Took my gf here for a surprise and she was so stoked. She loved the decor and ambiance of the…read moreplace. We had the pleasure of being served by Jonah. This dude knew his stuff and answered any questions we had. He made us 4 different drinks in total and all were so good. Not to mention he kept the coconut shell constantly full of complimentary goldfish and pretzels. He also let us know that they got karaoke there (I think Thursday-Saturday)! Shoutout to Jonah and the Luau for making our first visit there a memorable one. It definitely won't be our last time being there

Was visiting San Diego because of a friend's theatre performance at The Moxie Theatre. After the…read moreshow we mixed and mingled with the cast who suggested going to tiki/surf bar called The Luau. This place was great. Bright, vibrant and full of tropical decor. The bar was packed. We got a four high top seater in the main area. Glad we did because it was karaoke night! In between songs the dj would play pop star music videos. There was a back patio with more seating. Surprise of the night was when Sterling the security guard sang a song from "Wicked". Will definitely go back again!

"A Retro Gem with a Modern Kick!" From the moment you walk…read morethrough the doors, you're transported back to the golden age of the 1960s. The vibe is effortlessly cool--think red leather booths, vintage neon, and a mood that feels like Frank Sinatra might walk in at any moment. The highlight of the experience is the unique "Grill-Your-Own" steak concept. There is something incredibly social and fun about seasoning your own hand-cut steak and hanging out around the communal grill with friends or neighbors. If you're not in the mood to grill, their kitchen menu is equally impressive; the Turquoise Tots, Brisket Corn Dogs, and Bacon Wrapped Shrimp are legendary. Don't skip the Turquoise Room for drinks. The craft cocktails are expertly made (the "Art Snob" is a personal favorite), and they have a fantastic selection of local beers. With live music playing most nights, it's the perfect spot for a date night or a lively evening out with a group. Between the top-notch service and the one-of-a-kind atmosphere, the Riviera is easily one of the best spots in San Diego's East County. Highly recommended!

For two parents temporarily liberated from the chaos of domestic life, dinner was nothing short of…read morea revelation. We began with the deviled eggs--a classic reimagined with such precision they served as the perfect structural opening to the meal. The true showstopper, however, was the Filet Mignon. Topped with a vibrant, hand-cut chimichurri, the steak didn't just meet the knife; it surrendered. The sauce provided a brilliant counterpoint: fresh, crisp, and possessing a light, tingly spice that dances on the palate rather than overwhelming it. Even the greens were a celebration; the "weed salad" arrived as a kaleidoscopic "rainbow of happiness," proving that even the most virtuous courses can be indulgent. Pair this with a cocktail program defined by their house-made syrups, and you have a destination that understands the assignment: total sensory restoration. Salud.

Delicious, nutritious, and filled with ambiance! This place is absolutely authentic in everything…read morethey do. From the decor to the flavors, it all sings Italian! Our waitress, Francesca, was an absolute delight and helped my wife navigate their menu to suit her several dietary restrictions without any judgement or hesitation. She had great recommendations and was an absolute delight to chat with throughout the night! We had a wonderful time treating ourselves to all kinds of delightful dishes - especially the fried brie special. So, so good. I highly recommend this plane for a fancy date night. It's not the cheapest, but you definitely get the quality that you pay for. 10/10 will date night here again

Antica Trattoria serves acceptable pasta, but not much else stands out…read more They were not very busy, so a reservation was not necessary. Our server was kind, though we did not receive as much attention as some of the other tables. Bread is not complimentary, and one of my party members accidentally agreed to it when asked. I did appreciate that salads could be split and were finished with freshly cracked pepper, though I wish there had been more engagement from the staff beyond adding pepper and Parmesan. *Homemade Bread: served with what was described as herb infused olive oil and balsamic vinegar. The bread itself was airy but fairly bland. I could not really detect any herb flavor in the oil, and the portion of oil and vinegar felt a bit small for the amount of bread. *Insalata Venere: featured poached pears, goat cheese, and caramelized walnuts. The greens were well dressed in a bright, acidic vinaigrette. The pears were the highlight, offering a warm sweetness that paired nicely with the creamy goat cheese. The walnuts, however, had an off texture and could have benefited from better caramelization. *Penne: adding protein felt pricey, with chicken costing an extra $8. The chicken was chopped quite small, and I would have preferred larger pieces. The sauce itself was flavorful and well developed, but the pasta was cooked past al dente. *Capellini: nicely paired with mushrooms and shrimp, though the toppings carried the dish more than the pasta or sauce. The sauce was quite muted and tasted like a simple tomato base without much seafood depth. The shrimp and pasta were slightly overcooked. Overall, it is a decent option for Italian food, but nothing particularly memorable. While the portions are generous, the flavors did not quite match the price point, and I would have preferred more depth and execution across the dishes.

