The Smoking Goat is a French inspired bistro located in the North Park area of San Diego. Reservations can be made on OpenTable. We Ubered everywhere on this evening so I can't comment on the parking situation, but it looked like street parking only. Seating options include the bar half of the restaurant with seats at the bar and cushy looking booths against the wall, or the main dining room. We sat in the main dining room which is quaint, and not necessarily upscale, but it does have a classy feel. The wall is brick, and the space is lit slightly dim. The kitchen is open and can be seen from the dining room. There was a nice mix of music playing in the background. I asked if they offered bread and butter, and they do not. But you can order an off-menu half French baguette for $5, served hot from the oven, with butter. We started by splitting the poached pear salad ($16). This was a delicious salad with local greens, blue cheese, fresh poached pears, and a champagne vinaigrette dressing. It was a pretty big salad, perfect to share between the two of us. For my entrée, I had the pasta seafood special with shrimp, salmon, and mussels in a lemon crème sauce ($42). Everything on the plate was delicious, and it had a generous amount of seafood. The lemon crème sauce had the perfect amount of flavor without overpowering the dish. She had the Scottish Salmon ($39). The salmon is topped with a lemon beurre blanc sauce, and is served on a bed of spinach and lentils, sitting on top of a parsnip puree. She loved it. Our server Ryan was very polite and professional and provided excellent service. We really enjoyed our meal here, and would definitely return. read more

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Came out for San Diego Restaurant Week and had such a wonderful time trying out the menu. Making a reservation was easy enough through the OpenTable app, and the restaurant itself was cozy and inviting. The escargot and pâté were delicious, but the tartare was definitely something to write home about. I loved the balance of bright flavors with the tender filet mignon. The entrées were all great, and we finished things off with a decadent flourless chocolate cake. Overall, such a lovely meal and a great Restaurant Week experience! read more

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Thanks to my friend for the recommendation of this place. We did our reservations at 5pm. We got in. The service was fast. Love the decor inside-out. Looks like they have limited space inside but they also have patio dining. With the weather, I would rather enjoy my delicious dinner inside the cozy ambiance. Now let's talk about food! Excellent! Everything that we ordered... exceptional! Starting from the drinks sparkling lavender lemonade, refreshing! I had baked brie... omg, yummy! Love love love. Cuz i love cheese... especially brie, perfecto! Now i also had the creamy mac and cheese... love it. My husband loved his pork chop too. Their portions are more than 1 person can consume. Will definitely come back. Oh not to mention the extra customer service. My husband left his hat, they called me to let us know that we left his hat. Kudos to y guys! Highly recommended! read more

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Had dinner here for SD restaurant week and ordered the pork chop. Pork chop was tender, juicy, flavorful with a topping of chopped stewed veggies. Mashed potatoes were creamy and yummy. Ordered fries since the restaurant is known for the best fries! The fries were surprisingly great! Server was very nice and friendly. The interior was decorated like French Cottage farmhouse with a cozy feel. Don't let the not so appealing outside fool you... it's worth trying French Bistro food!! read more

The Smoking Goat - Goat Cheesecake - French Near Me - San Diego, California

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Came here without a reservation on a weekday and was seated right away. My fiancé and I ordered escargot, french onion soup, duckfat truffle fries, mussels, and maple duck breast. The escargot was delicious but I wish that the sauce was a bit stronger such as adding more garlic or having more sauce for us to drench the bread in. As for the french onion soup, I thought it was flavorful and strong in terms of the onion but I felt like the cheese was super heavy for me. The truffle fries was delicious. It had that strong truffle flavor and was crispy on the outside. For the mussels, it was a generous portion, however, I do wish that the sauce wasn't a tomato base due to it hiding the freshness from the main star of the dish. I also felt like that hint of cheese flavor was also overwhelming. Lastly, for the maple duck breast, I thought the duck was cooked perfectly and it was delicious, but it was a bit too sweet to my liking. Overall, the food was good with just some minor changes in my opinion. The staffs were nice and kind, although, it was a bit slow during the time we were there. read more

