problems: 1. Only a few tables crammed in a small area...all other places say "No alcohol beyond this point" which relagates all others to standing room only or sitting on a concrete slab. The tables that are there are so close together that one must wind amongst them. 2. There is a small bar that one must walk up to and quite the line forms. There are no waiters even if one is so lucky to have a table. 3. If one cares to order appetizers, one must walk into Il Fornaio and place the order in the restaurant, as they do not take food orders at the bar and there is no waiter. Yes, I would go back if I happened to be passing through the area, but I will not drive up to Del Mar just to go. read more

Picture this. The kind of day some of us Mid westerners dream about all year. Clear skies, warm temperatures, dining al fresco and it's January! This is one of the reasons I LOVE sunny, southern California! After parking in the spacious garage underneath (don't forget your ticket as they validate), we climbed to the top level and grabbed a cute little table perfect for enjoying a glass of vino and people watching to our heart's content. The place was hopping so my friend went up to the bar and secured us a couple of glasses of wine and put in an order for a margarita pizza. The wine was perfect (thanks to the bartender for his suggestions) and our food was quite tasty when it was brought to our table. And as a bonus? The atmosphere is perfect for talking to the people at the tables around you and we met some really delightful people. And here's the bonus- the views are beautiful to begin with, but if you stay until sunset- the views are extraordinary . . . made a great afternoon into a great evening! Next time you find yourself in Del Mar- add this to your list of places to stop and relax. Even if the food and wine weren't as good as they are, the view alone would be worth the trip! read more

Eh... The food here is definitely not that great and definitely overpriced. I had the calamari and the pollo pepperocini. The calamari was just like any other. The chicken entree was not good!!!! It tasted extremely bland and the minimal sauce they had on the plate did not complement the dish well at all. The chicken quality was poor and the sautéed spinach was too salty. My friend got the ravioli and it was very disappointing. It tasted like something I could get at Olive Garden. Service was mediocre The only good thing about this place is the view but you can get many other quality restaurants with a nice view of the beach/ocean. I definitely recommend for you to spend your money elsewhere! read more

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I came here for a friend's Bar passing get together. She had ordered a bunch of appetizers and pizzas. They were totally delicious. We had a pizza with roasted vegetables, and another pizza with prosciutto. I didn't try the prosciutto pizza, unfortunately, but the pizza with roasted vegetables was yummy. The caprese was also notable. The tomato was crisp and juicy, topped with a thick, soft slice of fresh mozzarella. The bruschetta was also pretty good. The bread was nicely toasted, crisp on the outside and soft on the inside. The tomatoes on top were well seasoned and flavorful. I had a glass of house chardonnay which was decent, although I am not particularly picky about wines. It had a hint of tartness. We also had some great olives, roasted vegetables, and chunks of artichokes. I like the atmosphere here. It's open air, and it's a great place for relaxing and for happy hour. The drinks here are not cheap. I came on one other occasion to have some mojitos. Their mojitos are pretty popular, but they are like $11 each, which I'm not sure is worth the money. The mojitos are decent, but not $11 decent. I believe I've had better for that price. read more

I was at this restaurant last night. This is not a good place if you have food allergies. The waiter was not helpful, and avoided me. After a while, one of the managers did try. Unfortunately, my chicken came out with pepper all over it and that is one of the things I had emphasized as a problem. The rest of the group of 6 said their meals were ok. I've been fortunate to eat in many nice restaurants in San Diego who have accommodated my allergies beautifully. This place failed. read more

Great place for a quick Mexican meal, love the fish and beef taco's.

Honestly, not really my type of place...seeing as it fancy AND smancy...but Enoteca might have opened me up (figuratively) to trying new things (literally). Now, my review might be tainted (you know what I mean) because I was fresh off a bike ride and was STARVING and THIRSTY...but they accepted my wrinkled-t-shirt-and-jeans look without much ballyhoo (and this is the type of place that if a ballyhoo is in order, ballyhooed you shall be!). The dude who took my order was very thoughtful about my query of pesto lurking in my dishes. Pesto, you see, makes-a me-a sick-a. Why did I just slip into a faux Italian accent? Ask yourself why you don't more often... Anyway, the order taking guy thought and thought and thought about my question. He was very thoughtful, as I said. Eventually, after thinking about it for a good minute (not exaggerating) he confirmed that my food requests were indeed nut free (the way I like my food AND women). The view was pretty spectacular...overlooking Del Mar. We also saw Steve Fisher who I booed for some reason. I then yelled out a serious question, "How long is it going to take for SDSU to go on probation for recruiting violations?" He couldn't hear me...he's old, so that makes it ok. All in all, a great experience...just a little too pricey for my taste. I'm used to paying $3 bucks for a burrito. $5 if it's pay day. $10 if there is crack in it. read more