Came for drinks one day back in 2018. The drinks were good but it was the burger that brought me…read moreback. It's now 2026 and I keep coming back for the burger. It's my favorite. The great service is a bonus. Everyone is always in a great mood. It's now my go to spot to watch the Padres and SDFC. My wife highly recommends "Puff the Magic Dragon"

My boyfriend, friends, and I are regulars at The Hills Bar and usually come here 1-2 times a week…read more We've always enjoyed the food, drinks, and arcade area, which is why tonight's experience was so disappointing. A youth baseball team from Casa de Oro Little League ("The Party Animals") appeared to be having a team celebration here, and the situation was completely out of control. There were roughly 30 children, ranging from about 5-11 years old, running throughout the arcade and bar area. Kids were climbing on virtually every game, including the pinball machines, basketball games, skee-ball, baseball games, beer pong tables, and Dance Dance Revolution. They were screaming at the top of their lungs, throwing coasters around, hitting people, and even knocking over drinks at nearby tables. What made the situation worse was the complete lack of supervision. Many parents were outside while the kids ran wild inside, and the few adults who were present did not seem interested in correcting the behavior or intervening at all. I understand that servers and bartenders are not babysitters, and I don't expect them to parent other people's children. However, at some point management should have stepped in. This wasn't normal kid behavior or a little extra noise--it was genuine chaos that was impacting other paying customers trying to enjoy their evening. We've always liked The Hills and have spent a lot of money here over the years, which is why it's so frustrating to write this review. Tonight was easily the worst experience we've ever had here. If management is going to allow large youth sports parties in the future, there needs to be some expectation of supervision and basic respect for other guests. Unfortunately, after tonight, we're seriously reconsidering whether we'll be coming back.

Have been wanting to try Coin Haus for a while now and so glad we have! The bartender was very…read morehelpful, welcoming, and he was fun to chat with. Explained how the pour-it-yourself works and the prices were reasonable, I really enjoyed being able to taste a bunch of different drinks before committing to one lol. I was also pleasantly surprised to how many options there were, I was expecting only beers but there were a lot of ciders and seltzers to choose from as well. Definitely a drink for everyone! We got some pizzas from Surf Rider, such a great combo to have in one spot, we got the Surf Rider veggie pizza and it was SO good and garlicky. We also got the LM Deluxe and it was also really good. Loved all the different arcade games and for coming in on a Saturday night, it was busy but not packed which made every game enjoyable. Will definitely be back!

Fun place but a bit small. Came on a night they were holding a magic the gathering event. They…read morestill had the space open to the public but it was a bit crowded and some of the games were blocked by the tables they set out. Being my first time there I was surprised how small it was. One side is mostly seating and an outdoor patio. The other side is where all the games are. A serve yourself drinks wall fills up most of the middle space. You get a game card which contains tokens that you can use for the games. I had fun playing the games. They have some traditional ones like pac man and pinball but some newer ones as well. Worth checking out.

Was looking for a local Jazz Lounge to take my boyfriend for his 30th. I didn't want to go…read moresomewhere crowded or rowdy since he prefers a more relaxed and serene atmosphere. I found out this lounge does late night jazz which worked perfectly for our evening plans and is near where we live. I noted that they just sold beer and wine when booking the ticket so I wasn't expecting a full bar. Tickets were available online and you had the option to select your seats. We arrived for the show and were immediately greeted by Leonard, one of the staff and musicians. He showed us our seats, pointed out the musicians, let us know they'd be starting shortly, and brought us menus with beer, wine, and a few canned cocktail options. The space was small and intimate. The musicians introduced themselves and spoke directly to the crowd before and during their show. It was awesome to feel really immersed in the experience. They did a fantastic job riffing off of each other and giving space to one another for an engaging and entertaining performance. We were really happy to find this gem and hope they can keep putting on these shows.

You have to pre order your food before you get there online. It's ok the best because it's ordered…read morefrom another place. You can also bring your own wine but they will charge you a corking fee.

Service was friendly, though a little inconsistent when it got busier, with longer waits between…read moreorders. Overall, it's a solid place for drinks and atmosphere, but the food and consistency don't quite match the upscale vibe it's going for.

I had an amazing experience here for me and my boyfriend's anniversary. Definitely the spot for a…read moreromantic dinner or celebration! We got here right at 5 with a 5:15 reservation and parked right out front. There was a short line out front and we were taken to the bar area to wait for a server. The bar was soo beautiful I would love to dine in there next time. We ate in the cave area right in front of the waterfall. The one thing I'll say is the waterfall was a bit loud so it was hard to hear over there but the pretty view and ambiance makes up for it. We ordered the steak sampler, fries, and carrots. Everything was amazinggg, I especially loved the carrots! Service was great, everyone was super kind and welcoming.

