Fantastic experience! Beautiful waterfront destination Food, especially the octopus and popovers, was terrific. Octopus was one of the best dishes in recent memory. Service, both food and wine, was even better! read more

I have been living out of a hotel pretty close to Island Prime for the past couple of months I really enjoy the walk to Island Prime. Walking saves you from having to endure the valet parking. The restaurant sits right on the waterfront so the view is amazing. The food is excellent. I really enjoy the appetizer menu as I try to eat smaller portions for supper. Here are my FAVORITES: 12 Oysters on the half shell comes with Black Pepper Mignonette. The Mignonette is spectacular. I order this at least once or twice a week. The Ahi Crab & Avocado is another great appetizer. If there are several in your group the Island Prime Seafood Tower is AMAZING. It is served with a fire roasted cocktail sauce. The sauce is so good I am always tempted to ask for a glass to drink. The tower comes with Oysters, Lobster Tail, blackened Ahi tuna, chilled Prawns and Salmon tartare. Recently I flew my 99 year old mother in so we could celebrate her birthday. She is a meat lover, She ordered the Bone In Ribeye and it was just awful and way overcooked. We sent it back and they prepared her a second one. Unfortunately it was worst than the first one. She ordered it rare and it was way overcooked. It was well done and very tough. Thank goodness she had ordered a twice baked to accompany her ribeye. The potato was huge, cooked perfectly and had a nice assortment of toppings. The potato was her birthday meal. I don't eat beef but my brother tasted her steak and agreed that it was really awful. The black & white sesame crusted tuna and the grilled pacific swordfish were great. For mom's Birthday supper I ordered the Lobster Bisque, a salad and the twice baked potato. The salad and were terrific. The Lobster Bisque was cold and lacked flavor. I ate a couple spoonfuls and left the rest of it. I was really surprised when our server finally came back to check on the table and didn't acknowledge the nearly entire ribeye sitting in the middle of the table along with an entire portion of Lobster Bisque. The bottom line is that Island Prime executes their appetizer menu incredible precision. Their Twice Baked Potato is excellent. Pass on the Lobster Bisque - it's awful. Also please remember with the exception of mom's birthday my other comments about the appetizers are after eating there many times over a few months. I suggest you have a drink and appetizer at Island Prime then have dinner next door at Coasterra. The entrees are executed flawlessly and the servers are focused, engaging and provide amazing service. read more

We came here for a date night dinner and loved it. [[HIGHLIGHT]]The ambience is spot on[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] and the food was delicious. The twice-baked potato is a monster of a thing. We probably didn't even need entrees for our meal! The waiter was very attentive. We even saw dolphins in the water! My only qualm was that they require valet parking since there's like 10 spots for self-parking. read more

Great dining experience with fantastic service at this establishment! [[HIGHLIGHT]]Expect higher prices as you are eating alongside the water with beautiful downtown views and Coronado.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] We ordered the ribeye with chimichurri sauce, twice baked potatoes, brussel sprouts and some kid's meals as well. Popovers came out first and they were such a delight! I love how they come out warm and are served with a delicious spread. So airy and light! Ribeye was large enough for two people so we decided to split it with the side dishes. I'm glad we decided to share it because the side dishes were enormous. Twice baked potatoes is recommended to be shared with two people, however, it was large enough to feed at least 6 people! Totally recommend it and the brussel sprouts with a balsamic glaze as well! We also received a complimentary flourless chocolate cake since we were celebrating and it was delicious as well. Nice ending to a quality meal! Parking - valet is $10, however, if you are lucky enough, you may be able to snag some self parking spots in the lot. We are looking forward to trying other options here in the future. read more

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The service was amazing let's just start there. I booked this reservation for my gf birthday and ordered the rose petals and rose package. Worth the money considering the views. I won't lie, I didn't have high expectations considering lately above average prices restaurants have not been delivering on taste, but more on ambiance. HOWEVER, Island Prime did NOT disappoint. I had the ribeye and my gf had the halibut. They were both really good. The twice baked potato with lobster was also REALLY good. The asparagus was a little big for my taste but she loved it so there's that. [[HIGHLIGHT]]The views if you can get a window seat are unmatched.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] 10/10 recommend for overall taste, ambiance, service and experience. However, we had a no phones rule that night after the first couple or pictures so I didn't get pics of the entree's. Sad I know. But the views I got lol read more

