This place really has potential to be a great restaurant. They have a fabulous menu, lovely decor (both inside, and outside for lunch), and attentive service. The only shortcoming is that the food is not quite perfect. It's close, but there's some small thing missing. The presentation of the food is lovely, but it looks a little bit better than it tastes, and that's a bit disappointing. I can't quite put my finger on it, but it's like the restaurant is trying a little too hard to be like a Michelin star place, yet hasn't quite found the magic formula that can make it truly transcend the mundane. read more

Matthew was an excellent server. All the wine pairings he chose were excellent, and he had great recommendations! Any time I felt like I needed something, as soon as the thought crossed my mind, he was there with it! Excellent service! read more

Loved this restaurant! My boyfriend took me for my birthday, made reservations a few days ahead of time. We valeted ($5), were shown to our seats on the patio with a nice view of the ocean beyond the hotel. I was greeted with a card for my birthday, signed by the entire staff, very thoughtful! We each got the 3 course meal with wine pairings ($75/person), and although the portions were a little on the small side (especially the cheese), everything was delicious! We got sashimi and Jamaican jerk pork belly for appetizers +wine, salmon and lamb for entrees (lamb was amazing!) +wine, and we split a half-baked chocolate cake for dessert with dessert wine. Afterwards, we were brought complimentary champagne for my birthday. Our server was great and I don't regret following his recommendations. This place is great for special occasions, hopefully I'll be back soon! read more

We ordered the chef's surprise menus. The food and wine were excellent. The waiter was just ok. read more

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After a morning of sight seeing, walking I was starving. 910 was on our list of "have to go" while in San Diego. We sat on the patio which had a lovely view. Our server Bruno was fantastic. He recommended several dishes and we were not disappointed. The grilled octopus was so yummy. Short rib hash and huevos rancheros best we've had. We really enjoyed great service & food. read more

Ok. It takes a lot for me to"yelp" an establishment. The food here is exceptional. Period. That being said, the bar service was subpar. If you don't make reservations, do not, I repeat, DO NOT eat in the bar. We did not get a bread basket, and had to wait (too long) for refills on our tea, dessert menu and check. Poor girl, it wasn't her fault. She just needed help. It was a Saturday night. So bottom line.... Make reservations and don't eat in the bar until the poor girl gets help. read more

Nine Ten is truly a gem in La Jolla. The serve only the freshest ingredients in their truest form. They also have a great happy hour every night from 5-7 where they serve paninis to everyone drinking in the bar. For appetizers, the beet salad is great, as are the short ribs. The fresh fish is always delicious and they have a great selection of wines. Definitely an underrated, often overlooked, spot in La Jolla. And that is it located in the historic Grande Colonial Hotel is a bonus! read more

Great for happy hour. Sat on the patio and had $5 glasses of Kaiken Malbec, burrata on toast and salads.

Love love love nine-ten. The food and service here is always amazing. I like to come here for special occasions and when out of town guest are visiting. The indoor dining room decor is kind of dated and could use a revamp but that doesn't stop me from coming back again and again! read more

Had an amazing dinner here tonight.........received an amuse bouche, and then had the Tuna Tartar.......best tuna tartar ive EVER had, and ive had a lot of other tartars before and this was downright delicious! Then followed by Maine Lobster w/ Asparagus & Lemon Garlic Puree.....ugh JIZZ! the food was so good! My entree was the Slow Roasted Lamb Loin which i had rare.......did not disappoint, who knew kumquats would pair sooo well with lamb? at this point i did not want to end with dessert, i was ready for more savory, but it ended on a high note with Meyer Lemon Cake w/ Rhubarb Jam, Yogurt Cream, Mint. read more

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It's not bad ... but given all of the other really great places in La Jolla, I really can't imagine a reason to come back here. For the same price, there are just too many other restaurants within walking distance that have a better vibe and better food. Nine-ten just feels too ... generic: the requisite restaurant for the hotel. read more

