A friend held a milestone birthday celebration, and everything was top notch (in quality as well as price). The menu options available all looked good (and everyone seemed to enjoy them). The setting and facilities were very nice. And the views, of course, were excellent. On top of that, we had high-level service from the staff -- speed, accommodation, responsiveness. Indeed, the only critique I could come up with was that the guy with the pepper grinder would ask instantly whether you wanted some, before you could even taste your food. Pricey, but, for something special, worth it. read more

We visited for Easter brunch and I honestly can't remember being this disappointed with food quality. The salmon carpaccio was made with smoked salmon that tasted like it came from Ralphs. The wagyu steak was chewy, oddly gamey, and flat in flavor. We also tried a few items from a friend's plate, and those were disappointing as well. For $150 per person, it was a complete flop. Even the cheese assortment and jamón were mediocre. The view is beautiful, but the kitchen was extremely disappointing. Service was ok, took a while to get a drink and never was offered a refill but forgivable on a busy day. Unfortunately food was so bad, I couldn't give this place anything other than 1 star. Even if the price was $50pp - it would still be not worth it. read more

Real review is 3.5/5 but rounded up. Pros: -seafood. It's so fresh and good. Can't go wrong with it and highly recommend. The veggies too are amazing -view, we went at night but even then you can tell the view is to die for. Cons: -there was a mixup and a dish we didn't order was served to our table. Mind you this is a fine dining establishment and they came back later to apologize and then took it back. Kinda wild what if we already touched it?!?! They did NOT confirm if we touched it already. -We indoor because it was chilly out at night. But the table we got seated was right at the door and every time the door opened we ate a giant gust of ice cold wind. In hindsight we could've just asked to be seated elsewhere but that table should probably just be moved. read more

Beautiful outdoor ambiance with exceptional food and first-class service. It was a wonderful venue for a birthday dinner, timed such that sunset and the beautiful view onto Catalina island could be enjoyed. Delicious bread and butter, oysters, grilled octopus, burrata, diver scallops, sea bream, lamb loin, Chilean sea bass, and the pappardelle were all on point, tender, flavorful, and beautifully arranged. And the desserts were a nice finishing bouquet: raspberry and lemon, blueberry cheese cake, Old fashioned ... PS: the drive there from East (110 freeway) is dangerous due to ground shifting and bumps: go slow! read more

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I had a beautiful meal with exceptional service! The ambience is calm and relatively quiet compared to most restaurants. The view is spectacular. This is formal dining at its best - purse hook offered, dark napkin to avoid lint, amuse bouche, cutlery replaced with each course, incredibly knowledgeable server, an extra surprise from the chef. I thoroughly enjoyed beef carpaccio, truffle pasta and sea bream. Absolutely a "full bar" with a lovely variety of old world wines available by the glass, as well as digestifs. read more

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We stayed at the resort for our anniversary. So we have dinner here one night. We had caviar. I had the sea bass. The food was good but kind of small portions for the price. The view however was priceless. The service was top notch. read more

Had Mother's Day brunch with wife. High price. I enjoyed the steak. My wife had a lobster dumpling she didn't feel had much lobster. Desert was great. My main issue is the Terrenea parking which is a togal ripoff. There sign is very clear - Daily Visitor Parking: $30 ($10 with validation Monday-Thursday and $15 with validation Friday-Sunday and holidays). They charge 30$ refused to honor the restaurant validation saying it was Sunday and a holiday - $15 WITH VALIDATION FRIDAY-SUNDAY AND HOLIDAYS!!! MOTHER'S DAY SPECIAL - WE DOUBLE THE PRICE. read more

We had dinner while staying at the Terranea last week. The best I can say about this restaurant is the view. We made reservations through the resort because making one via Open Table would have required a credit card and we were planning to apply our dinner charges to our room. The views are spectacular if seated outside before sunset. We had reservations at their 5 pm opening. Compared to a year ago, we were a little disappointed with the food. There were some steak options for over $200, but not many seafood options that I can recall. Portions were small for the price point. I inquired about having the scallop appetizer made into an entree. Our server said it would double the price and I'd only get 4 scallops instead of 2. The lobster bisque was delicious as it had a small tail in it. Their bread was not worth $16. My husband had the beef filet for $85. I opted for 2 appetizers as I couldn't find anything else to order. Nice restaurant for special occasions if you're looking for an ocean view. read more

