This was my first time here, and it definitely did not disappoint! The drinks were great, the food was amazing, and the ambiance was cozy and inviting. Our server did a fantastic job, and the rest of the staff were knowledgeable, friendly, and attentive. I'm honestly disappointed to hear that this place is closing on September 6th. I'm definitely going to try to make it back before then! I highly recommend checking this place out before it's gone! read more

I came here tonight for their "girl dinner". This is a preset menu including 5 items: 1 alcoholic peach spritz, a Greek salad dip, watermelon skewer, gnocchi with shrimp, and churro bites. I felt the service was lacking as my party was sat for a while before water or our server came by. It was quick to order the girl dinner once the server did come. My favorite component was the spritz as it was sour, flavorful and refreshing. The next course confused me. I probably didn't read the menu properly as I was expecting a small Greek salad. Instead it was an olive oil dip with olives, greens and something else. It came with bread to dip. It was strong on the olive flavor which I didn't prefer. The watermelon skewer had an interesting flavor profile including mint, avocado, cheese, pepper, and a sauce draped on top. Not terrible, just not my flavor preference. The gnocchi was mid. I felt the shrimp could've been blackened or had more flavor. The cheese sauce was a thin consistency. The portion was as expected. Lastly, there was the churro bite dessert. It is small but a decent finish to the meal. I wasn't sure what the dark sauce was as it tasted odd and spicy. I did like the white sauce. It is somewhat worth the $35 but I would not come again. The ambiance is nice and rustic. read more

Madison - Italian Near Me - San Diego, California

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We came on a Thursday The decor is soooo cute. The saxophone act was unreal! What a sweet man For food we did the burger and chicken piccata. Both were AMAZING! The chicken was soooo lemony and delicious- I highly recommend. The service was on the slower side (because we sat at the bar and it was towards the end of the night). We will absolutely return!! read more

Madison - Madison Burger Sweet Corn Succotash - Italian Near Me - San Diego, California

A true gem in the University Heights neighborhood! Went on a date here and the attention to detail is worthy of pointing out. My date has celiacs disease and they made sure n there was no cross contamination. My vihno verde was delicious and crisp -- perfect for the brutal heat wave we have in SD right now. The watermelon stack was superb, although I think burrata or manchego instead of halloumi would've taken this up a notch. The ceviche was balanced while the sea bass was something to write home about and I don't say that often. Service was attentive, which is always appreciated. Excited to see what comes next after Madison, thanks for the great mems and meals! read more

Madison - Italian Near Me - San Diego, California

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We went to Madison primarily for the entertainment -- a singer who sang a variety of songs. The restaurant is interesting -- kind of both indoors and outdoors at the same time. There is a ceiling, but it is also open at both the front and back at the restaurant. The food is largely Italian. I had the gnocchi, which is something that I don't always like. This was very good! My dad liked the ravioli Rossini, and my sister enjoyed the chicken piccata. But, the food seemed to come out a little too fast -- as if they had it all ready & just warmed it up. I don't think we waited even 10 minutes. And, they did not serve bread. We asked for some, and they brought us a few small pieces of toast -- and charged for it. And also surprising and disappointing was that they didn't serve coffee at all. Very strange. Still, it was pretty good, albeit expensive (as most San Diego restaurants seem to be). read more

Madison - Italian Near Me - San Diego, California

Had dinner here for Valentine's day. They had a prix-fixe menu for the evening--$99/person. They also offered wine pairings for an extra charge, but I don't drink so we opted out. I would say that the prix-fixe menu and price paired together get a solid 4. Out of everything I tried, my favorite was the portobello (mushroom) "fries." Nothing else really stood out as special. Cute ambiance and good service, will have to try their regular menu some time. read more

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This place is so cute! The vibes are cozy and modern. We were only there for drinks this time but would definitely come back to try the food. We also came during their happy hour from 5-6. We got the motorbike and the heavyset honeybee. The motorbike comes with tequila, watermelon, aperol, ginger and lime but I could only really taste the watermelon and tequila. Refreshing but a little underwhelming. The honeybee was delicious though. It was sweet but also complex. Service was super friendly and welcoming. I would definitely come back! read more