This is one of the few restaurants in La Jolla that is worth every single penny! For lunch, I always get their 3-course lunch special which comes with appetizer, main entree, and dessert. Since their menu is seasonal, I never get the same thing twice. Their food is fresh & delicious, the plating is beautiful, and the desserts are out of this world. The service can be a bit slow, but if you're paying this kind of money, you don't want to rush through your meal. read more

Talk about being catered to! I went to Nine Ten for my Bf's birthday and upon arriving to our reserved table he was greeted with a birthday card signed from all the staff. Our food and desserts were exquisite just like the first time I had been there. Well worth the price for the quality and service you receive I will definitely come back time and time again...Cheers! read more

Went here last year for restaurant week and a few months ago as a post graduation treat. Everything I've eaten at Nine-Ten has been DELICIOUS. I don't even notice I'm full because I can't wait for the next bite. Anywho, lets get on to the food. It's been a while so forgive me if I don't quite remember everything. I had the Jamaican Jerk Pork Belly the first time around and it was amazing. Highly recommend trying that one. Seared Duck Breast came after that and it was equally tasty. Flavorful and tender, what can I say, I love ducks. Cute and delicious. Second time around I had Beef Short Ribs. They were very good, didn't need even have to pick up my knife! As for dessert, I've tried the Half-Baked Choco Cake, Cilantro-Basil cake, and the Panna Cotta. I'm not a huge dessert person but their Cilantro-Basil cake and Panna Cotta was quite a surprise. Who would have known you could make a delicious green cake with a pleasant herby flavor. Definitely recommend Nine-Ten. Try it for restaurant week, save some $ and get a great meal. read more

Came here for brunch on the back patio last Sunday. Amer was our waiter and wow, what a hard working, efficient man! He never wrote a single thing down we ordered, and was able to get every modification and request completed just with him memory. My drink was never empty, there was never a 'want' I went without during my entire meal. I ordered the veggie omelet that was light, a tasty, just like I wanted. My two sons split the French toast entree and it was out of this world with flavor. I'd say even if you aren't into sweets for breakfast, order this just as a share plate for the table. It is worth the calories! Bottomless mimosas for brunch was a hit with my Mother and husband, and they aren't skimpy on OJ or sparkling wine like most places. Best breakfast spot in la Jolla! read more

We've dined in the bar on the happy hour menu and the food was excellent! The gnudi is lush and rich and comfort food. The burger and fries one of the best I've ever eaten. And, Katie, the bartender is friendly, efficient and downright nice. Can't wait to dine there again. read more

Bar service! I had to wait more than 5 minutes to order a glass of wine! Funny thing because the place was pretty much empty!!!

Watch out for the appetizer of gnocchi. They weren't listed on the menu & the waiter did not state how much they cost. Thinking they were similar to the other $8-$15 appetizers we ordered them. Major shock! The gnocchi was $32, more than any other main course on the menu. We complained, we paid, left & felt tricked. Won't go back. read more

The food was pretty good (burger was a bit small) so up until the point that I had more time to look at my bill this morning it was a pleasant experience. However, I noticed this morning while compiling my expenses that the tip was included, yet nobody indicated that and/or highlighted it on the check. My colleagues and I were in a rush to go to our next meeting so it wasn't evident when I paid. Now I have double tipped...Two issues here...Not being made aware of the included tip is one, and automatically adding a tip on a party of 3 is two...that is ridiculous and I have never seen that happen before. A real disappointment to say the least. read more

The portions are pathetic, soup every day is basically blended milk with a vegetable, the food is over priced under flavored and underwhelming. The restaurant has more staff than costumers at any point in time... it's awkward really. Don't waste your money PS the coffee is terrible always burnt. read more