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The best restaurant at Terrenea, hands down. The outdoor view is incredible. The staff was all extremely nice. While waiting for a table, the bartender went out of his way to come over and make sure we got drinks. All the food was incredible. The staff were moving quick to make sure no one was ever waiting. The friendliest people on the property. read more

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Stunning views and pretty good food. Service was excellent. My big issue is our cocktail glass was cracked. I told the server and they apologized and replaced the drink right away. But the server explained they strained the drink into the new cup. I understand they did this to make sure no glass was in it but why not just pour a new drink! At this point the drink was watered down. Also, the cracked cup certainly could have had glass pieces in the cup and they really should have at least comped that drink. Really disappointing. Other than this, it was a nice meal. We came for our anniversary and they gave us a nice dessert to celebrate. Prices are steep! read more

Food: 5/5 We got the lamb and the pappardelle pasta with duck ragu. The lamb was very tender and juicy and the pasta was very tasty. I think their menu rotates every once in a while. Ambience: 5/5 The ocean view is amazing. Definitely adds to the restaurants allure. Parking: 3/5 I'm not sure if there's any parking outside of valet... Service: 5/5 Servers are super nice and friendly and the food came out pretty quickly. Price: 3/5 Price is a little expensive and I think you could get similar food for cheaper elsewhere but you're really coming here for the experience. The portions are also a little on the smaller side. read more

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The ocean views at mar'sel are absolutely breathtaking, creating an immaculate setting for a special evening out. This is probably why you book a reservation here. Unfortunately, the experience wasn't great with the service. Our initial welcome from the hostess was weak and lack of attentiveness. In addition to this our table service was also disappointingly slow. When our food finally arrived, it was simply okay. My lobster risotto good, decently cooked but I wouldn't write home about it .They do have a great selection of alchohol available, and the cocktails are decent. While the ambience and views are undeniably spectacular, the lackluster service and average food made for a very meh experience. read more

This is a very delayed update but one worth noting since the management was exceptional in responding to my review and extending another invitation to their restaurant. Mr. Kiss was incredibly accommodating and attended to every single request along with his staff. I will gladly return with my family since this place is special. read more

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My fiancé and I came here for our engagement dinner and it was an amazing experience to say the least. Our server Felix went above and beyond to make sure that we had a night to remember. He started off by seating us outside next to a glass fire heater with the most amazing view of the moonlight over the water and Cliff side lights. He then recommended we start off with some Barada cheese, Spanish artichokes and the most amazing bread service you can ever imagine. For dinner, she had the lobster risotto which is just superior to anything we've had before and I chose the coastal lamb that was simply just the tastiest I've ever had. By that time we were filled to the point where we couldn't think of dessert, but he still insisted on bringing us out some cheesecake that I still think about in my dreams. I can't stress enough that Felix had made that night amazing and treated us like family from the very beginning. It doesn't get any better when it comes to the customer service. He is simply the best!!!! 100/10 Experience!!!! If you're looking for the best service for your special night be sure to ask for Felix!!!!!! read more

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This is the best place I've ever eaten. Food was the best and the service was the best. 10/10. NIce oceanfront view too

Food was amazing. We sat outside with an amazing view of the ocean, and the weather was perfect. Our server Ben was so pleasant, attentive, and knowledgeable. He helped us make some good food choices. The scallops were my favorite thing on the menu. I also really love the cookies that came with the dessert at the end. I can't stop thinking about them. They were like chocolate chip sea salt, shortbread cookies. I would eat a whole sleeve of those if I could buy them. Can't wait to go back again. read more

mar'sel - Those three little cookies were gold. I still can't stop thinking about them. - New American Near Me - Rancho Palos Verdes, California

