This was our first time here, and we showed up in the middle of happy hour on a Saturday around 5pm (hooray for Saturday happy hours!) The bar was completely full, but the hostesses were very accommodating and offered us a chef's table in the bar area next to the window to the kitchen which gave us options of ordering off the bar and dinner menus. Highlights of the night: * Cocktails - Unique and make you feel fancy (in a good way) * Chicken liver - OMG, I gravitate towards liver when I see it on menus, my husband does not, and we both couldn't get enough of this, especially on the bread it is served with. I dream of coming back for this * Sundae - Another home run, the honey and crunchy bits complement the creamy soft serve so well. I'd come just to get this anytime, too. A great way to cleanse the palate * The service - Our waiter and everyone else who came to our table were so nice and attentive. 5 stars to them! In general we enjoyed the appetizers/happy hour menu more than the entrees--they felt like a better value and were more unique. We wish this were close enough to us to be HH regulars (Bird Rock is a bit tucked away), but that won't stop us from recommending Paradisaea to all our friends and bringing them with us so we have excuses to keep coming! read more

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came at 4 for happy hour at the bar and moved to a table oysters- great dollar oysters tuna tartare - nice flavor. the lettuce flavor was too strong and took away from the lighter tuna flavor. bad pairing. i suggest butter lettuce fish and chips - solid. not crazy. can skip. big portion though. srf beef skewer - pleasantly surprised. tender. fennel was a bit strong for me, a tad salty japanese hamachi - pretty good. kumquat worked well. beef tartare - good beef. pairing issue again. the rye bread flavor was too strong and drowned out the beef. maybe half the thickness slice would be better. raddish worked great though. milk honey softserve - great. honey brittle is awesome food was coming out really slow so they comped the tuna tartare. great service. some really enjoyable dishes and some others need some fine tuning. overall great experience. read more

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Good food. Good vibes. Somewhat upscale of a place, so dishes are on the pricey side. Pretty on-par to a nice sit-down restaurant in La Jolla. - Secretarybird cocktail -- pretty good! Refreshing drink. - House baked sourdough -- also v good, esp when warm and fresh out of the oven. - Jalapeno caesar -- this was alright. Basically an elevated salad. - Oysters -- can't go wrong with fresh oysters. Apparently only $1 on their HH menu - Scallops -- delicious, but $$$ - Potatoes 3 ways -- unique potato dish, crowd favorite - The whaler -- v strong alcoholic dessert drink - Tarte tatin -- nice dessert ending to the meal read more

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Beautiful place. Bad service and mediocre food. Won't be going back anytime soon. Avoid the cute blonde server, she was clueless. read more

Paradisaea is a fantastic upscale restaurant and cocktail bar in the Bird Rock neighborhood (just south of La Jolla) in San Diego. If a refined tropical experience is what you're looking for go check them out. Their food, cocktail and service quality is exceptional. We visited the bar first before dinner and there was no difference between the warm welcome and care we experienced at the bar vs. the main dining room. Michelin Guide added Paradisaea to their New Discoveries List back in 2022 so no mistaking their quality. The design is fun, tropical and refined. The bar menus are as fun as it gets. Each cocktail is named after an exotic bird shown with colorful illustration on the menu (photo # 5). It's as elaborate as I've ever seen. Bonus if you're a bird-lover . I started with a classic sidecar even though there are 3 pages of creative original recipes to choose from (photo #3). It was delicious and a few patrons around me liked my choice so much they joined me and ordered one. When we were seated in the dining room I tried one of their originals called the Hoopoe. Well, 3 of us tried the same one because it looked so tasty. The description on the menu explains the Hoopoe are the only existing members of the unique family Upupidae. Notable for their distinctive crown of feathers, they fly on rounded, zebra-striped wings fluttering unevenly like a giant butterfly. Who knew, but fun to learn while cocktailing. The Hoopoe is a tropical mezcal based cocktail with blistered kumquat, vanilla and lime. It was quite tasty and was garnished with some kind of tropical leaf. Very fun!! If you're in the La Jolla area, head to Bird Rock and check out Paradisaea. You'll enjoy everything about the experience. Salute read more