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Able to make a reservation for a party of 11 usually. There are some limited 2 hour free parking just adjacent to the $10 valet parking. [[HIGHLIGHT]]Beautiful waterfront views.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] Portions are very generous. I would recommend 1 entree and 2 sides to be shared between 2 people. Popover Roll: Complimentary and quite tasty. They are quite hearty. Wagyu Ribeye Tartare: Not bad, but wished it came with more potato chips. Calamari 'Katsu': Tasted as expected. For the price, I wouldn't order it again as portion was small. Unlike the appetizers, the sides were generously sized. Got the cream of corn, mac n' cheese, brussels sprouts and mushrooms. Overall, they were all solid. Rack of lamb: not bad, but not too memorable. Island Prime Filet Trio: I had high expectations given the name, but it felt slightly underwhelming. Wouldn't order again. Black & White Sesame Crusted Tuna and Grilled Pacific Swordfish: Both fish were solid and would recommend. Jumbo Prawn Linguini: Generous portion and the prawns were indeed jumbo! What is a bit irksome is that they have a 5% "removable" surcharge to help offsite costs. Overall, a nicer place to celebrate occasions. Food is good, but not necessarily spectacular. read more

The Service, the atmosphere and most of all the food was amazing. The steak was very good, Mac and cheese just as good as C-level and the drinks perfect. The mashed was ok and the reservations made a while ago for a birthday was not followed. They didn't sit us at a window areas and so we told them we would wait. The reason they said we didn't get what we requested was "first come get the window" ??? All in all nice place to have a good dinner. [[HIGHLIGHT]]Oh yeah the music was good too[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] read more

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We've Been dining here in the area several times eating at the restaurants nearby and this time we decided to try this place, I heard that not only does it have a beautiful view, but the foods are also good. I'm glad that I also made a reservation 'coz when we came the place was already packed and it wasn't even the weekend yet. [[HIGHLIGHT]]We got seated next to the window where we could enjoy the Ocean view.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] We ordered the following: *PRIME PORTER HOUSE *PORK CHOP *PRAWN LINGUINI *AHI STACK *TEMPURA BATTERED ONION RINGS *MUD PIE *C-LEVEL FAMOUS MARY drink Complimentary pastries came and they were big, these were good ones, I even asked for more :) Our appetizer, the AHI STACK, was beautiful and sharable, I would order this again the next time we visit here, it's delicious so I really enjoyed this appetizer. I'm glad that our Main courses came at the same time. My Husband's PORTER HOUSE STEAK was very tender and well seasoned, this Steak was well executed. My son's DOUBLE CUT PORK CHOP was good too, but it was not as tender as we had at other restaurants, but taste wise it was a good pork chop. I am usually the last one to finish eating among the three of us, but with this JUMBOPRAWN LINGUINI I finished my plate quickly and even forgot to offer my boys to try some ;) The TEMPURA BATTERED ONION RINGS were good and my husband and son shared this while eating their Meats. My C - LEVEL'S FAMOUS MARY drink was great, but I forgot to ask if they could make it spicier 'coz that's how I like my Bloody Mary, but I still finished this one. For Dessert I ordered the MUD PIE, I love this one, the size is sharable, it's very chocolaty, but not overly sweet. The service was Awesome, our Server made sure that everything we needed on our table was there and he talked to us often, he was a very friendly one. Parking was easy, but even if you park a little bit far you won't get annoyed 'coz you will be enjoying the Ocean view and Ocean breeze while walking to the Restaurant. read more

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(3/5) [[HIGHLIGHT]]Island Prime has a beautiful waterfront view, excellent service, and a solid wine selection.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] Unfortunately, the food did not live up to the atmosphere or price point. The steak lacked seasoning, the mushrooms were bland, and the crab topping was minimal and served lukewarm. The mashed potatoes were also underwhelming and lacked flavor. The lobster tail was disappointingly rubbery. For dessert, the pineapple upside-down cake was dense and heavier than expected, lacking the light, moist texture that typically makes this dessert enjoyable. On the positive side, the fries were very good, the wine selection was impressive, and the staff provided attentive service throughout the evening. [[HIGHLIGHT]]The view is definitely one of the restaurant's strongest features.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] [[HIGHLIGHT]]Overall, Island Prime delivers a great dining experience in terms of ambiance, service, and scenery, but I wish the food quality matched everything else.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] For a steakhouse at this price point, I expected much more from the meal itself. read more