I came here for Restaurant Week and it was really good. My favorite place has been 1500 Ocean, but I have to say, Nine Ten is better. Unfortunately our reservation was super late, but the food was definitely worth it. For appetizer I had the Jamaican Pork Belly, it was really tender and flavorful. For entree I had the the Prime Beef Short Ribs. The wine sauce was a little too overwhelming and the broccoli puree was a little bitter, but the texture of the meat was good. Lastly, I had Grapefruit sorbet with gin and tonic jelly, This dessert was probably the highlight of the dinner. I really liked how refreshing the sorbet was and the grapefruit wasn't too bitter at all. Overall, the food was pretty exceptional. Additionally, the atmosphere of the restaurant was really nice. Lastly, if parking is too crazy to find, they actually have valet for only 5 dollars if you dine at the restaurant :) read more

This is a generous 4 star rating. I heard that this was such an amazing restaurant so we wants to give it a try. The restaurant is very small (and a little pretentious for us). The drink I had was great. It was called a holiday I believe, sparkling wine and pear served in old time champagne glasses. We went for restaurant week, we had sashimi appetizer and sampling of eggplant. The sashimi was good but the same as any sushi restaurant and I am sure much cheaper. The eggplant sampler just so so. There were too many different sauces and "decorative items". I had the short ribs and my husband had the duck. Both were flavorful but again too many odd vegetables (persimmons and okra with the short rib, I'm sorry but not appetizing at all). I ate the meat and nothing more. The dessert, my husband had the chocolate cake and it was delicious. I had a Fraiche cake with lemon sorbet, mine had lemon sorbet and lemon curd and pieces of lemon it was just too much lemon! I expected something light and it was tart. If I'm going to have a dinner like this I would go to the market or vintana for the price. In la jolla I would go to Eddie v's for the price. read more

We had an excellent breakfast here. Food was amazing and service absolutely top-notch. We very much enjoyed it and will be back. read more

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They are clearly either understaffed or super cranky in the morning. This restaurant is a total mess. They either are managed incredibly badly or are trying to do without enough staff. What a shame and a disgrace on a great hotel as well. read more

Wow! This place was awesome! Impeccable service, very attentive , and on point! We dined here for their Valentine's Day prix fixe meal and we were so impressed both by the food and quality service . The only thing we would have changed was how close the tables were to each other . Nicely dim atmosphere was a plus! read more

I took my mom to dinner here for a recent milestone birthday. (If I posted WHICH birthday, she would kill me, so we'll leave it at "milestone.") Anyway, we each opted for the three-course special, and we both really enjoyed it. I can't really figure out why I'm not giving Nine-Ten five stars. I really enjoyed my meal, yet for some reason what I had just seemed to lack a certain "je ne sais quoi" that I've experienced at other five-star establishments. For example, my pork chop was very good, but the flavors were a little muddled. The half-baked chocolate cake was good, but it was more like one-third baked and therefore was a little soupy. These may sound like complaints, but they're really not - I did enjoy my meal and certainly cleaned my plate. And, for the price, it was worth it. Service was very friendly and prompt. Check out Nine-Ten, you'll probably enjoy it too. read more

***HAPPY HOUR REVIEW*** THE DEAL: 3:30-6:30pm, M-F 50% off the bar menu (except burrata cheese, for some reason) varying discounts on ALL of the beers THE FOOD: -- Tuna tartare was very tasty and had a wonderful topping; it was like jiggly globes that oozed a soy/sesame sauce when you poked them. Is this the molecular gastronomy biz they talk about on Top Chef?! -- Lamb meatballs in a fancy tomato sauce: yummy, not gamy, not too dense. -- 4 cheese plate: no one ever told us what the cheese or condiments were!! I'm guessing there were brie, bleu, sharp cheddar, and something else. My favorite accompaniment was the honey, mmm. I've had much better cheese plates, though. -- Hamachi sashimi: good texture and the sauce was delicious, but the hamachi itself was a bit fishy. -- Short rib panini: tasted like french onion soup in sandwich form :) The bread was toasty and hard, but I didn't think it was overly so. -- NINE-TEN burger: yum!! Well-cooked (medium = medium, nothing more or less) and moist. Accompanying fries were decent. At $6 during happy hour (more if you add cheese, mushrooms, etc), this burger is better than Fleming's. We had a great time and will be back- but this place isn't great for groups!! Finding a spot where 5 people could comfortably eat was next to impossible. read more