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A top-notch birthday dinner experience. We arrived on time for our food ride, and it took them a while to get the table ready and get us seated outdoors. Even though the seating is right beside a busy road, we weren't really bothered by it. We were immersed in a cozy space, still very private to be able to have a conversation and connect. Our waiter was super friendly and attentive. The drinks menu was interesting-- very comical and fun. We got a couple of mocktails to start with, and they both tasted great. We chose the Chef's menu, which is a 5-course tasting menu, and our waiter promised it is a good choice to enjoy a little bit of everything on the menu. The timing between each dish was perfectly paced, being mindful of our rate of devouring the food. We started off with fresh oysters with Yuzu sauce. They were citrusy goodness in a shell. The first course was sashimi in their homemade sauce, which blew my mind, and I just couldn't get enough of that sauce. Our waiter mentioned the secret ingredients were Thai chili and fermented Kosho. It was the defining course for our entire meal. This was immediately followed by irresistible sourdough bread and their absolutely delicious handmade pasta with mussels. So far, the dishes disappeared really fast. The third course was pan fried red snapper in dil sauce with roasted corn and tomatoes-- another excellent dish that took me completely by surprise, and I was having so much fun in just relishing it. I didn't care much for the fourth course, so no comments about it. The last and final dessert course was ice cream with honey brittles and Lavender New York cheesecake (birthday bonus). We thoroughly enjoyed the dessert. The flavors were so rich, delightfully balanced, and delectable. Overall, an A-star place for celebrations! read more

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Food was outstanding, drinks were phenomenal and the staff is super fun and attentive. Overall, a little on the pricey side, but it's a great semi-casual fine dining spot in Bird Rock. Their menu changes somewhat frequently, but I've loved the jalapeno Caesar salad, the chicken entree on the dinner menu and the burger from the bar menu read more

Paradisaea - Burger (bar menu) "date with the devil" - date infused scotch, toasted almond orgeat, bitters. - New American Near Me - San Diego, California

We recently had a very delicious dinner here. The stracciatella with persimmons and toasted bread was really good, the gnocchi with lobster were excellent and the halibut was also very good, with a good balance of flavors and high quality ingredients. The service was excellent as well and I look forward to going back and trying some of the other items in the menu. read more

The atmosphere was amazing, loved that they're super pet friendly! Our waitress Alissa (sorry if I spelled wrong) was absolutely incredible, had so much personality and helped with all of my questions. The food was pretty good, but for me the appetizers really stole the show! The halibut, Caesar salad, and the rosemary bread were delightful! The main courses, while good, weren't as memorable. The Branzino was bland and overpowered by the sauces, the beet risotto was good but had a very persistent flavor, and the potatoes 3 ways was just too sour cream heavy for my liking. But all in all was a great experience! read more

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The cocktails were excellent. Top notch; no notes; very thoughtful. The food was great, but seemed disproportionally expensive in relation to the amount of food. This is not a kitchen issue, as everything was prepared perfectly, just an over-zealous food-cost ratio. Service could've been way better. TBH, this is the restaurant's fumble. To say "not attentive" is accurate to a T. She seemed very "this is a summer job & I couldn't actually care. I rely on a default tip percentage because the menu is pricey..." We got a taco platter for Cinco De Mayo/Taco Tuesday & there were 3 of us at the table, but 5 tortillas came. Twice we asked our server & some other server for one tortilla so everyone could eat proportionally... it never came. Also, we asked to reserve one of the churro desserts & by the time we were done, the server said "oops we sold out." One tortilla & one churro dessert was all it took to hamper the experience... what a shame... we won't be back. read more

Cocktails here are a focal point with their cool "comic" book style menu. That much effort alone goes to show how much they care about their drinks here and the marketing matches the material. The food was all a hit and everyone enjoyed each of their cocktails. We got the Potatoes Four Ways (table favorite) and Wagyu Salisbury Steak (7/10 for me). Winner of the night for me was their Mai Tai. For those who enjoyed MonkeyPod's Mai Tai in Hawaii this felt like that caliber of concoction ;) Side Note: For some reason the decor reminded me of the episode Far Away Places from Mad Men: a classy vintage vibe mixed with a touch of novel whimsy and meaning in all the things around you if you look hard enough. read more