Island Prime - Ribeye - Seafood Near Me - San Diego, California

WOW! This place is as amazing as everyone says it is!! We have dined at C-Level in the space next to this awesome restaurant, a lot. We were invited here for a special retirement dinner. The retirement dinner was held in the private room and there were about 40-50 of us. The food and service was absolutely amazing. We had 3 course prix fixe meals, and they were delicious! The upscale and professional wait staff and serving staff are great! Everything was prepared very well, and tasted DELICIOUS! I highly recommend this fine dining restaurant. Highly! read more

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For our last dinner in San Diego for Spring Break 2026, we booked Island Prime. Its a large, festive, steak and seafood place on Harbor Island, close to the airport and sitting next to North San Diego Bay. Plenty of self parking for Mon-Tues night. The views of the water and the whole San Diego skyline were great. As for food quality, we has 3 good dishes and 1 epic fail so overall 3 stars. For apps, each person gets a popover, which is excellent with the creamy herbed butter. I recommend the charred octopus if you like more spicy, tangy flavors with Spanish influence. One key reason I chose Island Prime is for their Chicken under the Brick. My 5yo son and I shared this dish and despite being on the dry side, he managed to eat half the dish. The mashed potatoes were herby and firm, which I liked. We also got a side of grilled asparagus - plump and tender. The epic fail was my wife's Halibut Catch of the Day. Prepares blackened, the fish was overcooked and dry. The crab fried rice was drenched in soy sauce and was borderline inedible. She had to eat the fish and rice together to get some sort of balance. Dessert was a partial save - Key Lime Pie was a huge tartlet close to an inch in height. Sweet, crumbly graham cracker crust and smooth, tart filling with pomegranate drizzle. Excellent. Island Prime has been around for a while but if we were to return, its best to stick with scallops or meat dishes. read more

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Come for the views, stay for the food. Recently visited for a friends bday dinner. While here I had the following: Steak & Asparagus-perfectly prepared, nicely seasoned and adequately sized for the price. Oysters-briny and deelish. Steak tartare-tender and amply sized. The homemade chips was a nice touch. Would've loved a few more to accommodate for the amount of tartare. Frites-crispy, golden and deelish. Ambiance is low lit and sophisticated at night. Service was friendly and fast. I'd definitely patronized again. read more

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Was debating on posting thia review because I truly hate not enjoying a restaurant the way I envisioned. However when I took everything into consideration, I felt it to be necessary to highlight the parts we enjoyed and the parts that made me give the 3 stars. Th pros: that view! That view alone is 6/5 stars it was so breathtaking and one of the reasons why we chose to come here. As a person who has always hated mashed potatoes and just recently started getting myself to try and like them these blew me away. So creamy and flavorful and perfect. The bread the give you at the beggining is also quite tasty, slighly sweet and buttery. My husband also said the lobster was probably the best one he's had and the butter container was such a creative gadget. Also the anniversary dessert we were given was rich and really good. The cons: We ordered our steaks medium and while they were quite good and did have a slight pink in the middle of the filet, for the most part it was cooked medium well. We are not ones to send food back so we ate them and figured their medium might be different than what we have previously had. The asparagus I wanted to like so bad and while that citrus lemon flavor was good the bottom of the stalk was not cut off so it was stringy and hard to chew and honestly kind of hard to fully enjoy. The service from our server was also Ok. Not bad but also not great or anything that stood out as we did not seem him a lot. The other staff that filled our water and dropped off our plates were attentive and kind. read more

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We wanted to celebrate our 50th Anniversary and of course we chose Island Prime. The touch of elegance in making a couple feel special is Prime and they did not disappoint. The minute we walked in at the host stand to the time we were seated everyone recognized us and we were graciously greeted with a welcome. Seth, our server for the evening, was the perfect individual to help us in our celebration. The wine we chose to the food election was perfection which went along the gorgeous view of the city. The filet trio was both our choice and the Sainte-Emilio Les Cadrans Bordeaux blended perfectly with our wonderful evening. read more

