From the valet telling me the restaurant was on the 2nd floor (it's actually on the 3rd), to my eggs on eggs Benedict being soft/hard boiled (it's supposed to be runny, and was the same over boiled for all my other friends), to having to ask the waiter for everything twice, not coming with refills on water, this is a no-go back. The side potatoes were good though! However, I think the views can be nice but also right now it's a view of construction. Maybe dinner is better? My review is only on brunch. read more

VAGA Restaurant & Bar - Eggs Benedict with spinach avocado - overcooked - Latin American Near Me - Encinitas, California

Loved the presentation on everything and had good service. They will let you taste tests the wine to see which you liked For my Tuna Crudo the chips were a bit stale and very seasoned a little too much salt maybe? The presentation was still beautiful. The scallops were a great combination of flavor. Scallops, bacon, and cauliflower My favorite was the mango desert with roasted coconut. This was so delicious read more

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Pricey but sooo worth it! Vaga has been on our list of restaurants to try for a while. So glad we finally had a chance to visit. The staff was friendly and attentive. The view is amazing; brunch with view of the ocean is always a great experience. The hazelnut concha is a must. Is also highly recommend the batiquito bowl. It's definitely one of the best dishes I've had this year. read more

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I met the owner Claudette Zepeda on a Chefs Making Waves cruise and since she was local to San Diego I had to check it out. It was AMAZING. I came here for my birthday. I started with the beet salad so many different color beets and so refreshing. Then I had the pork and for desert which I don't think I will ever forget was the Mango Lassi tart. The service was great as well and they gave me a birthday card with the staff's signature. My friend ordered the scallops and they were cooked to perfection. Unfortunately Claudette wasn't available that evening but the experience was worth the meal. read more

The view was absolutely stunning the food was just meh. Everything looks like an amazing work of art but missing flavor. We ordered the rolls-dry, clams-gritty. Halibut was cooked to perfection but tasted like it had zero seasoning and the lentils that came with it were bland. My husband had the steak with tortillas that was much better than my halibut. Our friends had the scallops and said they were good. We also ordered a side of the carrots and broccolini which were pretty much raw and bland. The waiters were friendly and helpful. read more

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It's a beautiful restaurant but there's a lot to improve on. We went for brunch and there were 3-4 other tables, so quiet but the service was terrible. It took us 15 minutes just to get coffee and 45 to get our food. We could see the food sitting on the pass for at least 20 min- my daughter's oatmeal formed a crust because it had been sitting under the heat lamp for so long. The server didn't acknowledge the delay at all- which was off putting. The food was mediocre- I got an eggs benedict and the eggs were overpowered with the taste of vinegar. For the price they charge - I would expect much higher standards for food and service. read more

Another great breakfast at the Vaga Restaurant!!! This time I brought my son Alex!!! The ambience check, coffee check, views double check!!!! Bravo to the staff & see you soon! read more

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Ambiance great on patio overlooking beach service good food average could be hotter lacked distinctive taste peri peri chicken a bit tough no real taste delight as always in a resort a bit overpriced read more

We grabbed dinner here recently and the location is honestly hard to beat - being right by the beach really adds to the vibe. The whole place has a great feel to it, with a mix of people on casual dates and some dressed up for a night out. We tried the duck tacos and the sweet potato appetizer -- both were super tasty, and we were definitely ready to keep ordering. Unfortunately, the service didn't quite match the quality of the food. It was understandably busy when we arrived, especially in the patio area, which operates on a first-come, first-served basis. So, we were patient at first. However, even after things quieted down later in the evening, our server didn't check in with us for quite a while. At one point, we ended up sharing our table with another group, and when their order was taken, we weren't asked if we needed anything else -- not even a quick check to see if we wanted another round. By the time we were finally able to flag someone down, it was already time to wrap up. We completely get that things can get hectic during peak hours, but as the evening slowed, the continued delays and lack of attention felt disappointing. A bit more attentiveness would've gone a long way in making the experience more enjoyable. read more

Read ALL the reviews. There is a reason so many people have such terrible experiences. Such a shame to have a beautiful setting, but disappointing food and horrible service from top to bottom. I've now met over 6 people who all said this is their least favorite place in San Diego and will never go again. read more