Food was ok. Service was excellent n ambience was ok as well. I am happy I tried it. read more

Food: Bluefin Tuna Crudo - citrus, shaved fennel, charred avocado, parsley emulsion, burnt citrus oil - this was very light & refreshing appetizer; Ravioles du Dauphine - roasted heirloom carrots, house made ricotta, black olive crumble, carrot nage - was slightly sweet with a fruity flavor; Steelhead Trout - rainbow chard, sorrel, caviar beurre blanc - very fatty/oily fish similar to salmon; Hand Rolled Cavatelli - fava beans, wild garlic, preserved lemon, pine nuts, spigarello, sabayon Drinks: Dodo - ritual "boubon," pear, ginger, lemon - light & refreshing; Kiwi - seedlip grove, lemongrass, yuzu tonic - love anything with yuzu (citrus flavor) Service: very friendly, helpful service; everything is made-to-order fresh Design: interiors is a tropical chic with beautiful pastel colored wall mural, retro chic chairs/banquettes/tables; the cocktail guide is clever and beautifully designed naming all of the cocktails/mocktails after birds Overall: love the concept of this high-end tropical chic restaurant; the food was daringly creative & good, but was hoping the portion size was bigger read more

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Came here on a Tuesday around 5:30 and it was surprisingly very busy! It was the week between Christmas and New Years so I'm sure that contributed but overall pretty full house. I got the jalapeño Caesar ($29) and carne asada tacos for two off their taco Tuesday menu ($69). Also got a happy hour rose ($9) and Damsel in distress cocktail ($18). They had a mariachi band that came through for taco Tuesday as well which was a fun surprise. Overall great and attentive service, food was delicious. Next time I'd like to try more of the menu but would recommend my selections! Especially the jalapeño Caesar and damsel in distress cocktail. I don't go to fine dining too often so maybe this is normal but I appreciated that they kept my leftovers warm for me to pickup at the front before I left. Parking out front on La Jolla blvd is probably unlikely unless you get lucky but plenty of street parking on side streets and through the neighborhood. Also the beans that came with the taco platter were amazing. read more

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We went there for my daughter's birthday and Vanessa made the night so special- from her explanation of the menu items to recommendations for drinks, she was on top of things. Thank you Vanessa! read more

Really great experience here for mine and my partner's anniversary! They gave us each a glass of champagne to toast to our big day. We had so many good dishes. My favorite was the Caesar salad. It sounds silly but I'm a cheese lover and this Caesar salad had a lotttt of cheese. The sauce was also so good. It said it had anchovies so I was really hesitant but I personally didn't taste it! My boyfriend's favorite dish was the scallops! We also enjoyed the sharing pork dish, tuna crudo, and potatoes 3 ways! Everything was really wonderful and the service was great as well. I think our server's name was Taylor and she was really sweet and kind. I will note that the menu we received was different from the one on their website, so try not to get your heart set on a dish unless you know they'll be serving it when you go! Other things: you can make a reservation online and we had no trouble with street parking! read more

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Elyse Marie is the truuuuuuth as a server. She was bomb and so were all of her colleagues. The burger was an absolute delight, as was the Caesar and raviolis. The veal Milanese was fantastic and the pork chop was out of this world. The sundae was also delicious. Loved sitting outside on the patio. This is the second time I've been here and it was with a previous chef and the food is still outstanding and the service was phenomenal. The duck fat fries were meh. read more

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Excellent food. Service was amazing. And price of the chefs menu was on point. Would go back in a heart beat.