Madison - Happy hour cocktail options as of 1/18/26 - Italian Near Me - San Diego, California

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My parner and I went here during happy hour and were able to get seat the bar immediately. (Happy hour is only available at the bar or patio). We lived the vibe of the place! Also on certain days they have live jazz music which is really cool. Service was really good! Our bartender Jenny was amazing. We got the Motor Bike and Heavyset HoneyBee. I preferred the HoneyBee over the Motor Bike but I'm a sucker for honey lol Overall will definitely come back to try the food and live jazz music. read more

Madison - Motor Bike (left) and Heavyset Honeybee - Italian Near Me - San Diego, California

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My friends and I came here for one of my friend's birthdays. We all got different drinks and food and tried each others. The drinks are strong. One of my friends and I shared the greek fries and gnocchi. The tahini sauce for the fried was just ok. I wish it was tzatziki instead. The gnocchi was nice and light, not too heavy even though it's a cream based sauce. I tried my friend's Mediterranean Milanese and the chicken was nice and crispy. The ravioli Rossini sauce was very rich and tasty. We told our server it was one of my friend's birthday and they brought us a chocolate marquise cake. Everything tasted delicious and service was great. A little pricy but nice for special occasions! read more

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Before I describe my experience, I need to preface that the food was excellent, the location and ambiance was amazing! The staff was so wonderful!!! And everyone needs to come here! We were celebrating our daughter's graduation and they accommodated a large party(we called to book the table, nicest and most accommodating person ever) When we arrived everything was ready for us and was gorgeous. But we didn't realize that they had live music. So it was a little louder than we had anticipated. So if this is not your jam, check out their schedule. So we asked if there was any way to move further away from the music and they so quickly moved all 16 of us and made it so wonderful. The food came so quickly and we had the most amazing time. You will not be disappointed! Get the ravioli and the gnocchi!!! read more

Madison - Pinot Noir Dragonette Santa Rita Hills - Italian Near Me - San Diego, California

After a disappointing start to our date night at Sonny's Pizza (poor service and a much longer wait than we were originally led to expect, we decided to leave and try Madison on Park instead and we're so glad we did!! Madison on Park completely saved our evening! Our waiter was incredibly welcoming, attentive, and genuinely kind. He even surprised us with drinks on the house, which was such a thoughtful touch. Even better, our steak dinners came out in under 30 minutes, and everything was cooked perfectly and delicious. The hospitality here was outstanding and completely turned our night around. Madison on Park made us feel like valued guests, and that's something you don't forget. We'll absolutely be back and highly recommend! read more

I truly hate bashing a restaurant and even my wife the eternal optimist didn't have much positive to say. I don't mean to be hyperbolic but I wanted to ask the cooks to come and try this food because it wasn't evenly remotely close to restaurant quality. The meatballs were about the size of a ping pong ball and there were 5 for $20. I've seen plenty of similar places with 2-3 baseball sized meatballs for $15 so don't understand the need to be chintzy. The meatballs had a very odd texture almost like the meat had been squished when mixed if they were made in house. They also lacked any flavor. As far as the potatoes they looked great but had little seasoning. They had a sprinkle of finishing salt but that's about it. The disheartening feeling of biting into an unseasoned fluffy potato. The French fries were your standard frozen and fried fries which were fine but nothing special. For $4 with the sliders they were fine. The sliders similar to everything else were just bland. Again the hesitation to use enough salt and even a little pepper. Lastly, I ordered a soda and it was $6. I get rent and overhead cost money but come on. On top of the $6 the server didn't refill my soda once. She came to the table twice after taking our order. Once to check on us and once at the end. It was the bare minimum for a server. She didn't offer once to refill my soda or even bring one out with her. Having worked in restaurants for 20 years it is pretty standard for servers to refill water and soda quickly and offer numerous times. $80 for 3 appetizers, a coke, and 2 Happy Hour drinks at $12 a piece. The service was average as well which is unacceptable when the place is basically empty at 5:45 on a Friday. A truly unforgettable experience for my wife's birthday and we will never be back. read more