I was told I could go to the bar for a full menu experience since the dining room was booked. When I sat on the couches I wasn't helped and I asked the bartender for a full meal and he said I needed to sit at the bar. I even asked if it was ok since I had my dog and he said absolutely. I received amazing service by all working at the bar that night. So much so the following day I went to the bar to grab a drink after brunch. I wanted to grab a bottle to take to my room but there was no chilled Pinot Grigio so I opted to order what I had last night, then I was told I couldn't sit at the bar with my dog. The exact same seat I was at last night. I am staying at the Alila for my dog's birthday. I wouldn't be there otherwise. This interaction with staff truly tainted my experience there. I'm traveling alone with my dog and having a positive experience at onsite dining is very important to me. I do not recommend this establishment. read more

From the valet experience where we were told to pull up and no one came to our car, except Matt who apologized for the wait, to going up the elevator to the restaurant and not even a happy greeting from the 2 hostesses that were standing around with no patrons, to being told to seat ourselves at the bar (which we did) but no one came to check on us. About 10 mins in, someone wiped the table we were sitting at and handed a menu only to be left there for an additional 15 mins when another party arrived behind us and were attended to. We ended up leaving , astonished at the experience. Didn't even get to order our drinks. Having been in the service industry my entire career I was deeply disappointed to have driven all this way from Orange County only to have these type of interactions across the board from each worker. Even as we excused ourselves to leave, the waiters passing by had tunnel vision not even aware of their surroundings (no "excuse me" as they pass through - just expecting us to move). I hope management spends some time elevating their team to a new level. 9/13 7pm team needs some support. read more

VAGA Restaurant & Bar - Taken on 9/13 at 7pm - Latin American Near Me - Encinitas, California

Out with a friend, we decided to stop by Vaga for lunch. We had a fabulous experience! What makes it 5 stars? - we were immediately seated upon arrival - beautiful decor, ambiance, and scenery: the restaurant is on the 3rd floor of the Alila Marea hotel in Encinitas with enchanting views of the ocean. It was clean and nicely air conditioned inside :) most of the patio was shaded. - fresh and tasty food, generous portions, fairly priced. We loved all the items we got. - good customer service: our waiter occasionally checked in on us but we also appreciated the quiet and no rush to get us out. - valet parking is complimentary before 5pm (after that, it's $5 with validation from the restaurant) - the bathroom was amazing! Clean, well stocked, and smelled heavenly (they must spray some white tea like fragrance). We would definitely return again and maybe even stay at the hotel! read more

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A great restaurant (especially the bar area!) with a stunning view of the ocean over Ponto beach. The food here is absolutely delicious (especially their brunch menu and burgers), with great gluten free options and some vegan options as well. Their craft cocktails are unique, but they can also do any sort of classic cocktails (a Cadillac marg and French 75 are among my go to drinks here). Heads up if you're sitting outside, it can get a bit chilly, although they do have lots of heaters and blankets you can borrow. Staff is friendly, although service can be a bit slow at times. Parking on site is valet only (which is usually $5, but has fluctuated anywhere from being free to $7 based on recent memory). read more

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I'm sharing feedback about a disappointing birthday experience at VAGA Restaurant. Given the resort's reputation and pricing, I expected much better service and quality. After being seated, it took about 20 minutes for anyone to check on us, and this delay continued throughout the evening whenever we needed anything. We were also attended by three different servers and never had one consistent person, which made the service feel disorganized. The cost was also hard to justify--about $140 for two mostly ice-filled cocktails, two glasses of house wine, bread, small fries, and a tuna crudo with just four tiny pieces. We mentioned it was my birthday, but the only acknowledgment was a comped side of fries, which didn't make up for the overall experience. I rarely complain, but this fell far below expectations. For a place at this price point, I expected far more. Unfortunately, it made for a very disappointing birthday and the food, drinks and service were sub par. So disappointing! read more