Guys I'm sorry but I am seriously mind blown with some of the reviews for this place. Sure, I agree the views are beautiful but the flavors of the food... such a disappointment. We got the lobster bisque, angus filet, octopus... the flavors were NOT it for any of these dishes. Omg let's not talk about the portobello mushroom on top of the steak that was so cold and gross. The service was ok. Nice servers but super slow. The bread basket was basic and not worth $16. Didn't even taste good. Overall we had high hopes for this place. For over $200 a person, we expected a lot more. read more

First, I'd like to start off by saying the host, waiters & staff were great! Especially Jesus, he was very kind and knowledgeable and really helped you choose the perfect dish to enjoy. Second, the food was delicious! I started off with some buttery mouth watering Caviar (1st time trying Caviar ) followed by a medium to well done filet mignon steak that was perfect! Lastly, the Ambiance was just so elegant and relaxed. A lot of people laughing and having a good time. So if anybody out in the world wants to enjoy a peaceful and relaxing night that includes excellent food, I definitely would recommend Mar'sel!!! ,5 stars read more

mar'sel - Carrot, turnip with pea and avocado purée and pieces of pomegranate. - New American Near Me - Rancho Palos Verdes, California

Blaze and Jonathan were a true pleasure get drinks from! Both were incredibly knowledgable about their wine and drinks. I noticed Blaze was making a garnish for a drink and curiously asked her about it what it was and she let me try it. She didn't have to, I was just asking about it but that little service moment went a long way. Jonathan was great in his recommendations for wines and so much so that I ended up order a case to be delivered to my house of his recommendation. It's rare you find really helpful, nice people at a lobby bar but they were great, A+ read more

Mar'sel is Terranea's upscale restaurant sitting atop a hill overlooking the resort and ocean. Compared to other restaurants in its class, Mar'sel offers average food, good service, and a stunning ambiance carried by a breathtaking view of Palos Verdes and the Pacific. Our family ordered the Iberico Pork, Branzino, Pizzocheri, and the children's fish, a sea bass w pasta. My Iberico Pork ($48) was a thick, rich Porkchop with a tangy tamarind soy sauce atop white beans and broccolini. The Branzino ($50) was small and thin but delicious. The Pizzocheri buckwheat pasta ($38) was beautiful but tasted unremarkable, bland, and was very small. The kids' sea bass and pasta ($30) was a surprising hit, with a juicy, only-slightly-smaller than adult sized portion, and came with ice cream and homemade cookies. For dessert we shared the chocolate dulcey pot de crème, their signature dessert, which was rich and delicious but not exceptional. The service was excellent, and our waiter Benjamin was attentive, accommodated our birthday request, and even went so far as to comp our dessert and the excellent bread-and-spread appetizer when it was initially forgotten. The hostess was similarly generous, and seated us even after a slightly late arrival. Undoubtedly, the finest part of the restaurant is the ambiance, lifted up by beautiful views of the Pacific and Catalina Island in the distance. The interior is cozy and classy. The prices are high, but not extortionate, and appropriate for a restaurant of this class. Mar'sel is upscale, even by Terranea standards, but is not fine dining, and its prices reflect the resort it is in and the spectacular view you enjoy while there. Is Mar'sel the best restaurant at Terranea? Certainly. Ranchos Palos Verdes? Maybe. LA? Definitely not. But the view may be. Have realistic expectations for the food and price, and come for the amazing views and service - you won't be disappointed. Food: 4/5 Service: 4.5/5 Ambiance/Facility: 5/5 Value: 3.5/5 read more

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The artichoke appetizer is woody, inedible and lacks flavor bad texture, and taste avoided all costs. Service is wonderful atmosphere was wonderful. Food was just ok. read more