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Very very nice supper. Our server, Scotty, took really good . . . No, scratch that. Scotty was phenomenal!!! Of the best service I have ever witnessed. Oh, and I did catch a momentary glimpse of Chef Deb walking out from the kitchen wearing a jean apron, with her phone up to her ear. We had just left the NAVY base San Diego NASCAR event this Saturday afternoon. The race was a real s"!t show and we were VERY ready for some Island Prime delight. CRG delivered. We started off with cocktails next door at C-Level, because we had some time to burn before our reservation time. We were seated promptly at our reservation time, and then Scotty took over. We had Oysters, Shishito Peppers, Asparagus, a baked potato, Linguini, Shrimps, Ahi and a Skirt Steak. Oh and don't forget about Chef Deb's Popovers. Scotty just kept bringing 'em popovers. I don't know quite what Scotty brought out for dessert, but we smiled . . . a lot. [[HIGHLIGHT]]A fine dining atmosphere, topped only by the view, the food, a Chef Deb sighting and Scotty.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] Oh and do read the bottom edge of the menu about a 5% up charge. We decided to ask for that removed and applied the extra 5% to the outstanding service. An awfully darn good place. CritDicks read more

Island Prime - The menu board - Seafood Near Me - San Diego, California

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I visited here for my second time on 04/01/2026 with a reservation at 5:15pm. We had a party of four. This is still a very popular place. When we sat at that early time, it was still pretty empty; however, when we left at 7pm -- it was almost to 100% capacity. The view remains beautiful, same location, same beautiful view. The sunset is spectacular as you dine out over the water. This time we feel it slipped one star, because the service was just really slow at times. We had a server that we have had before, and we don't blame him; however, it is likely due to the assignment of one too many tables. There were delays of things like 15 minutes before clearing the table and delivery of the dessert menu. Otherwise, the food remained really good. I feel that the prices are reasonable considering the type of restaurant, view, and location. I had the chicken under a brick, which was a delicious bone in chicken breast with potatoes, onion, chili and chimichurri. Yum! The table shared sides of brussel sprouts and mac and cheese. Both were delicious and both were topped with pork belly, so you have to love it! read more

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After a great experience at C-Level, we came back to try Island Prime. Both spots share the same Harbor Island building, kitchen, and Executive Chef , with the same panoramic skyline views. When you walk in, Island Prime is to the right, C-Level to the left. The biggest difference is the vibe. C-Level is casual, lively, and mostly outdoors, while Island Prime is an indoor, more upscale steakhouse . The space is dimly lit and intimate. The menu at Island Prime leans toward high-end steaks and seafood with higher prices, while C-Level offers more casual, California-style dishes. Despite the differences, you can see the shared kitchen influence. Everything we ordered at Island Prime was fresh, perfectly cooked, and just as enjoyable, with the same great service we experienced at C-Level. Overall, a good experience. Great views, relaxing atmosphere, and solid food, especially if you're looking for a more refined alternative to C-Level. read more

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[[HIGHLIGHT]]Island Prime delivers a beautiful dining experience with incredible waterfront views.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] The starters were definitely the highlight of the meal--fresh, flavorful, and a great way to kick off dinner. Unfortunately, the entrées were a bit underwhelming and didn't quite live up to the quality of the appetizers. The service was friendly and attentive throughout the meal, but we were never offered a dessert menu, which was disappointing. We had been looking forward to trying the Baked Alaska, so it was a bit of a letdown to miss out on it. Overall, it's still a great spot for a special night out, and I'd be happy to return, especially to give the desserts another chance. For the price point I was expecting much more. read more

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From the moment you step in to the moment you leave everyone is so welcoming and kind! Island prime's appetizers and main course were outstanding. Lobster bisque was one of the best I ever had and was nostalgic due to Chef Deborah's east coast upbringing. Our server Tyler, the manager, and Chef Deborah were all so impressive and really set the bar high for customer interactions. Dessert was a bit too sweet for me but my husband loved his dessert cocktail! [[HIGHLIGHT]]The view is amazing and very intimate once the sun goes down.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] The only unfortunate thing is that because they pack your leftovers, we didn't notice our onion rings (almost the whole portion) were missing until the next day. We were looking forward to eating those as they were delicious. Otherwise, it was a fantastic experience and we look forward to going back! read more