Husband and I came here as the last stop of a bar hopping night in Del Mar. Great place to stumble upon! Wine selection by the glass was pretty limited, but both of our wines were delicious. We also had a margherita pizza that we put in about 7 minutes before the kitchen was closing, with shockingly NO COMPLAINT from any staff. No attitude about the late order, they were friendly and cool. Our bartender Matt was awesome - one of the best we've ran into. Surely gives our regular North Scottsdale bartenders a run for their money. All in all, we enjoyed out evening here and would visit again the next time we're in town. read more

There may be few things in life more enjoyable than a cold glass of white wine on a sunny day with an expanse of blue ocean and sky stretching out before you to remind you that life is good. I couldn't agree more with Amanda S.--this is the perfect place to bring out-of-town guests to enjoy a nice glass of wine on a sunny day with a view they're sure to appreciate. We thoroughly enjoyed our lunch at Enoteca del Fornaio on a recent Saturday afternoon. The portions were huge (almost too big for lunch) and the food was quite tasty. However, my favorite part of the meal--other than the wine and outstanding view, that is--may have been the fresh bread and olive oil they brought to our table as soon as we sat down. Truly enjoyable. My only complaint was that we didn't actually have a waiter--we had to order our wine and food from the bar (and we all had to share one menu) and then find a table after we'd ordered. Not a huge deal, but this place would surely have ranked five stars otherwise. read more

This is our favorite Italian place around Del Mar, especially after a blissful day at the beach. The restaurant partially overlooks the ocean. The seating on the deck outside is wonderful , they have heaters to keep you warm. Inside is nice as well but you might not have a view of the ocean. Their wine list is really good and they have a few recommendations depending on what you are ordering. We loved their pizza, the base is perfectly done and the toppings can be adjusted to suit your tastes or dietary restrictions - in our case, vegetarian.They also have a limited selection of vegetarian pastas - there is a butternut squash one that we have tried once and thought was good but not amazing. Their Tiramisu is delectable, so make sure you save some room for that. They are priced right for the Del Mar location and I would recommend for a romantic date night . read more

Delicious wine, breathtaking view. Sometimes I wonder what I've done to deserve such experiences. Tried 2 of their pizzas. Cheese and veggie. Thin crust and fresh out of the oven. Wouldn't say its the best pizza ever but after a couple of glasses of good wine, who cares? Reasonably priced. Did I mention the amazing view? read more

I came here while waiting for my date to show up. He was late so I figured I would get a glass of wine while I waited. The gentleman at the bar was friendly however when I asked for a glass of Riesling he poured me a Sauvignon Blanc instead. When I sipped the wine I could taste the difference and he responded by saying he thought I would like it better. Humph. You don't know me! How dare you assume, wait a minute...wow it was actually a really nice glass. Okay so maybe Mr. Bartender you know a little more about wine then me. Thank you. There is both an outdoor and indoor bar area; both are very small but a nice place to site. And wait. When my date finally did arrive, (20mins late) I was halfway through with my glass of wine. He ordered a drink so he could sit with me while I finished mine. The bartender never brought the requested drink and was flirting with a woman across the bar. When we asked to close my tab he asked another person to bring us his drink but we were at this time wanting to go grab dinner. I would have been upset at his unprofessionalism however since my date was late I figured the universe was making everything right. Ha! It's a cool spot to check out and maybe have a cocktail or two but not really a hanging out kind of place. read more

Last week we went here for dinner and we had a very disappointed experience. We had been seated for more than 30 minutes of not having anyone ask if we would like to order a drink as start . All the staffs seems very busy " walking around " but honestly the place was not full house at all . We think maybe due to " Italian culture " we better wait a bit more . While after sometimes still no one approached us , so I try to waved few times to get the attention but no one had eye contact with me ....until the customer on next table inform one of the waiter " the lady next to the table seems need help" and so we finally can had someone to talk with ... and I told him "we are ready for order" and the reply I got was " let me get your server to you " ( actually no one greeting when we seated he/ she will take care us and the reply I got really made me felt had I not follow the rule ?) So we gave the last chance and been waited for another 15 minutes and no one show up and we decided to left the restaurant. As seems we were not being seen at all and they are " busy with other customers " read more