Came down to Nine-Ten for restaurant week which was a nice way to be introduced to this place. I started off with a nice salad of endive and arugula with blue cheese and hazelnuts. Loved the dressing it was light and tasty. For my main course, grilled scallops with brussel sprouts and lip smacking morsels of bacon... who doesn't love bacon right? My dining partner had the Scottish Salmon, no idea what makes it scottish but I would definitely order this dish next time it was really good. Dessert was the warm hazelnut cake, it reminded me of a fancy apple pie with more flavor. I loved the maple cream and apples... delicious! Service was outstanding, Nine-Ten can't wait to do it again! read more

Nine-Ten came highly recommended to us for Restaurant Week. So we made reservations and got dressed up! What's there to say that hasn't already been said? The pork belly really is as incredible as all the reviews say! My friend got the salmon for her appetizer which was some of the best salmon we'd ever had. For the main entree, I was planning on getting the sea bass but it wasn't listed on the menu. Instead they had BLACK COD which I have been told is "the bacon of the sea". I'd never seen it on any menu before so I went for it. Our server said in Hawaii, they call black cod "butterfish". It was AMAZING. Light, super tender and flakey, so perfect. I wonder if I'll ever eat (cooked) fish that tasty ever again. My friend got the short ribs which were also very, very good, but thankfully we both stuck with our initial orders cause I didn't want to share more than 1 bite of my black cod haha. For dessert, being the chocolate lover that I am, I had the half baked chocolate cake with ice cream. It was good, but my friend ordered the Farmer's Market something.... which had fennel cake, some fruits, and the real delicious part was the LAVENDER syrup/cream/whatever that was drizzled onto it. Sooo fragrant and indulgent. When lavender in food or drink is done right, it's the best!! Nine-Ten does lavender right. I wished we could have traded desserts haha! Service was amazing. We really enjoyed our night out at Nine-Ten! read more

One of my favorite restaurants in SD. Having lived in SF and LA for many years, this is one of the few SD restaurants that could hold it's own in either of those two food venues. Jason Knibb, who is also a nice guy, does a great job with locally grown vegetables and the best available meat and fish. I'm a fan of the Spareribs. I can understand some of the less-than-stellar reviews from those just wanting a quick bite or something less than a fine meal. The servers here don't like to be rushed. I've had that same experience at some of the best restaurants around the country. But this is not a restaurant for the uncultured palate rushing off to go clubbing or doing the quick after-work thing. I've been to Nine Ten over half a dozen times and trust me, relative to the rest of SD's dining options, it's fantastic. This is about a dining experience that requires spending the time to linger over good wine and fine food and enjoy the ambiance of a fine Southern California eatery. The service IS inconsistent, but my personal experience with the food has been outstanding and I'll keep going back. read more

I can't comment on cost because a friend and I were taken to dinner here, but I've eaten at a lot of restaurants in a LOT of foodie cities (LA, SF, NYC, Boston, etc.) and the food here is outstanding. We shared a lot of small plates (standouts were the foie gras special, the ahi poke special, the eggplant trio, and the corn angolotti with braised oxtail) and every bite of food was absolutely fantastic. My friend's tequila cocktail was perfect as well, and the desserts were lovely. Service was impeccable. I highly recommend for a nice night out! read more

Popped by for wine one night... wonderful ambiance, large wine selection by the glass that changes regularly... a bit tough to get a table at night, so be prepared... Also, perfect for small groups. I'll definitely come back to try the food! read more

Ate here tonight and had such an amazing experience! Everything we ordered was so delicious. We started with the asparagus and strawberry salad, and I ordered the farro and roasted vegetables. read more

Wow, celebrating my wife's birthday here and got surprised by a super warm welcome and gratulations from the staff! So lovely!! read more