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My friends and I went here for a retirement dinner. The wait staff and manager were very friendly and helpful. They had wine specials going on for dinner. The wine was very good and of great value. They gave us a very comfortable booth and the restaurant was welcoming and very elegant. We ordered the Deborah's Brie and shrimp cocktail. It was very flavorful and delicious. The filet mignon with lobster tail was fantastic and the tail was enormous and perfectly cooked. We loved the entire dinner. Staff treated us very well and gave exceptional service. This was a great dining experience with amazing views of the city. read more

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What a wonderful way to spend our anniversary! First time here and can't wait to come back! Colin was our waiter and was so personable and friendly. Our tomahawk steak was cooked to perfection and Pablo the chef came by our table twice...once to take our picture! Travis was the manager and today was his first official day here as manager! Fantastic memory for our anniversary! PS The mud pie was one of the best we have ever had! read more

My boyfriend and I have gone here two times. Both times the food was great. The first time I got the skirt steak but after getting the filet mignon, I'm never going back to the skirt steak! The Mac and cheese was amazing, the sides are great portions. The only downside was the service. Both times, the servers were attentive in the beginning and then slowly forgot about us by the end of the dinner. Also, I'm very disappointed this time because the waiter came by and offered to wrap up our food. Once I got home, my boyfriend and I realized the forgot to wrap up some of the items, which is disappointing because it was a $300 dinner that we didn't even get to finish. I would have rather boxed up my own food than have a waiter forget it. Amazing food but not very great customer service. read more

Island Prime - Seafood Near Me - San Diego, California

Cheers to 2026 Island Prime Location: 880 Harbor Island Dr San Diego, CA 92101 Featured: Drinks: island margarita, Karl Strauss Tower West Coast IPA Entree: Australian rack of lamb with chimichurri, Island Prime filet trio (trio of 3 oz steak topped with lump crab, wild mushrooms, blue cheese with buttermilk mash potatoes and red wine Demi) Sides to share: grilled asparagus with lemon zest, buttermilk mash potatoes, creamed corn (white sweet corn, garlic, onion, crispy jalapeño, cream, Parmesan cheese), sharp cheddar mac and cheese (with pork belly and fried onions) Dessert: banana split Food: 10 out of 10! Everything we had was spectacular; definitely will return again in the future for special occasions. Service: excellent customer service from Jacob B Beautiful ocean view from the restaurant. Very limited parking. read more

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Celebrated my birthday here! [[HIGHLIGHT]]I paid $20 to have rose petals shaped into a heart on the table--it was cute, but honestly not worth the price haha.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] On the bright side, they gave us a complimentary birthday cake slice on the house. For dinner, I had the Island Prime Trio. The meat quality was good, but it felt a bit ordinary, the portions were quite small, and the wait time was long. My boyfriend ordered a steak (not sure which cut), but it was absolutely delicious! I'd highly recommend sharing it. [[HIGHLIGHT]]The ambiance was nice, though it gets a bit too dark at night.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] [[HIGHLIGHT]]I think sitting right by the window would have made the experience much more memorable![[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] read more

Island Prime - Shrimp cocktail, trio, steak, cake - Seafood Near Me - San Diego, California

I found this place so delightful. The view was spectacular, and they had a wonderful, filling Thanksgiving dinner menu that came in multiple components. Omg, the BREAD!! Was like this popover little delight that was airy and sweet. Good with butter. The Thanksgiving turkey gravy was so goood. I loved the put together. We had mocktails which I didn't think was worth it. I just wanted to feel like we were fancy for Thanksgiving dinner even though I don't drink lol. But the view again so good. The waitress was nice, and there were adult families read more

Island Prime - Thanksgiving dinner - Seafood Near Me - San Diego, California

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Ambiance was gorgeous. We sat inside but they have a cute outdoor patio overlooking the bay / harbor. Our table was right by a window so view was very pretty. Our server was pleasant. Food was good. We had chicken, pork chops, creamed corn, etc. read more