This place is a castle by the sea. The food is worthy of praise--- not too much--- but just enough to call this place a consistent melody that vibes to the tune of delicious and elevated flavors. Like I have eaten here multiple times but I do not ever recall ever having a miss. This place is like a close reliable friend. You do not seek them, you do not remember them every day but it is comforting to know that this place is always just a phone call away to embrace you in the quality you have come to trust. The best part is that this place is right by the sea. And I have known peace here. There was this time in my life where things got tough. And I went here to have drinks and food, and I saw the vast, crystal blue I felt peace. I felt a shift in myself. Bear with me here, I felt like a smaller version of me separated from me, and it is the smaller part that experienced peace and it was the smaller part of me that was the person I was living. Wow---- that is credit to everything that this restaurant has an offers. I guess, I also have to thank the sea, breeze and sky for colluding on a plan to gift me peace, if I was ready to feel it. And I guess this place helps in allowing me to see the best of the nature around me. But seeing peace from this vantage point is not cheap. I remember one time being for brunch there. And seeing a girl get multiple phone calls because she had gotten engaged. Her whole family was there, and she walked away regularly. She could step into grass though to take the calls. This place afforded her a rare opportunity--- receive and respond to calls, in a casual way, while still being a place that served for celebration. I imagine people doing that in their own homes, not in a restaurant. I was not bothered by her, I saw her go, and be away enough for me to appreciate her moment. I was happy for her because it seemed she had found love. I just realize this place is flexible for many opportunities. Another time I went, I saw around a fire place that gave me Mykono vibes. I drank this golden drink. that was sweet, honey like, and did not taste like alcohol. Those I can drown in. I have had uni pasta here, lamb chops, grand desserts, and all this other good stuff that I just know is solid and grand--- but still not a bite of dreams. Their service is impeccable as well. It is attentive, responsive, and actionable. So go here and know that this place has much to offer. Be brave enough to explore the place to find what you need, the place will likely respond with comfort and space. read more

Highly recommend getting an outdoor seating so you can stare at the beautiful view. If you're lucky to get in during sunset, you're in for a treat. Food is a 6/10 with some dishes standing out more than others. Service however is wonderful. We even brought our toddler with us and everything went smoothly! If you're staying at Terranea especially, I'd definitely recommend booking an evening to dine here. read more

Every experience has been wonderful here. The food, service and ambiance is worth the trip. The waiters are attentive, friendly, and knowledgeable with the food and wine menu. The outdoor seating over looking the coast with heaters turned on next to you definitely sets the mood. They have several indoor seating areas that look cute and inviting as-well. Make reservations read more

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The food, the service.. did I mention that the food was incredibly delicious. The ambiance was great. The traffic from OC to the restaurant not so good but the food.. was 10/10 a great experience.? read more

I usually always am on yelp to leave terrible reviews or glowing reviews... going to have to split the middle here as the dinner started and ended well. The service/waiter/host were all fanastic. Chef sent out an excellent amuse bouche (gazpacho) so it started promising. Honestly it would have been a 1-star review after that but at the end of the night they sent out a very nice dessert no charge for our anniversary (25 years) so it's hard to completely pan them. For what we paid... $400 with wine. The scallops were $42 for two small scallops the size of a dime. I wouldn't complain if they were mind-blowing but they were not that. I thought my wife's lamb was "meh" at best and very clumsily plated. My biggest complaint was with "lobster risotto" which was actually "lobster with a side of risotto" where the presentation looked like a joke? But then the risotto was absolutely bad, tasted like rice soaked in wam water (undercooked) with no broth or vegetables or cheese, couldn't eat it. Anyway, the views were great! read more

mar'sel - New American Near Me - Rancho Palos Verdes, California

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The vibes are great. You pay for amazing views, Michelin star chef food, rabbits, dolphins, great food, and of course great service from Chris. He's been there 12 years and made our first experience and anniversary unforgettable! We got a ton of apps like the scallops, octopus, carrots, and hanachi. We got the lobster risotto and the halibut and both were perfect. And of course to finish it off we got a ton of dese read more

Love coming here. Great drinks, streamlined service, elegant, and very good food!! Did I mention the views are also amazing! Forgot to take a picture of the bone in ribeye and the sea bass :) sorry. read more

mar'sel - New American Near Me - Rancho Palos Verdes, California

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Absolutely amazing meal from start to finish. I haven't had a steak this good in a long time--perfectly cooked, incredibly flavorful. The lobster risotto was another standout; the lobster was so tender it practically disappeared the second it hit my tongue. Even the bread was memorable--freshly baked in-house. On top of all that, the service was spot-on: our server Chris was very attentive, friendly, and made the whole experience even better. On top of that, the view was incredible. It was a perfect birthday dinner all-around. read more