Nine-Ten - Bars Near Me - La Jolla, California

Chelsi was amazing! I came here with my coworkers and we work in the food and beverage industry, she served us with a smile and has a great attitude. This is our first time here and because of chelsi we will come back, especially on Wednesdays thank you Chelsi we will be back. read more

I went here for lunch with my sister last summer. We were actually the one of the only ones in the restaurant. The place looks very nice and clean and the food was okay. nothing memorable. read more

Had dinner at Nine Ten this week on St. Patricks Day and it was wonderful. The server was great, the wine list deep, and the food and presentation was excellent. I ordered the lamb. The temperature was perfect and the sides were, too. The Waldorf Salad was untraditional, but still good. Although not on the menu, the chef prepared a nice Caesar salad for my son (hearts of romaine), very accommodating. Desserts were fantastic. The Rhubarb crisp and half-baked chocolate cake were among our favorites. The coffee was great and the server fantastic. After our first bottle of wine, she offered us the sommelier, a nice touch. read more

My boyfriend took me here for Valentine's Day dinner, so we had a chance to enjoy their four course Valentine's Day prix fixe menu, which was $80 a person. It was my first time there, but considering that it's an upscale restaurant, I guess that's a good deal? Four courses may seem a bit much (it was actually one of my main concerns...I didn't want to leave a plate untouched), but I loved the fact that the portions of the each of the courses weren't overwhelming at all. All of the food was beautifully presented, as expected, and I wasn't afraid to bust out my phone to capture a shot or two. Probably the most uncustomary dish I tried was for my dessert course. Rather than the super rich half-baked chocolate cake (which my boyfriend had, it really IS delicious), I opted to try one of their artisan cheese dishes, the Boschetto Al Turtufo. I was definitely pleasantly surprised! It's a goat cheese served with fig jam...loved the mixture of sweet and salty. Overall, the food was good, but not amazing. If it weren't for our excellent service from our waitress Crystal, I would've given a 3 star rating. She was attentive and fun to talk to, especially since my boyfriend and I are the type to joke around a lot. So kudos to her! Will I return to Nine-Ten? Maybe...but probably only during restaurant week. ;) read more

We went here to celebrate a birthday and so decided to try the 6 course "at the mercy of the chef" special. We also did the wine pairing. It started with a poke like dish with a creamy sauce topped with toasted sesame. Delicious! The tuna was so unbelievably fresh and tender it melted in my mouth. Then, a salad dish followed. Mind you, it was not your typical salad. Mine had figs, hazelnuts, and a sauce that was amazing! Followed this dish with a seafood dish- grouper with roasted vegetables and a light, sweet, aromatic curry sauce on the side. The next dish was a pasta dish. It was a thin ravioli-like dish filled with a creamy, sweet squash topped with short ribs, mushroom, roasted carrots and a wine sauce presented in a very artistic way. After this came the meat dish. I had their duck breast. There were three pieces, tender, sweet, and perfectly cooked. I was stuffed, but we were not done. The cheese dish was next. It was paired with a French Riesling. Oh my gosh! Delicious! We ended with a dessert- a chocolate ganache topped with a flat pretzel, dark chocolate sticks, a sauce that perhaps was butterscotch, and fresh banana. This was paired with port wine. I had never experienced a dinner like this before. It was beyond amazing! The wines that Ross our server chose to pair with each dish brought out the flavors so harmoniously. The experience was even better than Mr. A's! If you want a royal treatment, go for the tasting menu. It's pricey but worth every dime! read more

Nine-Ten - Duck breast - Bars Near Me - La Jolla, California

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This place is incredible! It's located right up the street from the beach in La Jolla, uses top quality ingredients, is always fully staffed with management on hand and ready to assist with every need and always delivers on quality and service! The bartender Kate was very thorough and works incredibly hard and the manager Grant was very polite and made sure we were well taken care of. It's not the cheapest restaurant, but you know what you're getting for the price and we will definitely be returning in the future! read more