Came here to celebrate my birthday and the meal and ambiance did not disappoint! Loved the beef tartare, the stracciatella (the accompanying bread was fresh and so delicious), the tagliatelle with mussels, and the veal milanese (the accompanying sauce was also incredible). The only small hiccup was that the sea bass was a bit overdone. When we brought it up with our server, she was so kind about handling it and getting another remade to the exact consistency and texture we were expecting. Speaking of our server, Lindsey was amazing! She had great recommendations, checked in on us the perfect amount, and made the whole experience a positive one. So glad she recommended the lavender lemon cheesecake - mind-blowing! Will definitely be back for future celebrations. read more

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Had a party here . Everything was great but the setup wasn't exactly what I had communicated. Other than that fun way to use their donut shop space read more

Paradisaea - That passed appetizers for our party - New American Near Me - San Diego, California

Paradisea has been on my list for a long time mostly because I adore the decor and wanted to be there. Honestly I didn't even check the food the first time I entered at the restaurant I just wanted to take tons of pictures with the background painting. That alone is just amazing. The restaurant has a 70s meet tropics vibe, so many details. I'm such a visual person that what enamoured me what's the design of the cocktails with all this tropical birds so colorful, some! The opportunity of getting a seat for a dinner at Paradise presented itself yesterday. I have a friend who lives in La Jolla and was going to show me how to sit her card in her vacation absence. As gratitude gesture and also because of Thanksgiving time and also because of the birthday of her makeup artist girlfriend I ended up invited there. Very excited, we arrived very early so we had plenty of time to take plenty of pictures. Regarding the cocktails in the bar I loved the service from the bartender however we were disappointed with our drinks. The girls drinks where too blue, too sweet, and they have requested not super sweet. The recommended drink was not really what they would expect but the server was very nice to say if you guys want to change we can, I can make another one. Mine was very tasty but the look was very masculine and I am really feminine so I don't think it was Instagram worthy enough, just kidding it was tasty but again I choose the most colorful tropical bird and then the drink was almost transparent I know it's silly. Lets move to the food. We got there croquetted with goat cheese appetizer and was amazing we all love it. At the table we enjoyed a friendly service and all dishes came at the same time. We shared the pork dish, the potatoes three ways, a beets with some pasta dish, and the scallops. Everything was delicious however I think there was not enough potatoes to cover the meat. We thought the 3 way potato was going to be 3 types of potatoes not all mixed together. it was very nice though very tasty I found the meat a little bit hard. For desserts we ordered the olive cake, the creme brulee with orange and the baba. They were all very good but we had to ask for a knife to be able to divide. I think the desert should come with the certain knives not sure if it was a miss or they don't normally. Overall it was a very pleasant way to spend a Sunday night with an old friend and a new friend celebrating and I'm glad I was invited because in my opinion the prices are too expensive and you pay a lot of the ambiance. read more

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I have been 3 times now, 2x for dinner and once for lunch. I thought the lunch was good. Both of the dinners were okay. I didn't find them great. And for the price, I really think they should be better. The bar and decor are very cool though. So maybe it's a place to grab a drink or a really nice lunch when you want to splurge. read more

This place was lovely, but not a five star worth. Service was a bit slow, 45-50 min till we received our food after ordering was a bit of a wait for us on a Thursday evening. They were busy for sure around 1845. People work here are lovely and I'm sure the kitchen was backed up but a little explanation as to why the long wait would have been nice. Sage carrots and Caesar salad for my appetizer were great- Beets risotto was meh, unique but not worth trying again. Steak frites was ok. I ordered medium rare for my steak and it came out more medium. Fries too overcooked, to the point it was potato chips crispy. Branzino was great :) None of us wanted to have alcoholic beverages this evening, but felt like the server was very pushy trying to have us order mocktails (which we don't even like and we were perfectly happy with our sparkling water.) I get it, it's more $$$ which will lead to more tip but definitely annoying. We will try on a different day and see how things will unfold next time :) read more

My wife and I had the best experience at Paradisaea! The sourdough bread, Fresh red snapper, and flaming baked Alaska were epic. Shoutout to our server Taylor, who was knowledgeable and fun. And to the manager, Patrick, who was so kind to us. We can't wait to come back. read more

Paradisaea - The flaming baked Alaska! - New American Near Me - San Diego, California

I would give more than five stars if I could. Beautiful atmosphere, exceptional food, and super cool staff!