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My French foodie friend brought me here, and I was really impressed. I loved the warm mood and rustic ambiance the moment we walked in. The service was excellent, very attentive, and they even made space for us by adding an extra table to our setup. We ordered: 1. Mussels: 5/5, the creamy, tomato and chorizo broth went brilliantly well with the mussels, also the generous portion, easily enough to share among four. 2. Duck: 5/5, perfectly cooked, tender, and melt in your mouth. Highly recommended 3. Steak Frites: 4.5/5, a solid dish. 4. Flourless chocolate cake: 4.5/5, rich and smooth. We'll definitely be back to explore more of the menu. read more

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Location: 3408 30th St San Diego, CA 92104 San Diego Restaurant week 2026 Three course meal for $50 a person plus supplement fee on certain dishes Featured: Appetizer: French onion soup & escargot à la bourguignon Mains: New York steak & frites ($10 supplement) & maple leaf duckà l'orange ($6 supplement) Dessert: Goat cheese cheesecake & Vanilla bean creme brûlée Very limited street parking, highly recommend booking reservation because it gets really busy and pack during dinner hours. Service was pretty good when you sit inside the restaurant, we moved to the patio because it felt stuffy and claustrophobic inside. We noticed our food, drinks and service took longer. Other than that our waitress was really nice. Food was just okay for me. read more

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Came for a birthday celebration. The 5 of us in our party all agreed that the food was excellent! We had a couple of appetizers, entrees and desserts. Our server was very cordial and pleasant. Service overall was great. I loved the vibe of the place. The decor was cool. Yes, there is a taxidermy goat in there. read more

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Food is good. Different from other French restaurants I have visited. Service is nice . Ambience is a quiet environment. Dark dinner vibe. Comforting and warm feeling. We got the duck all around $40. With potato gratin with cheddar and leeks, sautéed spinach, a few carrots, Cippolini onion. We also got French onion soup and Brie, it was all pretty good. read more

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Love the presentation and the quality of food. If you like dim lighting and a classy ambiance, this is the place for you. It's a bit on the expensive side so I always come here for restaurant week because of their nicely curated menus, but the food really is worth it. The duck is very flavorful and tender and the baked brie has a nice savory and sweet flavor from the pistachios and cranberries. read more

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I think I had one of the best service ever in San Diego and it was right here at The Smoking Goat! I enjoyed everything we received from SDRW! The food was delicious, fabulous, plentiful and made with attention to detail. I really appreciate this type of a culinary care and art they give the food. All in all, I will come back again for more! read more

The Smoking Goat - French Near Me - San Diego, California

The Smoking Goat is literally one of the G.O.A.T (greatest of all time) restaurants that I've tried for any county's restaurant week! This was my first year participating in San Diego Restaurant Week and the second restaurant we tried. I was in the area for a conference and a bunch of us agreed that restaurant weeks aren't as great anymore. The selection of dishes in the prefix menus usually aren't that great and you're pretty much paying for the same amount even when it's not restaurant week. This restaurant; however, changed my mind! The selections for each course honestly sounded so good! Like if I lived nearby, I would have stopped by for a second time. Not only that, their portions were generous! I thought they were going to serve us smaller versions of their dishes, but thankfully, they did not! We made a reservation on a Sunday at 7pm and had difficulty finding nearby parking, so I would make sure to factor in some extra time for this! APPETIZERS: Steak Tartare and Duck Liver Pate -The generous portions for both apps was already an indicator that this meal was going to be sooooo good! I really enjoyed the duck liver pate. It was so creamy good that we had to order extra bread so we could really savor every bit of that duck liver pate. The steak tartare tasted fresh and complimented well with the duck liver pate, it balanced out the strong flavor profile. ENTREES: New York Steak & Frites (additional $10 add-on) and Maple Leaf Duck a l' Orange (additional $8 add-on) - I don't typically choose dishes that require additional cost to the pre-fixe menu, but if I'm at a French restaurant and I see duck, I am going to order it. My choice of steak is usually not the New York cut but wow, that piece of meat was soooo tender and perfectly fatty. If you didn't tell me this was New York steak, I wouldn't have believed ya! Because I wasn't sure how big the portions were going to be, I had ordered an extra side of duck fat fries despite the New York Steak & Frites already come with it. When the dish came out, we realized we probably could have just gotten away with not ordering the extra duck fat fries, but honestly, it was tasty as leftovers, so it was all good! As for the duck dish, it was incredible! Super tender and melted in my mouth. If I didn't have to save some room for dessert, I would have finished my dish. Duck fat fries were also a hit! DESSERT: Vanilla Creme Brulee and Goat Cheese Cheesecake - I'm a huge fan of creme brulee so if I see it on the menu, I know I'm getting it. Actually, before I even saw the menu, I already saw a couple of dessert plates in front of me, and I was so awed by the generous sizes of the dessert. The last restaurant that I went to that had creme brulee was half its size and left more to be desired.....This was a classic creme brulee, a great choice! Now as for the Goat Cheese Cheesecake, I was intrigued but also kinda scared of how strong the goat cheese would taste. Luckily, the goat cheese flavor wasn't super prominent so I was able to enjoy every single bite. Honestly can't stop thinking about my dining experience here. I've been back in the area a couple times afterwards, and I know we will definitely find a time to go back again. They do close early (around 9pm or 10pm) so it's not a spot that opens late night. The Smoking Goat, I can't wait to be back! read more