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Special of the night! A course meal for two that was not on the menu! Tomahawk with mashed potatoes, asparagus and wedge salad with anchovies, paired with some cocktails and wine, the best! We got the best ocean view, best servers and service was fast, easy and exceptional! I Highly recommend! read more

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I've been here a few times already and it never disappoints. The most recent was for my mother in law's birthday for an early dinner on a Saturday since she loves the free bread. We were seated in the corner right next to the window with a perfect view of downtown and Coronado. Seriously one of the best spots in the restaurant. We ordered the onion ring tower, calamari, ribeye, chimichurri, mushrooms, and a few other dishes I can't list because I was too busy inhaling them. Everything was delicious. Pricey? Yes. Worth it? Also yes. My wallet cried a little, but my stomach wrote it a thank you card. The service was great too. Our server gave us plenty of time to look over the menu and offered helpful suggestions. He even brought out a slice of chocolate cake for celebrating a birthday. I usually save spots like these for special occasions, so I'm definitely coming back. read more

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Hiya B.U.M.S., If you're a born-and-raised San Diegan like me, you know that certain spots in our city carry a ton of sentimental weight. That's why I'm genuinely bummed to be writing this review. Island Prime and I go way back. Long before I ever stepped foot inside, I spent countless days out on the bay--either on a boat, a kayak, or diving for lobsters. Now, I might be a self-proclaimed best fisherman in San Diego, but back then, I was just a local kid looking up at those glowing restaurant windows thinking, "Man, I can't wait until the day I can actually afford to eat in there." Because of its reputation and sheer elegance, it always felt like this beautifully unattainable goal. Fast forward years later: my wife and I have eaten here several times, always loving the simplicity of the experience. Heck, we even almost booked our day-after wedding shindig here, we even met with a hostess and did a whole meeting to solidify it. So, what happened during our latest visit? Let's dive in. We walked in, and like any proactive, deeply engaged husband would do... I immediately hopped on my phone while my wife went to check us in with the hostess. (Hey, someone has to keep the screen warm, right?) But when my wife walked back to me, the look on her face said it all. The customer service at the front desk was, unfortunately, awful. The hostess met my wife with an attitude so sour it almost made us turn around and walk out right then and there. It was so noticeably bad that the hostess's own partner gave my wife a silent, sympathetic "I am so sorry about her" look. Not the best way to start a night. Just as we were questioning our dinner choices, we were seated and greeted by our server, Ishmael. Talk about a complete 180. Ishmael drastically changed the mood, completely recaptured our enthusiasm, and made us feel welcome--just like the old days. Outstanding job, Ishmael! You absolutely saved the night. With our spirits lifted, we ordered a few things, the Dry-Aged New York Strip: This was a bit of a mixed bag. On one hand, it came out a perfect medium-rare, boasted a fantastic crust, and was seasoned beautifully. On the other hand, there was a fat cap on the end that tasted entirely uncooked. My wife literally had to spit it out. It's pretty rare to get a steak that is otherwise beautifully cooked but has a piece like that on it. The Two-Person Seafood Tower... I'm going to let the pictures and videos do the talking for this one, mostly because we've been such big fans of this place historically and we'll let the visuals speak for themselves. The Ultimate Mashed Potato Hack If you order the mashed potatoes, write this down: 1. The restaurant serves complimentary bread and butter before the meal. 2. Ask your server for regular butter for the bread, not the smear butter they usually bring out. 3. Take that rich, nutty butter from the bread service and mix it directly into a section of your mashed potatoes (just enough for 4 or 5 bites). 4. Bang! Your mashed potatoes just leveled up to delicious perfection. For drinks, my wife ordered a red blend that she thoroughly enjoyed. I opted for the Mindful Mocktail. It was delicious, but fair warning: if you aren't a fan of tart flavors, watch out! I found it incredibly sour, though my wife disagreed. Drink at your own risk if you prefer things sweet! A restaurant is only as good as its service. While the food should ultimately speak for itself, sometimes a bad interaction can leave a lingering taste in your mouth. My Rating: I wanted to give it a 2.5 because of that initial hostess interaction, but Ishmael's stellar service bumped it up to a 3.0. My Wife's Rating: She wanted to give it a 3, but that front-desk attitude dragged her down and well we just kept the 3. Usually, we get way better than 3-star service here, but hey, things happen. We're glad Ishmael was there to rescue the evening, but we're definitely hoping to come back - just not as soon as we usually would. read more