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We knew about Mar'sel as we've visited Terranea occasionally for the other restaurants, however never had the opportunity to dine here. Being our 26th anniversary, the Mrs suggested we try and we were not disappointed at all. For those who haven't had the opportunity to dine at this location, the restaurant is nestled a few yards south of the main lobby so if you choose to valet park your vehicle, it's a short walk from the front of the property, through the parking lot and adjacent to the main pool. There is a shuttle service available however we chose to walk to the restaurant instead. The vibe is stately yet homey. Classy yet informal. Dining attire range from "cruise loungewear to tropical casual". We both wore crisp linen. As we entered the establishment, we were greeted by the hostess who checked our reservations and directed us to our outside table on the veranda with a spectacular view of the Pacific. Tonight, it was a bit overcast as the evening onshore flow had made its appearance early. From the ambience, scenery, service and food all worth the hype. The atmosphere is relaxing and soothing. Tonight, our server is Ben who is well versed in tonight's specials as well as the usual cuisine preparations. The evening commenced with a delicious Hamachi crudo which was prepared with a calamansi (a Filipino citrus fruit) aguachile and being of Filipino decent, we were happy to know that the Chef du Cuisine was part Filipino as well; (4/5). We also ordered the "house made breads and spreads" which were a variety of breads from home made English muffins and salty ciabata and toppings to spread on these nibblets which were a garlic humus, a spicy chipotle, butter and olive oil. Our dinner entree came next along with our sides. The wife had the Lobster risotto and I chose the Iberico pork with corn succotash; both scrumptious. Portions were on the smaller side, however the flavor profile was top tier. We also shared the wild mushrooms with avocados and the broccolini with a horseradish aioli which accentuated the proteins we chose. (5/5) Dinner concluded with a delicious and unexpected complimentary blueberry cheesecake dessert due to our anniversary celebration (5/5). This was an unforgettable experience and we made the commitment to celebrate our next anniversary dinners here at Mar'sel moving forward. See you next year! read more

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Lovely setting. We made a reservation for the patio. But when we arrived we're informed it wasn't available. Then we waited almost fifteen minutes past our reservation time to be seated. Greeted at our table promptly, we ordered drinks and enjoyed the amuse-bouche. It was very tasty, though not an attractive plating. A tiny piece of buratta with accompaniments. My ceasar was beautifully plated with whole bibb lettuce leaves. Gorgeous, but a bit hard to cut and eat. Could have used a little more dressing (and some pepper). My lamb dish was perfect. The lamb seasoned well and the tiny beets, onion and potato were wonderful with it. My other had the carrot salad, which surprisingly, he gave rave reviews. One of our party had the eggplant and remarked how succulent it was. After the main, service really slowed. We asked to see dessert menus and after they were delivered it was more than 10 minutes before the waiter came back. We asked for the check, and it sat on our table with the credit card, again for almost 15 minutes until another server noticed it and took it for us. A few hiccups, but a meal enjoyed. read more

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Service is top notch all around. From the moment we checked in, to getting escorted to the table, to ordering the food etc.... Everyone was so detailed. We even got a shuttle ride back to our casita after dinner so we don't have to walk in the cold. But that really couldn't make up for the food that was very one dimensional. We ordered the burrata (very tart and salty), squash soup , Iberico pork (the only good dish), diver scallops and a bottle of cab (they ran out of our first choice). One of the dishes gave us food poisoning!! We think it's the burrata. Hopefully the food quality improves .... Bc it's such a beautiful restaurant with great views and service. read more

mar'sel - New American Near Me - Rancho Palos Verdes, California

Amazing views and beautiful drinks. Live music on Sundays. Service was lovely. The property is large so you can have a nice walk along the ocean. read more