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The Smoking Goat is a cozy French-style bistro in North Park, which means you need to plan for parking. Honestly, either come early, on a slow weeday night or carpool-uber. This particualr neighborhood is full of restaurants -- a couple of my favorites in San Diego, too -- so it gets and keeps busy. But you can get lucky with a slow weekday night sometimes. The Smoking Goat seems to be best known for its charm and intimate atmosphere. The vibe is a bit dark and moody with exposed brick, artwork and soft lighting. This is the place where you want to bring a small gathering, a date, your dearest love or a business partner you are courting. Only complaint is that the tables for two tend to be very tiny and squeezed in, so it can get very full if you are ordering two entrees, an appetizer and drinks. The restaurant focuses on seasonal, locally sourced ingredients, so the menu tends to change. Signature dishes include the duck fat truffle fries, which are popular, Spanish octopus, mussels in a tomato-chorizo broth (love this!) and rotating seasonal entrées. I love that the dessert menu has sweet and savory options, like goat cheese cheesecake and griddled banana bread. And it is pretty affordable with most entrées going under $30. Very nice wine, beer and cocktail list as well. And the service is highly attentive and welcoming. Overall, I would say that The Smoking Goat is a place to go for romantics and people who appreciate thoughtfully prepared food. I always look forward to a visit. read more

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The Smoking Goat is serving Californian French cuisine. AMBIANCE Rustic vintage, cozy SERVICE Friendly, helpful, attentive FIRST COURSE 5/5 STEAK TARTARE (silky, diced, tender), mustard (piquant seed caviar), shallots, cornichon (crunchy, briny, mini pickles) 3/5 French Onion Soup veal bone broth (lacked meaty flavor imo), crouton (too much), swiss cheese (melted) SECOND COURSE 4.5/5 Duroc Pork Chop (gf), perfect mashed potatoes and broccolini, red pepper & tasso ham basquaise (savory, smoky, fruity) 4/5 New York Steak & Frites (gf), duckfat truffle fries (savory), mustard aioli dip (rich), red wine bordelaise sauce (needed additional) THIRD COURSE 5/5 Flourless Chocolate Cake (dense, fudgy, velvety, gf), Lillet cherries, whipped cream 4.5/5 Goat Cheese Cheesecake (slightly tangy, quite airy), freshly sliced strawberries, whipped cream PARKING street side read more