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First, and so important, the gentleman ISHMAEL did the most incredible job taking care of us during our 41st anniversary dinner! Thoughtful, knowledgeable, intuitive, kind & invested in doing a great job. We GREATLY appreciate that! His recommendations were spot on & we had one of our most memorable dinners! The 'off-menu' old-fashioned was unlike anything I've tasted -- and I savored every sip. Every step thru dinner kept us looking forward to the next dish. (Calamari, tuna/crab/avo stack, scallops & risotto cakes, eye of ribeye -- so savory, carefully made - to top it off with a dark chocolate orange truffle with raspberry coulis -- perfect end to a perfect dinner. Thank you, Ishmael, for being so attentive & invested in making sure we had the BEST experience at Island Prime. read more

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Continuing the 21-day land/cruise birthday month adventure, my wife and I decided to do lunch on the Marina peninsula at Island Prime. This spot is located on the eastern tip of the peninsula and enjoys a great view of downtown San Diego and the bay. Island Prime features a main dining area, a bar area, and an expanded covered deck/patio. Surprisingly, lunch time was fairly active in the restaurant as the deck and bar areas were busy. We were seated quickly by the welcoming front house staff at a booth in the bar area with a nice view. We chose the Island Prime Seafood Tower, the Island Prime Lobster Bisque, and a Dozen Oysters on the Half Shell featuring East Coast and West Coast selections. This was a pescatarian paradise! The tower included a half dozen Oysters, chilled Prawns, Salmon poke, and a Tuna stack with avocado, lettuce, Taro chips chopped Mango, Onions and Arugula. Entrees included a Seafood Pappardelle with Prawns, Mussels, Bay Scallops, Arugula, and Pappardelle pasta in a tasty pesto sauce. We shared this dish and both of us loved it Our server Megan and her helper Yasmani were great! Megan was attentive and welcoming, and Yasmani kept us thoroughly hydrated by keeping our water glasses filled. We ended lunch with dessert, a Chocolate Brownie with Caramel topping and Peanut Butter Ice Cream, and a Key Lime Pie with Strawberry sauce. We took the pie to go. Teaming with locals definitely enjoyed this spot We were so pleased our Lyft driver Aleksandr recommended Island Prime. The view, food, and service were great! Next time we are in the area we will drop in! read more

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Arriving here we had a reservation at 8:15 we arrived at 8:10 to check in and our table was ready at 8:40 when we sat down. [[HIGHLIGHT]]The views were super nice but we didn't get to sit at a table with a view which sucked.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] Now for the food we ordered food was amazing katsu calamari and ribeye on the bone delicious. The prices were pretty high for the food but definitely worth it. We came here for a birthday as well it was nice for the server to bring the cakes! Service was alright i work at a restaurant myself and i can say he was okay n seemed busy. Took awhile for a lot of stuff. My friends kept asking for things from the other server n other server seemed helpless bc he didn't wanna help which i get but told the other server who brushed it off. I mean i get it we looked super young but we paid n still tipped 18%. Food 10/10 Service 5/10 I would come back for the food but work on the service please! read more

Island Prime - inside view of the restaurant - Seafood Near Me - San Diego, California

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Came here the day before NYE, all the decoration were still up! We had an amazing date night with such incredible view and even better food! The service was great- we were in the middle of two sections so at times it felt like we had double the weight staff, but I would rather be overly checked on, then not checked on at all! lol Our team was incredible though, and was able to split our meal between the two of us. We split the trio fillet and the sesame crusted tuna, I couldn't believe how much food we got with it being half portions I look forward to coming back and trying more of the foods! read more