Paradisaea is a super cool spot. Have to make sure to get there early though if you want to make their happy hour because they only serve it at the bar itself. I came with a group of 5 girls and they only had two chairs left, but they allowed us to huddle around the bar. It was a bit crowded but worked. First time trying an oyster and was delicious! read more

Paradisaea - Happy hour $1 oysters - New American Near Me - San Diego, California

Best Caesar Salad in town !!! And also amazing desserts ! And the bed happy hour in La jolla !

We did not realize we were walking into a Michelin Guide recommended restaurant. This place was super close to our AirBnB, and it looked so friendly with the big round bar and comfy seats and all glass windows that we had to try it. The bartender greeted us warmly and the first class service began. All of their signature cocktails are named after birds of the South Pacific. We tried a couple and loved each of them. We also had the Tuna Poke. The fish tasted like it was fresh right out of the Pacific. It was delicately dressed with ponzu and chive allowing the tuna to shine. We then shared the Yesterday's News Fish & Chips derived in "yesterday's news paper". We both delighted in how light and crispy the batter was and the freshness of the halibut that was perfectly flaky. We couldn't stop there, so we tried the hand rolled Cavatelli with a pecorino sabayon. The pasta was perfectly al dente with a slight chew and texture that made it so fun to devour. It was topped with winter truffle. The dish was magical and I didn't want it to end. We then capped off the meal with a Puffin. It's a riff on an Espresso Martini but made with Peanut Butter Tequila! Get it, because it's a next level cocktail. We loved everything about Paradisaea including the attention to detail and teamwork with their service. We never wanted for anything. We hope to go back before our holiday trip is over. read more

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Bird Rock is a special neighborhood and Paradisaea is a wonderful, vibrant spot. The interior design is playful and sophisticated. There is a sense of vacation/resort and whimsy but not contrived. Even the Water Closet is an experience! Our server was excellent- wish I caught her name! The timing of our courses was very good.They present everyone's entrees/dishes at the same time and that is so appreciative. I appreciate a restaurant that puts effort into zero proof drinks which is what I stuck to-Sego Place. Interesting drink, I'd try something else next time but I liked it. I had the oysters, gold rice pilaf and jalapeño Caesar (spicy!) salad. The oysters were meaty and good. The rice pilaf was outstanding, you get a nice balance of flavor and the coconut reminds you it's not your average risotto. The dill garnish was an unexpected compliment. We also had several desserts and all were very good but the blackberry creamsicle was my favorite-- so many textures. Also recommend based on the table- burger, steak and shrimp. I look forward to returning! read more

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I'll keep it short and sweet. As other reviewers have pointed out the food is, for the most part, very good, but overpriced for what you get. Service is however on point. I liked the decor, very retro. Hubby however thought the decor was confusing, too 70's and with an identity crisis, lol. Street parking and we had no issues finding a spot as the town was dead by 7 pm. I appreciated the birthday dessert. When I saw it on the menu I didn't think I'd like it, but it was excellent. read more

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We tried the chef's tasting menu and everything was fantastic. Wagyu was so delicious, sea bass was cooked perfectly, and the sourdough was memorable. We loved all of the dishes we tried and will definitely come back in the future. read more

Finally made it in here for a dinner, and am glad we did. Really enjoyed the food (ordered about 6 items to split between two) and had two fantastic cocktails. Probably the best Mai Tai I recall enjoying. Even my husband wished he'd it, Huge compliment to the service. They were detailed, attentive (but not annoying) and helpful. Would absolutely go back to keep an eye on updates to the menu! read more

The name "Paradisaea" is a bit of a tongue-twister. Happily, the neighborhood of Bird Rock quiets down at night, so parking is not impossible. The historic Mid-Century "Piano Buidling" in which the restaurant is located has a great deal of charm, with its vaulting and sweeping roof line. The hostessess who will greet you at the door at Pardisaea have always provided a smiling and pleasant welcome, and they take you to your table without the fuss and angst you sometimes experience in, for example, Little Italy. The wine list at Paradisaea has some interesting selections. The Serbian sommelier can assist you with recommandations, if needed. read more