Excellent food with a few minor issues. Everything we ate at Vaga was stunningly delicious. I wanted to give 4.5 stars because of a few issues but decided to go with 5 because of the food quality. My only complaints are: They charge $10 for valet not including tip and I feel like if you are eating at the restaurant you should have to pay for valet. We had a 6:45pm reservation but didn't get seated until 7 pm (the host seemed a bit confused). It took awhile for our server to approach us. Once we ordered it took 40 minutes for the food to arrive. We did NOT however, order an appetizer, so possibly we would have had food sooner if we had. The restaurant is very noisy and its hard to have a conversation over the noise. Lastly, the scallop dish was teeny for the price. Now the good stuff: I had the crispy skin Ocean Trout and it was beyond yummy. The portion was large and everything on the plate was cooked to perfection including the carrots. It was just delectable and I could have licked the plate (haha). My friend had the Scallops which she said were equally as delectable as my dish BUT the portion was sooooo small. It came with 3 scallops and a miniscule amount of garnish/sides. It cost more than the Ocean Trout dish which was 4 times the size. My friend said they were the best tasting scallops she had ever had though. We did check out other main dishes being delivered to other tables and noticed that all the portions were all quite large so it was strange how small the scallop dish was. So if you go and are hungry be forewarned that the scallop dish will not be enough food. The dessert menu was very interesting and ecletic. The descriptions were pretty hard to understand and we had to have them explained to us twice. We went with the sticky toffee pudding with cranberry sorbet. It was soooo tasty. It was something I have never had anything like, very different and unusual. Again, I could have licked the plate. In conclusion - 5 + star food with great portion sizes except for the scallops. 4 stars for some of the service and noise level. This place has a price point that is not for the faint of heart so be forewarned. read more

We had a beautiful birthday dinner here last night! What a gem right in our area. The food and drinks were outstanding, but the service and staff were even better. We had trouble choosing between the dishes offered, and I LOVE that the menu is seasonal. So good to have an alternative to PCG on the water and with a menu that gets refreshed! Can't wait to return. read more

What a blessed dining experience we had at this amazing establishment, which was located upstairs at the Alila Marea Beach Resort in Encinitas. From the moment we entered the modern-minimalistic resto, we were welcomed with friendly smiles. Our party of 6 had dinner reservations at 5:00pm to celebrate our dear friend's birthday. We were promptly seated at a private dining table with a beautiful ocean view, and fortunately the sun came out and graced us that day! Our server, Alexis, was wonderful in explaining the details of the menu to us and made sure we were taken care of from beginning to end. Thanks Alexis! A few of the people in our party had the pleasure of dining there before, so their food and drink recommendations were spot on! The drinks: - Lava Flow (sinfully refreshing!) - Bonfire Buzz (wow!) We brought our own wine to toast ($35 corkage fee) The starters: - Charred Eggplant dip (delicious pickled veggies!) - Duck carnitas (super tender!) The salad: - Salted Baked Beets (my fave!) The entrees: - Short Ribs (boneless, tender, perfectly smoked!) - Kanaloa Catch of the day (Atlantic Wild Salmon, baked perfectly!) - Koji Hanger Steak (medium rare, thank you Chef!) - Market Risotto (added scallop for protein) The dessert: - Tried one of each, but the Mango Lassi in dessert form was next level! (Must get!) A sincere thank you to the Chef in Cuisine, as well as, everyone in the kitchen. It's been a long time since I've thoroughly enjoyed this amount of umami. I'm already looking forward to coming back in the near future! A special mention to Colin, who not only made sure our water glasses were always full, but who was so kind to take our picture and capture the momentous occasion. Thanks Colin! Our table was full, and so were we! Cheers and happy eating till next time! read more

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I have been waiting a long time to visit Alila Marea Beach Hotel in Encinitas and try its Vaga Restaurant. We went for brunch on a weekday. The ocean view was spectacular! The staff was very friendly and provided us with blankets since it was chilly sitting outdoors. We ordered the Kim Chee fried rice (which could use a little more spice from Kim Chee), carne asada omelette, Batiquitos Bowl, and french toast. The Brunch dishes were tasty, and the wait staff was very attentive. We look forward to returning for another brunch or dinner one day! read more