Unfortunately, this trip to Island Prime was a disappointment. We have dined here many times, and have always given a 5 star review, but not this time. First, we had 6:30 reservations on Friday night, but didn't get seated until shortly after 7:00. We did get a nice window table, but the sunset was pretty much gone by the time we were seated. The popovers were great as always. It was the highlight of our meal. We ordered steak, salad, Baked potato and mushrooms. The steak was good, but a little overcooked. We received brussel sprouts rather than the mushrooms we ordered, and that wasn't corrected until we were nearly finished eating the rest of our food. We did receive a complimentary dessert for our special occasion, which was a nice touch. Unfortunately, there was chocolate on the bottom of the plate which my boyfriend got on his hands when turning the plate! The wine by the glass list has also changed, and does not have the qualities wines I would expect for a high end restaurant. Sadly, this meal just didn't hit the mark this time. read more

Island Prime - Complimentary dessert - Seafood Near Me - San Diego, California

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We have dined here before and had a wonderful experience, which is why we chose this restaurant to celebrate my son's graduation with out of town family. We got our table quickly thanks to our reservation, and our servers were very nice and attentive. Unfortunately, the food was a major letdown. The seared scallops were sandy and had a strong fishy taste/odor. The prawns in the linguine dish were overcooked and rubbery. The filet mignon trio, at $65x 2, was the biggest disappointment -- the filets lacked any seasoning and were completely bland. Again, the swordfish was dry keeping to theme we were experiencing. For a special celebration, we expected the quality we remembered from our first visit. Sadly, this experience fell way short of that. We left feeling more disgusted, especially paying the bill for undesirable food. read more

We were able to get last minute reservations so we came here on a Sunday evening for dinner. So here's how we would rate our experience. The ambiance is a definite 5/5 because of the views. We did not get a table by the window but could see a partial view from our table. Service is a 3/5. Our server was very friendly and attentive. There was just a very long wait between our appetizers and main entree. By that time our stomachs already gave the signal that it was full. But we ate our entrees anyway. And here are our thoughts. The best entree was the swordfish. Tender and mild fish that was cooked well. All the other entrees were not good. The steak trio was very average. Not memorable at all. The ahi, crab, and avocado stack looked good but a disappointment. The fish did not taste fresh and the sauce was a bit strong. We love scallops but this entree was on the salty side and not tasty. We also got lobster bisque and a side of macaroni and cheese. The bisque was okay. The Mac and cheese was okay. It did not need all that dried onion on top. So the food this evening gets a 2.5/5. So overall, this place is a 3/5. Not worth the money. Portion sizes were on the smaller side except the swordfish. They said the side dishes were meant to shared by the table but the Mac and cheese would not be enough to share with a group of hungry people. Self parking is limited. There's a small lot when you pull in that is to the right. We missed it and got stuck in the valet line. So we did valet. As we were leaving, we saw there was another row of parking that was self parking but with the valet lines so prominent, we missed it. Probably will not return. read more

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Came here for my wife's birthday and we had the best time. We had a great view overlooking San Diego and the water. Service is very friendly and attentive, and the food was delicious. We ended up getting crab cakes to start and of course we got it a steak which was the ribeye. It was delicious. Definitely coming back. read more

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An absolute exquisite dining experience from beginning to end. I booked reservations here for my husband's birthday which I mentioned when booking. The first thing they did when we sat down was wish him a happy birthday. Each course was phenomenal. Husband had swordfish and a side of asparagus. I had filet trio and calamari steak was our starter. Andrew, our server, was the epitome of high-end customer service. Beautiful views and ambience. We really loved this place and recommend to anyone wanting a nicer dining experience in San Diego read more

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Parking is now a nightmare, as the valet closed almost all parking rows for valet, which will charge you $10 to park your car 20 feet away, and will ask you for a tip. Other than that, this is one of my favorite spots in San Diego. Great views of the bay with consistently great food and consistent good service. Their steaks are always juicy and cooked as ordered. The servers are very professional and accommodating. Their menu has a great selection of appetizers, steaks, seafood, and sides. Their wine list is great, but very difficult to access on the tablet as the software is very clunky. They do not have a paper option. read more

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Easy parking + okay wait time + exceptional service (offered to take a photo of us and everything!) + stunning views! The complimentary bread was one of the best bread I've ever tasted -- still dreaming about it even a year later. We got the lobster tail (mp), two seared scallops ($32), and the australian rack of lamb ($61). The food was delicious, but the bread was the highlight (lol). All this is to say that I highly recommend the restaurant if you're in the area! read more

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