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Paradisaea is an amazing mix of flavors in a beautiful and trendy setting! The price is definitely up there, but you pay for the vibes. Service is equally excellent. Went here with a group and got just a couple small dishes to share and cocktails, but the bill was easily over 50 per person without actually getting enough food for dinner. The cocktails are fun with a beautiful menu depicting what they look like but they run you a pretty penny at almost $20 each. I got the ocean planet which was an interesting mix of coconut and basil. My friend got the jewel which was equally as tasty. The food was phenomenal and extremely flavorful and interesting. We got the cavatelli, beef tartare, hummus and rice pilaf. The gold rice pilaf was delicious, and surprisingly tangy. I would also recommend the hummus, the miso bread was to die for- but you can't go wrong here! Portions were small and I would say the food is extremely overpriced. Overall, a cute date spot if you're looking to splurge! read more

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Had happy hour today and the service was impeccable! The modern design is perfect and it was clean and ready for guests at 4pm. The jamon croquettes were bland and they were out of caviar! The oysters were amazing! I would order 2 next time! The halibut tempura was exceptional. I will be back! read more

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I have been wanting to dine here since they opened, but heard mixed reviews. We finally made reservations and got to dine here on a Friday night back in January. The decor is very tropical! My friend ordered the Tiger Proof cocktail and I got a Sego Place mocktail. Both drinks were so pretty! Their mocktails were on the expensive side, for $16 each. We decided to share the hamachi crudo, beef tartare, and the griddled garlic miso foccacia. Everything was small in size, so it wasn't very filling. The presentation for the crudo was a bit weird. It came choped up underneath some cucumbers. I've seen some better photos of this dish and I guess they changed the presentation. The foccacia was just alright to me as well. I enjoyed the sunchokes in the beef tartare though! I was hesitant to order dessert, but we agreed on the Straus milk and honey sundae! This was refreshing and needed more soft serve because there was a lot of honey! Overall, everything was okay to me. I would come back to sit at the bar because I loved my drink so much! read more

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Sat at the bar and it was beautiful inside with cozy Christmas decorations! Got drinks and cheesecake. One of the best cheesecakes (blueberry lavender) I have ever had. We had the best service from a bartender named Jacob. He was super helpful and really personalized our experience. Would definitely recommend and go back! read more

Paradisaea - Cheesecake - New American Near Me - San Diego, California

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Read all the other reviews. Now I'll tell it to you straight. Paradisaea is a once in a lifetime experience that you may or may not appreciate. The facts are simple. Beautiful dining room. Stunning bathroom decor. Excellent jazz pianist. Cozy dog friendly patio. Professional staff. Also. Teensy weensy portions of delicious and attractive inventive tasting portions at gargantuan astronomical humongous prices. Wait staff that reek from over laundered garments from the soap vats at Proctor and Gamble. Let's come up with a plan. Have dinner somewhere anywhere else. How about Lupi down the street. Then mosey over to Paradisaea for delicious DESSERT and perhaps a splurge of a drink. Stick around and soak up the vibe of the ultra rich and the ultra wannabe while you enjoy your scrumptious affordable chocolate caramel tart with the included berry sorbet. Once in a lifetime is enough. read more

Paradisaea - Ravioli - New American Near Me - San Diego, California

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We have never seen more expensive prices for the serving size... we definitely should have done more research before walking in. Multiple servers told us the steak frites were the best on the menu ($77!) so we wanted to try but were stunned at the price. They told us it could be shared... when it came out it had 5 small pieces of steak on it. Definitely a single person meal. It was good, but not $77 good. Anyways, we will not be going back it was extremely overpriced. read more

Amazing dinner last night. As a food allergy person I'm never sure what I will be able to eat. The waitress was kind, knowledgeable and attentive. Back to the food. I enjoyed the ceasar salad for my dinner. We also ordered the carrots. The carrots were good. My husband had the steak fries. My mil had the pork chop. That pork chop was huge. She loved it. My fil had the snitzl. That also looked amazing. I'm a picky eater and I was worried there would be nothing to eat for me. They offered to make a plain piece of fish for me. I decided the salad and the beet risotto was enough. With the exception of the larger proteins the portions are fine dining portions. Just enough with no food waste. We enjoyed it very much. If I weren't so restricted on what foods (dietary reasons) they would have had to roll me out of there. Go eat and enjoy. read more