I have only been to Enoteca Del Fornaio for happy hour, but I'll definitely be back...for happy hour again! Happy hour is available on the outdoor patio next to the bar area or in the bar area. The view of the sunset is beautiful and there are several selections of drinks, appetizers, and pizzas for only $6 each! The best thing we ordered was the vegetarian pizza. The bruschetta was tiny though, so I'd definitely recommend the pizza over that! You have to order from the bar, but food came out pretty fast! +1 - Vegetarian pizza for $6 on happy hour menu +1 - Beautiful view of ocean +1 - Conveniently located in Del Mar with free validated parking for 2 hours +1 - Grab dessert afterwards at the chocolate bar on the next level down :) read more

This is an elite and very stylish Italian-style outdoor cafe/bar that is the sister place to the restaurant IL Fornaio. Sit on a exquisite veranda atop the Del Mar Plaza and enjoy fine Italian wines and excellent espresso. Great place for a date with someone special as it has an incredible ocean view. I can't remember what I ordered but it was exceptionally good. If I think of it I will let you know. read more

Enoteca Del Fornaio - people standing outside a restaurant - Wine Bars Near Me - Del Mar, California

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Customer service is nothing but top rated 100%..Jeff was very attentive at the bar and slavena was extremely helpfull...This place has awesome views at sunset and would be the perfect place to take that someone special out for a nice evening. The appetizer's look good and they have a real nice selection of wines, I tried a glass of wine that was suggested by Jeff and was pleased. I had the scallops and they were cooked to perfection. I will be coming back here with high expectations : ) read more

Sharing feedback on my experience working with them for an event we held. The planning started a year ago when another person was my contact. I was so impressed by her that I said "Before we agree to having our event with you, can you be sure you'll be here next year when it actually happens." I was nervous when she went on leave and I was handed off to Kassandra. Turns out, everyone there is incredible! Kassandra was detail-oriented, proactive, high-communication and totally awesome to work with. She went out of her way to meet face-to-face during the planning process when emails weren't sufficient, and made the decision to work the night of the event (her day off) to ensure all the details were executed as planned. She worked her tail off, and so did the staff. I am impressed by how well the team worked together, swiftly, and with a smile on their faces. The feedback from the guests who attended is that it couldn't have been better planned, better run, and that's because of Kassandra and her team. Major kudos! I look forward to working with them all again very soon. read more

Interesting to read that everyone thinks the view here is amazing. I was expecting front row center ocean front. NOPE... This place is 1/2 mile from the ocean with a view of homes and businesses. For a true ocean FRONT view, visit The Beach House in Cardiff or Fisherman's on the Pier in San Clemente. Arrived at 7pm on a Saturday night. Packed out and standing room only as to be expected. No waiter to be found anywhere. Had to go inside to order two glasses of average wine (Estancia Pinot) for $26.10 (did I hear that right?!). There are many other places with a better view, actual service, and less expensive. Will not return. read more

Il Fornaio for years has been a safe and fair place to get your pasta fix. In Orange County it's a sure place where we dine at least twice a month. The one in Del Mar is not an exception, however a very bad attitude from the bar (outdoor) attendant made our experience not that great. On a not too busy hour on a request (question) the answer I got was quote: "I'm talking to seven people at the same time and don't have time now. I can't understand what you said" I just returned to my table and mentioned to our waiter who was nice to excuse the not so gentleman attitude. I'm wondering how would he feels when rush hours hit. Well lost 2 stars on my book. read more

Great outdoor bar overlooking the Ocean! Good service and the drinks are tasty! read more

Enoteca Del Fornaio - Wine Bars Near Me - Del Mar, California

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View is nice, patio is OK. But there's not enough heaters, no service (you have to go to the bar) and they don't let you sit at the edge. That's probably not their fault, but still... They poured a different rum than advertised on the menu, Bacardi. Yuck! And it was weak! Good thing it was happy hour and only $6, but that is how you piss me off. You advertise craft cocktails and then pour shitty alcohol while advertising something different? For reels? One star for view, one star for validated garage parking (2 hours free). Oh, by the way, happy hour does not include food any more, really dumb. So, fix this place with servers, better drinks, better food and better management. I might come back because of the location, but I hate feeling taken just because of that. Like the great Freddy Mercury, I want it all! read more