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We made a reservation for a Saturday. The restaurant was full overall, but if you go without a reservation, you might just have a small wait. They have a nice variety of classic leaning cocktails and a great variety of French wines (with some US wines as well). They have their own line of wines as well which I enjoy. I ordered a glass of their Bordeaux on the most recent visit I believe. Their menu has stayed pretty similar over the years, but I think it's a good thing. They are obviously doing something right, so if it's not broken, don't fix it! The octopus appetizer was cooked perfectly, and I would put the romesco it's served with on anything. The poached pear salad was delicious - the dressing was so light, but so flavorful. The duck was good as well. My least favorite was the mac and cheese. It's the only thing I would skip in the future. It wasn't bad - just not my favorite. I will stick to the brie appetizer to get my cheese - it's sweet and perfectly melty. Staff there is friendly and helpful. This last time, we were in a weird table kinda out of view, so I felt like we were a little forgotten about sometimes, but overall service is good. I miss their happy hour from years ago - hopefully they consider bringing it back sometime! If you haven't been and are considering it, go. Such a cozy atmosphere with a unpretentious, but delicious menu. read more

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Simply amazing. Came for a birthday dinner and not disappointed in the slightest. Started with the CAULIFLOWER appetizer which was simple but delicious. Entrees were the STEAK FRITES and DUCK L'ORANGE and wow, both were so tender and delicious. Some of the best duck I've ever had. Special shoutout to our waiter Jordan for fabulous service and being so kind! read more

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Came here with a group of foodie couples and I thought the overall experience was good. I had heard horror stories about parking but there are nearby lots a street parking and we found a space close by. The area is very dark but we didn't feel unsafe walking the neighborhood to and from our car and the food was quite good and the company even better. The restaurant was a bit small and cramped but they were able to accommodate our larger party of 12 nicely enough. Would I return? Yes I think I would. read more

The Smoking Goat - Steak tartar - French Near Me - San Diego, California

My group of friends and I came here for restaurant week with a reservation of 7! We did end up waiting for a significant amount of time despite having a reservation but the manager was nice enough to invite us to the bar for a complimentary drink and duck fat truffle fries. For the drink, they were able to make a mocktail out of the berry smash and it was truly divine. The fries were also perfectly crisp and a great pairing to the aioli. From the restaurant week menu, I chose the baked brie, duck, and the chocolate flourless cake. The brie was soft and gooey with an overwhelming amount of cranberries. For the main course, 6/7 of us got the duck and we were all just a little disappointed. The duck was dry and had more of a texture to chicken than duck. My chocolate flourless cake was good but I would recommend the creme brûlée over this. It was super rich to the point where it took me 3 days just to finish the small piece of cake. The service was exceptional and although it feels a little crammed due to the limited seating, I did like the ambiance and decorations. read more

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The food was amazing! French onion soup: 10/10 Truffle pasta: 10/10. Very earthy and balanced. Love the truffle flavor. Scallop risotto: 10/10. The scallops were perfectly cooked. The service was great and the ambiance was cute. It was a little crowded when we went but still a very cute place. read more

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we went during restaurant week and made a reservation but wasn't busy at all The restaurant week menu came with an app, entree, and dessert OMG THE DUCK WAS KILLER. JUICY, MOIST, TENDER, FATTY, FLAVORFUL. The l'orange sauce wasn't too tangy and was light but added so much flavor. The scalloped potatoes with leek were perfectly cooked and not too creamy. BUSS Escargot was buttery and filled the air with garlic tender but not the best I had. Baked brie is my type of bread n buttah. How can this not be good omg. And the pieces of toast were perfectly toasted and seasoned. Steak and truffle frites solid but duck was insanely better. Steak in my opinion was a lil dry and could use like a traditional french black pepper sauce. Creme brulee and cheesecake for dessert was good Service was friendly and attentive. read more