Madison - Potatoes, sliders, meatballs, fries - Italian Near Me - San Diego, California

This was my second time at Madison, and unfortunately, it'll probably be my last. The first time I went with my best friend, and it was just okay -- good service, but the flies were pretty annoying. I decided to give it another chance, this time with a group of seven of us, and sadly, the same fly problem continued. The service this time was honestly strange. We got our food and drinks fairly quickly, but no utensils. We couldn't find our server anywhere, so we had to flag down another staff member just to get forks and knives. Then, when it came time to pay, we waited what felt like forever for someone to come by. Food-wise, it was pretty hit or miss. Some people at the table got salads, others got the breakfast burrito , bowls, classic breakfast -- everything was just fine, nothing memorable. The one standout item was the churro waffle sticks with jalapeño jam -- those were actually really good and the only thing we all agreed on. The space itself is cute -- very aesthetic -- but the flies, the uneven service, and the underwhelming food make it hard to justify another visit. read more

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Absolutely one of our favorite spots. Great for cocktails and dinner or just cocktails and appetizers. My favorite is the crab and corn gnocchi is absolutely to die for not too heavy such amazing flavors. The gin and cucumber cooler cocktail is also so light and fresh literally taste like a spa. I've been here with my parents. I've gone on a date night and as a girls night such a great spot for any occasion. It is a little loud but great atmosphere with a lot of wood very earthy and natural . The service is good. I would say they're a little overbooked that the waitress doesn't come to your table 2 too often but there's also people around that can help you if you need something. read more

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Just experience the worse service today by the maître d'. We did a walk-in and indicated that they were full and could only sit a party of three at the bar. Went to Open Table to reserve a table and was able to reserve a 7:30 PM standard table for 3 which was just 15 min away. She didn't even bother looking at the reservations and immediately said that she couldn't do it and indicated she couldn't sit us because of walk-in's and tables were reserved. Informed her that doesn't make any sense to me. I reserved a table for 7:30 PM. If I was able to book a table online, then it shouldn't be an issue. If someone had reserve a table at a later time, are you going to tell them, "Sorry, tables are full so the only option is to sit at the bar." She gave some more reason that I didn't understand. Anyway, we sat at the bar and there were plenty of tables open until we left. She could have told us that we needed to wait a certain amount of minutes for a table but that wasn't an option. It was our last night in SD to visit my daughter and just made the whole experience awful. Just an unpleasant visit at a place we always enjoyed going. read more

Came here for a quick breakfast/ lunch. I ordered their breakfast burrito and I got to say it was delicious. I order it to go because it was a quick stop. However as we waited we sat outside. As we waited for my food they brought us water, my friends and I drank water and talked so the wait didn't seem long. read more

Madison - Italian Near Me - San Diego, California

We had reservations at 6:30 and were told that our server will be right with us. The menu is quite small so we were quick to make a decision. There were two servers that we noticed serving tables. A girl whose attention was only in the middle row. Then there was a dude who was attending the most left row and the most right row (ours). Two tables that were seated after us (right in front of us) had their orders taken before us. The dude also refilled their waters then would cut away from our corner table and go back to the most left row. It was infuriating to see them pass our table multiple times. We were so close to leaving after waiting 30 minutes. We flagged down one of the staff members who has been attentive to our water and asked if we can get someone to take our orders. He had a talk with the waiter who looked confused. The dude finally came over and took our order but there was no apology and a clear lack of enthusiasm compared to how he talked to the table on my left. After our orders were taken, the girl from the middle row came over and introduced herself as our waitress. It was confusing. We didn't want to throw in the race card but we couldn't help but notice that we were the only minorities eating there. Were we overlooked because of that or was it was a miscommunication amongst staff members? Idk but we could've had a dessert comped at least. Honestly, the food wasn't even worth the wait. The best thing was the fries which were probably frozen. The chicken was so dry that it took forever to cut and it took an effortful swallow. Sure the vibes were nice but the whole experience was soured by the lack of service initially. We ate our food faster than the wait to get our orders taken. Shout out to the water boys though for making sure our waters were refilled and getting a waiter to finally pay attention to us. read more