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Friends made the reservation for dinner. We were seated inside with a view table. The staff was very attentive. The only problem was the food- while we had previewed the menu online, and knew it was upscale and pricey, there was a disconnect somewhere between the chef and the diner. I ordered the short rib entree. It arrived tepid with a skimpy amount of sauce - and a separate casserole with 3 Corn tortillas. Everything is ala carte. So I ordered the sweet potato side. Pricey for 4 slices of a potato! My date ordered the chicken entree. He licked the platter clean! Yay. We shared a basic salad, greens, red onion, tomatoes etc. Ok, but nothing lip smacking or unusual for sure. We ended with a chocolate bombe for dessert. Luckily we ended with a sweet taste on our tongues that helped ease the sting of the bill. read more

When I approached the reception desk at Vaga Restaurant at about 11:45 am for my 12 Noon reservation on a Sunday, the tattooed hostess was furiously tapping on her I-Pad. Oddly, she continued her incessent tapping as I checked in and provided my name, scarcely looking up at me during the process. What on earth was so urgent on that I-Pad? Although the restaurant was nearly dead empty except for three occupied tables, the hostess asked me to wait a moment "to the side". She then resumed her furious I-Pad tapping. After waiting and standing there in the empty room for TEN MINUTES, I approached the tapping hostess [yes, she was STILL going at it!] and advsied her that i had just undergone a total left knee replacement surgery and could I please be taken to one of the sea of empty tables in the dining room. She seeemed surprised by my presence, and commented "she wasn't sure" if a server were available. Note---as stated above, the room was nearly empty, there seemed to be a number of staff members milling about, and at NO time later did any additional servers come on duty in the dining room, so it is not as if she was waiting for additional staff to arrive before seating me. Nonetheless,, I was seated at that time. The restaurant was "out" of the bottle of Iitalian Sparkling wine I initially requested. Accordingly, I went with a bottle of French Champagne, which I emjoyed. Once seated, the service by a young blond woman from Vermont [I forget her name] was kind an efficient. She was assited by Joey from Philadelphia, who was equally pleasant I noticed other people who arrived after me were also made to wait inexplicably long times by the hostess before being seated. Why? What is going on at the reception at Vaga? The Fish escabeche was delicious and beautifully served. The valet parking up front is easy and seamless, and the attendants greet you nicely. Someone thereafter opens the door to the lobby, which is a nice touch. read more

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I found this place through an IG post by an influencer & I thought I give it a try since hubby & I was in the area. We came here for brunch yesterday & surprisingly, it was pretty empty. The restaurant was inside of Alila Marea Beach resort. The resort was beautiful inside! It was immaculate & the decor was modern & inviting. The resort was situated near Carlsbad beach & we could the see the view of the beach as we sat outdoors. It was so relaxing. We started off with a glass of champagne & as for entrees, hubby offered the tuna melt & I had the smoked Salmon Benedict. We both enjoyed our meal. The smoked salmon wasn't salty at all & the eggs were poached to perfection. Normally, I don't finish both Benedict's at other places but it was so light that I demolished all of it. Potatoes turned out crispy just the way I like it. Hubby finished his meal as well. Our server Sydney was wonderful. She was friendly & attentive the entire time. I look forward to coming back to try their dinner menu. read more

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Arrived to the hotel and lobby was empty. No one told us where inside the restaurant was located. The valet didn't even direct us when we arrived. Got to the restaurant after roaming around and we weren't greeted by the hostess. Two women just talking and stared at us waiting for us to speak. After being seated our server was lovely! The menu is small and boring. The food was tasteless. We got duck carnitas and the only thing with flavor was the black beans it was sitting on. The garlic house rolls were so dry! We didn't finish them and there were only four. The peri peri chicken looked amazing and tasted like nothing. It didn't even have salt. How do you have peri peri chicken with ZERO flavor. The desserts were overly sweet and we didn't finish those either. This place must be surviving because of the view/location by the water. No need to go back. To add insult to injury, it's overpriced. What a waste. read more

Excellent food! Beautiful presentation! Fantastic service! And a view to die for! Winner all the way! Highly recommend! Free parking inside the hotel before 5pm read more

VAGA Restaurant & Bar - Kimchi Fried Rice - excellent - Latin American Near Me - Encinitas, California