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To preface: I visited The Smoking Goat during restaurant week where the menu is prefix for the duration of the event. I had a reservation for a Wednesday evening at 6 PM and were seated right away when we arrived. We were greeting but the hostess at the front of the restaurant as well as our server. Seating was limited and we were sat at the chef's bar where we could see all the action happening in the kitchen due to the open kitchen concept. From the prefix menu we ordered the beef tartare and escargot for the appetizer, steak frits with fries and duck l'orange for our main, and crème brûlée and goat cheese cheesecake for dessert. We also ordered a Mac and cheese on the side, but it never came. Our server forgot to add it into the order which was a bummer - but no worries. We were too full anyways by the time we finished our entrees. Both appetizers were delicious - generous serving of beef for the tartar and escargot was flavorful. For the main, we ordered a medium rare steak which ended up being more rare than we liked, but it wasn't a problem. It was tender, juicy and had a great beef flavor to it. The duck was tasty as well and it paired nicely with the sweet maple sauce. Both desserts were exceptional - the crème brûlée was well caramelized and not too sweet. The cheesecake was slightly tart while being nice and light. Unfortunately, the desserts were both warm as it had sat on the counter for about 1-1.5 hours before being served. I believe they did this to speed up service during restaurant week. While the food was pretty good, the service was a bit slow. Granted, it was a very busy service with it being restaurant week but I feel the service could have been a bit more attentive. I'm glad The Smoking Goat participated in restaurant week, it was a good way to test out their best sellers all together. read more

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I'm a bit torn between a 3 and a 4 here. First the good stuff... The ambiance here is lovely and they keep the music down at a level where you can comfortably converse. The crispy octopus was delicious! The nigiri chicken and the salmon were properly cooked and tasty. The servings of sides like mashed potatoes and vegetables were generous. Now for the less than perfect. The service was a bit spotty for a relatively expensive restaurant. We had to wait quite a long while for our waters to be refilled after asking twice. The duck was over cooked. The appetizer salad was overpriced for the portion size. The mashed potato's were under seasoned. Overall I found it a bit overpriced given the food and service. read more

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We came to The Smoking Goat for Restaurant Week and overall had a good experience, though it started a little rocky. The 3-course menu was $70, which I thought was a great value. I ordered the French onion soup, duck, and crème brûlée. Unfortunately, even though we had a reservation at 7:15pm, we weren't seated until 8:30pm. I've never had to wait that long past a reservation, and it was definitely frustrating at first. That said, the owner was incredibly kind and went out of his way to make it right--he brought us complimentary drinks and duck fat fries while we waited. The fries were fantastic, super crispy and flavorful, paired perfectly with the Dijon garlic aioli. For the meal itself, the French onion soup was rich and comforting, and the escargot was also excellent. The duck, however, was a bit overdone for my taste. Dessert closed on a high note with a solid crème brûlée. Even with the long wait, I left feeling content thanks to the service and how much care the owner put into making sure we had a good time. I'd come back again, especially for those fries! read more

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I was thoroughly impressed with The Smoking Goat, and I can't wait to go back and dine-in. What impressed me most was that we ordered this delightful meal for takeout after my surgery. Ordering promptly at 5pm, our dinner arrived promptly and hot. I wanted to make sure we tried it all, so without further ado: The Poached Pear salad was delightfully refreshing, with the pistachio pesto adding so much pizazz. We also ordered the cheese plate because Humboldt Fog was on the menu, a fast favorite. Steak Frites were cooked to perfect medium rare, and the Duroc Pork Chop literally melted in our mouths, with the red pepper really standing out on the dish. Even the market veggies were perfectly seasoned and duck fat truffle fries were loved by Dad. After a life changing event, this meal was like a welcome hug home for our family and it really set us up for a nice evening. For being takeout, it was def 5-stars and I see why this is a beloved gem in the heart of North Park. read more

Excited for restaurant week, I made reservation for 7 pm. We arrived on time and checked, and were asked to wait a few minutes while the table was prepared. Over 20 mins later, the hostess came to seat us and then asked if we were okay with patio because we would have to wait longer for our actual inside. Hungry, we agreed. Overall a disappointing experience as we specifically wanted to sit inside and reserved accordingly. It's sad because everything we had was delicious. This inability to be prepared for a rush of reservations (we were one of 8 parties waiting over twenty minutes) does not match the level of restaurant Smoking Goat would like to be. Maybe I'll give it a chance again in the future, but for now, I'd rather find better service elsewhere. read more

The Smoking Goat - French Near Me - San Diego, California

Consistently good. I've been coming here for years. Never change ! Goat cheese cheesecake is a must !!! Service is always friendly !