Madison - The best thing in this photo were the fries. - Italian Near Me - San Diego, California

The food & vibes here were genuinely incredible and the service was some of the best I have had in SD. Fabian was AMAZING and took fantastic care of my girls & I. He was so much fun & gave us a night to remember! read more

Madison - Italian Near Me - San Diego, California

This adorable restaurant offers both indoor and outdoor seating. Service was really good. I ordered the Mediterranean Breakfast to go. It was delicious! The salad was fresh and came with a yummy vinaigrette. They did forget to include the pita and avocado initially, but when I went back for the pita, they provided it warm, and it paired perfectly with the hummus. I unfortunately forgot to ask about the avocado, but overall the meal was still great. read more

Madison - Mediterranean Breakfast - Italian Near Me - San Diego, California

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Had been wanting to try this place for a while and finally did. I recommend it for its jazz music / ambience and beverages . Out order: Tuna tartare: tasted bland - I added the salad dressing to make it a little tastier. Avocado Salad with ahi tuna : ask for an additional side of dressing . Pistachio pasta : best from the two pastas we ordered. Clam linguine: bland - waiter kindly took this off the bill. Drinks : Mr good guy natural wine: Sauvignon -- tasty Natural Chardonnay- okay Jazz music : Great . Customer service is excellent. read more

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Madison on Park had great vibes for brunch, but the service left a lot to be desired. I made a reservation for weekend brunch and the place was lively during peak hours. Our server greeted us quickly at first but unfortunately never checked in afterward. Some of the items on the seasonal menu were unavailable. The food took quite a while to arrive, though the drinks came out fast. *Cucumber Honey Mimosa: we ordered the pitcher, which was supposed to fill six glasses. We were satisfied with the amount and got multiple refills. Ordering the pitcher also saved us about twenty dollars compared to getting individual glasses. Unfortunately, our server accidentally spilled some of our drinks on the floor. The cucumber flavor was refreshing and the honey added a nice sweetness and warmth. *Peach French Toast: this was their seasonal specialty. The toast was nicely soaked in a sweet eggy mixture and the fruit topping was not overly sweet. The cinnamon was a little strong, but it added a cozy autumn touch. *White Bean Shakshuka: the tomato base could have used a bit more time to develop its flavors. The white beans were mild, so the dish needed a bit more spice. The small bits of carnitas were tasty, though the dish leaned more toward the vegetable side. *Mediterranean Breakfast: this dish was light and acidic. I wished the Mediterranean flavors stood out a bit more. The hummus was garlicky and tangy and paired nicely with the grilled pita, though the portion was small compared to the rest of the plate. The vinegary salad was perfect for my taste, and the avocado was fresh and creamy. The poached eggs were a little bland, so it would have benefited from more hummus. Overall, the food had decent flavors and the atmosphere was definitely my favorite part of Madison on Park. However, the slow service made the experience dampened our brunch experience. read more

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Came here with my friends. This Mediterranean restaurant is cute and has a modern vibe. Their salad was fresh and tasty, and the vinaigrette was delicious. They offer both indoor and outdoor seating. Sheyanne was a joy and did a great job taking care of us. As for parking, street parking is available. read more

Madison - Modern Mediterranean Restaurant | Outdoor Seating | Indoor Seating - Italian Near Me - San Diego, California

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So the food was OK. Everyone raved about the watermelon stack, but I thought it was just OK. The best dishes were the stuffed ravioli. Linguine with clam sauce was delicious . Everyone raved about the pork chops, but I thought they were a little too bready. The drink selections were pretty creative and delicious. We tried everything from the old-fashioned to many other specialty drinks. Service was better than other reviews indicated . The would tables are extremely gross and sticky . I would recommend that the management put butcher paper over the tables and change this after every guest is done. The Latin jazz music was good . read more