mar'sel - New American Near Me - Rancho Palos Verdes, California

Interesting menu, nice gesture. My girlfriend and I came here for our anniversary. We have been planning on coming here for 4 years but always end up elsewhere. We had a Reservation at 7pm The drive through palos verdes at night is darker than most since they don't have any street lights so fyi be careful if you don't like to drive hills in the dark. The valet at the resort were very friendly. They had a go cart pick us up and drop us off at the restaurant. You cannot tip with credit card so bring cash. The restaurant was dimly lit. This place reminded me that I am still young and broke. I definitely do not fit in in formal settings. I asked the server what was a 69 egg. Didn't think people cared at what degree their eggs are poached but here we are. The omi goji drink tasted like waking into a lush store. It's very herbal and fresh tasting. We ordered filet mignon, some fingerling potatoes and broccolini. Everything was perfect. The filet mignon did taste as if it were boiled a bit first and then placed on a pan but I'm not complaining. It was definitely an experience. read more

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The ambiance and views were absolutely spectacular. The service was top notch. However, the food was bad. Nothing that came out blew me away. The Cacio E Pepe was almost too salty to eat. The Sea Bream was basically in tomato sauce. We ended up door dashing wingstop while we were still at dinner. read more

I had such good expectations for this Restaurant and it did not disappoint. The service was great except from the waiter i think they might of spit in my food... Anyways i would recommend this restaurant to any seafood enjoyers such as myself the food was excellent. CHEFS FINEST. read more

mar'sel - New American Near Me - Rancho Palos Verdes, California

Beautiful location! We were able to sit outside and caught the sunset. Prices are high and portions are extremely small, we left hungry lol. Service was great. We started with the prawns, which were good but it was literally two small prawns with a little eggplant for $36! They also give you the fried heads which I didn't eat. The lobster pasta was delicious, very flavorful although the pasta itself was a bit too al dente for my taste. My husband ordered the halibut, but he said it was bland and tasteless. Overall, ambience and view is a 10/10. Food is 6/10 when you take pricing into account. Service was 9/10. Although we had a fairly good experience, we probably wouldn't return. read more

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Definitely a 4.5 star location. Great spot to enjoy a nice fine dine meal at Terranea Resort. We got seated to enjoy the beautiful ocean views and the service from start to finish was amazing. I got the signature cocktail similar to old fashioned but smoked version with nice presentation. They had a kids menu which was nice and my kids got filet mignon with pasta & greens with a generous portion and also included gelato. I got a Chilean sea bass with h was made to perfection. Desert was also delicious, and I would definitely come back again. Great place to enjoy special occasions, can't beat the views, food, service and ambiance. read more

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All I can say is nice things about this establishment. They treat their customers with respect and they are very accommodating. We arrive promptly for our reservation and waited 10 min max. They asked if we wanted to sit inside but asked to be sat outside. They were accommodating and we were able to sit outside for the views. The food was a 10/10 for us. The only thing we wish is that they had more options for their sides dishes. Other than that we had a lovely experience. Would highly recommend !! read more

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what an amazing restaurant! took mama for a pre-vday dinner. we've stayed and dined at Terranea on several occasions, but, have not had the pleasure of Mar'sel. Oh, what have we been missing! the location is atop a hill, adjacent to the main pool. if you're driving in, it's pretty close to the parking area. there's a wonderful bar upon entering that we would've stopped by at, had we not already imbibed at the Lobby Bar. a roaring fireplace welcomed us in to the dining area and a vista to justify exorbitant property values awaiting our outdoor seating. service from the get-go was TOP NOTCH. shannon led us to our seat and was the best concierge for our needs. felix set us up for what menu options we were going to enjoy this evening. a couple glasses of nice wine started us off, along with some yummy warm fresh baked bread. a little complimentary amuse bouche was a nice touch. mama and i started with the burrata. creamy and unctuous and paired wonderful with our bread options. i ordered the iberico pork steak and mama had the halibut. my pork was amazing, juicy and tender with a nice rendered fat cap. mama's halibut was delicious. firm, but, flakey and ate like a steak. we added a broccolini side that was so good. dinner was absolutely wonderful. shannon even came by and cleaned off our table before presenting us with the dessert menu. we didn't have room for any dessert, but, the gesture in of itself was very impressive. i wished more fine dining venues kept this practice. overall, a truly awesome and unforgettable night out at Mar'sel. read more

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