I like the different French food options in San Diego, and this is one of the better ones. I liked the service, we had a down to earth server who checked in frequently and easily relatable. For appetizers we had escargot and french onion soup. I think the escargot sauce could be a bit stronger in the boldness of flavor like more pesto and garlic, but I like that bread is provided to eat with the snails and soak up the sauce. The french onion soup is also solid, love the onion flavor in the cheese, and the cheese flavor is heavy too. Also had the mussels which aren't the freshest I've had but I liked the flavor, but can also feel heavy with tomato, cream and melted cheese flavors in the sauce. Also comes with bread to soak up the mussel flavored sauce. Finally the entree we shared was the maple duck breast, which was just ok. Maybe it's the texture, or maybe the sweet flavor was too much, but I don't think I enjoyed this dish as much as the others. Beautiful presentation though. The portions are good too, had to bring some of the food to go after our meal. read more

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Overall, everything was great!! Service and ambiance 10/10! Duckfat truffle fries: 9/10 crispy, tasty, and not too oily Crispy Spanish octopus: 9/10 octopus was cooked well and loved how crispy it was French onion soup: 8/10 cheese pull!!!! Hit the spot Creme brulee: (complimentary birthday dessert) 9/10 Griddled banana bread 100/10!!! I would recommend this place just to try this! Loved it! read more

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Just came in for quick bite and wowwwwww. Chicken was insanely tasty. Great espresso martini and service was great. Thank you for always staying consistent. read more

The Smoking Goat - Chicken - French Near Me - San Diego, California

We went there on a Friday night with 4 of us and I ordered the Scottish Salmon dish and it was delicious. The salmon itself was very well cooked in the most balanced way texture wise. It was not overly cooked and the sauce was thick and creamy that just really brings out the flavor of the fish and lentils. We also tried the goat cheese cake which I highly recommend along with the crispy octopus which was also my favorite. Staff was amazing overall. It was more of a quiet night for a Friday nights. Bill came out to be around $400 with 4 entrees, 3 appetizers, 2 desserts, 2 wine glasses, and a mocktail so expect to pay on the higher end. Overall I liked the appetizers the most. Ambiance was great, decor was nice and vibe was cozy and intimate. read more

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Severely understaffed and I think a Friday night only exacerbates it. Probably took about 20 min to be asked if we wanted water. Bucatini was good, not great. The porkchop however was amazing. The mashed potatoes that came with it were meh. The Oso Buco was tough and dry and the polenta was really not good. Our server was friendly but it's clear that this place cannot run efficiently on a packed Friday or Saturday night. read more

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Superb performance Beautifully done I know these people work very hard and did a great job Food tasted exactly how it was described. Meat fell off Bones cheese melted in my mouth. The ambience was great. read more

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The interior of the restaurant is very pretty & a bit dim. The servers were very kind & willing to answer any questions you may have. We came here for restaurant week which was $60 per person for a three course meal. The steak & frites were a $9 surcharge. We're glad we got to try French cuisine, but it may not be for us. * Maple Leaf & Duck a I'Orange - 8/10 (the texture of the duck was similar to one of a steak. the vegetables paired well with the duck. it just wasn't really part of our flavor palate) * Steak Tartare - 8.7/10 (the texture of the beef was good. the flavor was rich. the pieces of bread added a nice crunch & complemented the tartare well) * French Onion Soup - 6/10 (the soup was very bland & it felt like the cheese was super rubbery & just slapped on the top. the bread pieces inside were good. not for us tho) * New York Steak & Fritz - 9/10 (this is not hard to mess up. great steak, cooked nicely but we just wish it was slightly more rare. the fries were addictive & light, and the truffle dipping sauce was delicious) * Goat Cheese Cheesecake - 8.5/10 (solid cheesecake. ~jerm. i love cheesecake so i thought the goat cheese was delicious. a bit tarty which i liked, especially with the berry sauce. ~tine) * Vanilla Bean Crème Brûlée - 8.5/10 (it was very rich & creamy. i really liked the caramelized sugar layer. ~jerm. you can really taste the richness from the vanilla bean. one of the best creme brûlée i have ever had. ~tine) read more