Madison - Drink - Italian Near Me - San Diego, California

What a cute brunch spot in the heart of University Heights! It definitely gives off modern chic vibes with an airy interior that flows well with its exterior dining. Although the Mediterranean menu lacks variety, it makes up for it with interesting, colorful dishes. Portions are on the smaller side, so plan to add appetizers or sides. Overall, a fine spot to brunch w/friends or a date. Not kid-friendly but dog friendly. Reservations highly recommended! read more

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The food here was so yummy! Went for brunch and got the g.o.a.t. points which was absolutely incredible (i'll be coming back just for this) and the white bean shakshuka was yummy, I don't think I would order that one again but it was nice to try something different. The vibes inside are unique and perfect for a date or bringing the fam. Service was a little rushed but they were attentive and friendly. read more

Madison - GOAT points & White Bean Shakshuka - Italian Near Me - San Diego, California

I came here for brunch with a couple of friends on a Sunday around noon. We had made reservations in advance and it was pretty busy when we got there, but we were seated right away upon arriving. The restaurant is so cute and nicely decorated! The space itself is gorgeous and very well thought out. I got the cold brew to drink and the avocado scramble as my meal. The cold brew was just OK and I would probably try something different next time. The avocado scramble, however, was delicious! There were plenty of avocados and the potatoes that came with the perfect amount of crispy. I would definitely come back here again for either lunch or dinner. read more

Madison - Cold brew - Italian Near Me - San Diego, California

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Would give this place like 3 and a half stars, it's really pretty and the atmosphere is nice and i really enjoyed the live music. BUT i felt like it was too packed like they added unnecessary chairs which could be uncomfortable for some since they're so close to other tables... me and my partner ordered two entrees and two drinks with the total amounting to 120 which i thought was a bit ridiculous because the portions were pretty small and the food was okay. i liked the drinks more than the food and the live music is probably what saves this place because it's really nice jazz but yes service was a bit slow.... additionally it's one of those restaurants where there is an automatic (optional ) service fee (5%) but I think if the service was a bit quicker they wouldn't need to rely on that to pay their employees also the employee could've been more welcoming! read more

Not bad - but wouldn't come back. - SLIDERS - basic sliders. You get what you get - GNOCCHI - the sauce and lump crab/shrimp was a hearty portion. The cheese filled gnocchi had way too much cheese considering its a cream sauce. - BRUSCHETTA - not bad. - FRIED MUSHROOMS - the mushroom itself was flavorless, you need the sauce. - LEMON CHICKEN - not pictured; only order if you enjoy a LOT of lemon. The person who ordered it couldn't finish because it was way too sour and tangy. read more

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Disappointed. Service was poor - server was borderline unfriendly; tried repeatedly to get her attention. Place is too loud and cold - breezes kept my putting coat on. Hard to hear when music played. Food mixed. Drinks were highlight. Burrata decent, lamb meatballs lacked spice, whipped feta was decent. Only worth a second trip for drinks. read more

Service was mediocre and we often had empty glasses. The atmosphere is always amazing thangs to the decor, but the indoor music was really loud and made it hard to hear each other talk over the table. The food here is always just okay.! had the poke starter and it was nothing special and l've had much more flavorful and filling for the same price read more

Madison - Italian Near Me - San Diego, California

I visited with two friends, all of us longtime hospitality professionals, so we understand how demanding the industry can be and always try to give grace. Unfortunately, our experience at the bar started off on the wrong foot due to the bartender, Peter. He came across as rude, dismissive, and genuinely unwelcoming, which made us feel like an inconvenience rather than guests. Thankfully, after moving to a booth in the bar, our new server completely turned the experience around. They were attentive, friendly, and provided excellent service from start to finish. Their professionalism and hospitality were exactly what we expect when dining out and made a noticeable difference in our visit. Great service has the power to recover a negative experience, and our server did just that. I hope management recognizes the impact both positive and negative interactions have on guests and addresses the inconsistency in service. read more