SUCH A GEM- the food, the service, the vibe. First, the food- we absolutely LOVED everything we…read morehad, flavors were excellent! Our can't miss is the smoked tuna empanada. The entire staff was incredible, warm, like we were part of the family. Then, the location - I love the outdoor dining vibe and all the art. It was a little hidden in the most fun way.

Finding the entrance was probably the hardest part of our evening My husband and I walked up…read morewondering if we were even in the right place, but luckily our server, Alex, spotted us outside and got us seated right away. From the start, Alex made the experience memorable. You can tell when someone genuinely loves the food they're serving, and his enthusiasm was contagious. Every recommendation came with thoughtful details, and honestly, he didn't steer us wrong. His top recommendation was the Oxtail Tetelas, and wow! This ended up being my favorite dish of the night. The sauce was absolutely incredible, rich and flavorful without overpowering the dish, and every ingredient worked together perfectly. As someone who has never considered Mexican cuisine my go-to choice, this dish completely changed my perspective. It was comforting, creative, and packed with flavor in all the right ways. My husband ordered the tuna empanadas, which were being made fresh at the time, and after stealing a few bites (as any good spouse does), I can confirm they were equally delicious. Fresh, light, and beautifully prepared. For drinks, I went with the Verde Zero Proof. It wasn't my usual flavor profile and had a bit more spice than my taste buds typically enjoy, but that's more of a "me" problem than a criticism. If you enjoy a little kick in your drinks, you'll probably appreciate it much more than I did. The restaurant itself has that cozy hole-in-the-wall charm that makes you feel like you've discovered a hidden gem. The vintage decor creates a warm atmosphere that's perfect for date night, and as dog parents, we especially appreciated that the place is dog-friendly. That was actually one of the main reasons we decided to give the place a try, and we're glad we did. Great food, great service, a cozy atmosphere, and a few surprises along the way. We'll have to come back to work our way through more of the menu

Bloodies and breakfast shots for Saturday brunch with my girl! We popped into Pete's Place for some…read morepost-Record Store Day bevvies and the service and vibes were perfectly enjoyable and chill as always. If you're in Downtown La Mesa looking for a great, cheap Bloody Mary on a Saturday morning, check out Pete's!

The security guard with the beard was extremely rude and acted more like a barback than security…read more We've been coming here for years... and last Friday a group of people took a table we were using, even though two of our friends were already sitting there and told them the table was taken. We were a group of about 7-8 people total. When we came back after grabbing drinks, we saw that the other group had completely taken over the table. They said they didn't care that we were regulars and called the security guard over. We explained the situation, and his response directly to us was: "I don't care, you can shut up, close your tab, and leave." We had already spent plenty of money there and were not asking for special treatment, but the lack of professionalism was awful. I've worked in customer service for almost a decade and have never spoken to a customer that way. This is exactly how a good place can lose loyal customers because of incompetent staff.

The design of this place is really cool. It feels like you've walked into a back alley and are in a…read morecompletely different part of town. Everything is so clean but it has a very good rustic and real feel to it. The drinks here are my favorite because to be honest, I'm a sours beer kind of guy and they have a whole building dedicated to it. The amount of variety when it comes to sours is great a prices are fair. Flavors pop but theirs also a good enough selection if you want a more chill sour that won't punch you in the face. The other building (not sure which is considered the main ones) has a large selection of your typical IPAs, lagers, you name it. The flavors are good and they seems to have some deals going on from time to time for cans to take home which I can appreciate. They also have a few board games to keep you entertained and seem to consistently have some options fora food vendor as well as many times having live music. Definitely worth the visit on a day you see them having one of these vendors or live bands you may be interested in. The people here seem to be very friendly with their regulars and greet you as if you're a friend. I think this bodes well with breweries considering you're usually here to have a good time and chill. I wouldn't say it feels like the reason I'd come back at all but no complaints here. Just didn't feel like out of this world service by any means.

My husband and his buddy come here all the time and absolutely adore not only the great beers on…read moretap, but also the ambience. There are rotating food trucks that come through and the outdoor patio is a great place for families with young children as well as a space to gather and listen to live music. They also have a whole cider house with sours and such so it's an awesome way to spend an afternoon in sunny La Mesa. You really can't go wrong with any of their beers, they're ice cold and the pricing is very reasonable and there's a huge variety. The day we visited, we also took advantage of the burgers from the food truck and they were very good!