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We come here for the pate, and stay for the mussels. Best baguettes in town! It's hard not to fill up on the bread. read more

Food was amazing! We went to the Valentine's Dinner, and they had a set menu for starters, main, and dessert. We had French onion soup for our starter, and it was so cheesy and delicious. They used veal broth so it was so flavorful. They did add a few pieces of bread in there which I could've done without. I didn't particularly love the bread. Then I had some scallops on top of a risotto with fennel and green apple salad on top. Scallops were a little sandy but it was good overall. The duck was so flavorful and so delicious. Probably the best duck I've tried. The goat cheese cheesecake tasted a little too goat-y. Otherwise it was fluffy and good. Flourless chocolate cake was rich and decadent. Very delicious. Service was amazing. Our server was very proper and communicated everything to us very well. He was very attentive and we felt taken care of. The only thing we didn't love was sitting outside. That was the only option available for us for our reservation time, and it wasn't horrible but it didn't seem as nice as the inside. The people closest to the heater seemed to have control over the heater and they turned the heater off a few times because they were so close to it, but that affected the whole outdoor area and it got super cold unfortunately. It was a bit pricey but expected for a French restaurant/food quality. read more

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What happened to this place? I've been coming here for years, and it's obvious something has changed. It feels like they pick and choose who they want to treat well, and the genuine hospitality that kept us coming back is gone. I live in La Jolla--I know the difference between authentic service and something that's forced. The longtime gentleman who always welcomed us isn't there anymore, and ever since then the experience has gone downhill. The food quality isn't what it used to be, the service has slipped, and the whole place has lost the charm that made it special. Unfortunately, we won't be back. read more

Incredible food. This is a place to impress - whether it's an anniversary dinner, birthday, date night, outing with friends, you are going to have a great meal. I was about to say it was my first time but apparently I came (and reviewed) a decade ago! Shame I didn't come back for a do-over sooner as my other experience isn't really indicative of the potential. We came this past week for a birthday celebration with a small group (5). Got the baked brie to start and share....delicious and lovely presentation. I got the french onion soup, which is a staple of french cuisine, and did not disappoint. Cheese lovers unite! For my entree I selected the Maple Leaf Duck a l'orange​ which was magnificent and I highly recommend. Others selected the Duroc Pork Chop, which I sampled. A totally different flavor profile than my dish but also excellent. For desert...had to get Griddled Banana Bread "Bananas Foster." Probably my all time favorite desert there is. It was perfection...along with the complimentary creme brûlée for the birthday boy (always a nice gesture that is becoming more rare in today's world). Service was great and well attentive. Street parking in the area was fairly easy, but it was a Monday evening pre-christmas. Allow for some time as you never know. read more

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We visited the Smoking Goat for my son's birthday and all of us were blown away by the experience. We started off with the escargot drenched in herb butter, duck liver pate served with cheese and fruit jams and a deceptively unassuming appetizer simply called Cauliflower. Each appetizer that came out continued to delight us more than its predecessor. For the main course, we tried the Steak Frites, Maine Diver Scallops, Rocky Jr Chicken and the Wild Mushroom Linguini. Just when we thought they couldn't top the appetizers, each entree was on point ! We were too full for dessert but they brought out a cute complimentary dessert for my son. Two thumbs up!! read more

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I had dinner at The Smoking Goat. It was so good. I had the Jidori Chicken and the cocktail Lily Rose. We also had the crème brûlée. Everything was delicious. Chicken was both flavorful and tender. Service was amazing too. I would highly recommend eating dinner here with friends and family. read more

The Smoking Goat - French Near Me - San Diego, California

Amazing food, service was stellar, they give full service, and go above and beyond when possible. Definitely will be coming back, the duck liver pate was AMAZING in combination with the escargots. Kind of a nice rustic environment, felt very comfy. Colin was our server he was awesome! And shoutout to the host and chefs for today (5/28/26) they were all welcoming. Definitely something to look forward too when eating somewhere. read more