Madison - Italian Near Me - San Diego, California

We really like our weekend brunch at Madison. It's a beautiful restaurant and I suggest requesting the back patio or restaurant. It's very cute and the decor is beautiful. The outdoor seating in front is not as nice and you're basically sitting on the sidewalk on a busy street. Reservations are highly recommended because they can get quite busy. I ordered the chilaquiles and it was good, but wish I ordered the eggs either fried or scrambled instead of poached. The egg yolk just mellowed the other flavors out and I was just tasting egg yolk all over the dish. And I usually like poached eggs too. It just didn't work for me on this dish. My friend did say that she liked her breakfast sandwich and chai latte very much. Parking is a big deterrent for us from coming back more often. It's hard finding parking on the streets. We drove around for almost 30 mins. read more

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It was Saturday night and I felt alright. I needed dinner on the west side (of Park Boulevard, that is). I walked up without a reservation and typically, in a popular part of town, a well known eatery is going to have a long wait, but I lucked out this time and got seated right away. Between Park & Rec and the main sign for Madison is a long corridor. This entrance to Madison is both mysterious and exciting because when you get to the end it opens up into a place of fun. You can just hear the chatter and ambiance in the air. It's light, it's fun and the dim lighting gives the look and feel of a place you'd want to spend a couple of hours on a date, with friends, or just enjoying some drinks. For dinner, my server was Andrew. He has two things going for him. He's very knowledgeable about the menu and he's as tall as he is informed. You can't miss him! I decided on the Ribeye and damnnnnnn was it good. It was on the pricier side compared to other menu options, but it was worth every cent. It basically melted in my mouth. Beyond delicious. It came with asparagus and mashed potatoes. Both of these were cooked perfectly and I couldn't get enough. I can't wait to come back. Madison completely exceeded my expectations. I really thought since I was there close to closing time that it was going to be lackluster food and I couldn't have been more wrong. Madison was amazing!!! read more

For $18, the cocktails were so tiny. It was definitely very spirit forward. The tiramisu cream top was very sweet and creamy. read more

Madison - Italian Near Me - San Diego, California

First off, this place is beautiful. The ambience is incredible but that's about the best thing there. The service is so-so, depending on the time of day and who your server is. The food here is probably the biggest disappointment, it's mid at best. I've visited several times throughout the years and the food is consistently bland and uninspired. This is a place you go for the atmosphere and drinks. Don't go expecting a standout meal, you will be disappointed. read more

Always solid service and food. Jazz night is LOUDDDD (what did you say?) but still nice, better at the bar. They try hard at food, drinks, service, and ambiance, and they do all 3 well. Very solid spot in a neighborhood with a lot of great options. Parking can be nasty though so plan early and/or rideshare read more

Ok this place is everything! The menu is stellar with SEVERAL espresso martinis to choose from, delicious brunch and lunch items (they are also open for dinner but we when for brunch), mouthwatering specials, and good classics as well. Our server was fantastic. She made great suggestions and tended to us while also letting us take our time. The ambiance is WOW. Insta this place asap! It's too darling. It's so well done. The only thing I could not figure out was why I haven't been coming here more often. Cheers! read more

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I went here for a birthday dinner last month. I loved the vibes, aesthetics, and lights. I had a chicken pesto pasta dish with an espresso martini. All the espresso martinis were calling my name!! There was a live jazz band playing that night. Good vibes! read more

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My husband and I had a date night here and it was great! Easy to obtain reservations, vibes are so spot on, menu had great options. We were seated immediately and food came out very very quickly. We tend to eat quickly cuz we have a young kid so we were basically in and out within 45 minutes. Super happy we had time to grab dessert down the street. I would say the portions were fair but not generous. We left full, not stuffed and that's fine! read more

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It was neither good or bad. We had reservations for Sunday night Latin jazz. The place was busy, but service was timely and friendly. I had the watermelon stack, cioppino, waffle churro sticks, and Ibarra espresso martini. The watermelon was not sweet and this would be a better as a summer menu choice when it's in season. The cioppino was tolerable, but lacked depth and richness. The churro and martini were my favorites. The churro was crisp and full of cinnamon. This paired well with the espresso martini which had a twist of chocolate. The women's bathroom was messy. There was no toilet seat covers and there was trash on the floor. This is not a hole in the wall establishment and I anticipated a clean and well stocked bathroom. read more

Madison - Cioppino - Italian Near Me - San Diego, California