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We went here for our regular Thursday evening date night. This place was recommended by a friend for the views. Unfortunately we came during spring time and it's already dark by 5:30 pm so we didn't really see the ocean views at 7 pm. The place is very nice, modern business style. We were seated right away after confirming our reservation and the hostess and our server were very attentive. We were given great recommendations for food and everything came out fantastic. Will definitely came back. read more

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Two stars but the good food elevated this to 3 stars. The food was pretty good but we were not very happy with the service overall. I have lived in San Diego for a while and even in the most upscale restaurants, there is a sense of laidbackness and approachability. Hell, even at Addison, which is a Michelin 3 star restaurant, the staff was much more grounded than the service personnel here. We had reservations but we got here a little early and headed to the bar when they told us that there was some time before we could be seated. The bar wasn't crazy busy but it took a while to flag a server down. It felt like they were purposely avoiding us. Once we were seated, at least I got a sense that our server had already made up their mind about us. Could it have been the way we were dressed (non-fancy outdoor clothes as opposed to being dressed to the nines? I don't know. I just know that our experience here was dimmed by the service. Let's talk about the food and drinks - the Moscow mule and Old Fashioned were pretty strong. A mule not presented in the right drinkware is always a little disappointing. We ordered the blistered shishito peppers, mashed yucca, the sea scallops and the catch of the day, which was salmon. Our favorite in the list was the mashed yucca. I'm not the biggest fan of yucca because it is never smooth enough in the mashed form. This was not the case with the Vaga Yucca. It was mashed to the very last millimeter and then a little more to make a smooth, delicious mash with onions and cilantro. Absolutely delicious and we highly recommend ordering this. The sea scallops were way more delicious than the salmon. I think it was vinaigrette that was the difference between the two. I would recommend them any day. The blistered shishito peppers were delicious but not at all spicy. This was a pretty expensive meal. I had expected more of a Mexican twist given the history of the restaurant's owner chef. It felt more American and fusion instead. While I don't mind paying for good food, I do think that we overpaid for the whole experience as the service part was severely disappointing. San Diego has several other amazing dining experiences so I don't think we will give Vaga another try. read more

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Service meh Food... long wait. Not seasoned at all, Margaritas, paid for patron than up charge to make a margarita All in all very bad experience. Won't go back. $10 to valet, tipped on meal than saw they automatically charged top Want my tip and day back! read more

You can eat at the seaside restaurant while looking at the sea. First of all, the environment is very good. In addition, the food made by the host is also very exquisite, and the breakfast here is not limited to the number of orders per person. Very friendly. We are not good at English and very patient to explain to us. On the whole, the food is very experienced and the environment is very beautiful. I recommend you to come. read more

The blueberry pancakes where amazing ! This place has beautiful beach views and great customer service. read more

VAGA Restaurant & Bar - Latin American Near Me - Encinitas, California

Great atmosphere, service and food offerings. Patio is covered and has great views of the beach below. Will return. read more

I got the Halibut Toast for breakfast & Bubby got the veggie omelette. Both were excellent. Lots of great vegetables in the omelette. Coffee was excellent and service, supremely good. We came for dinner also and Ali was an amazing server! He took excellent care of us and made the experience very memorable! Thanks, Ali! read more

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Had a birthday dinner planned at the pocket, but unfortunately, due to weather they closed. Most places would have left it at that and said please join us another time, but the manager Patrick reached out and asked us if we would like to have drinks and food at the bar at VAGA instead. Although it was not what we planned for my friend's birthday it was still a great evening . The food, drinks, and service at Vega was exceptional! The weather ended up clearing right before sunset and we had a beautiful view from the bar! I would definitely recommend the VAGA bar for any occasion. read more

Enjoyed the trout, corn and pasta entree and the shishito peppers. Did not appreciate the hostess, after seating us at a table, asking us to move to the noisy bar area or outside. Even though four tables were still dining, she thought it was too close to closing time for us. Too bad. Glad we didn't move since our server, originally from Michigan City, Indiana, was great. Wouldn't have visited without the Amex Fine Hotels of the World dining credit. Also witnessed an older gentleman escorted out of the bar by security for boorish behavior. read more

While living in Minneapolis we watched the series Iron Chef Mexico and fell in love with Chef Claudette Zepeda culinary skills on the show. We had dreams of the days we would be back in San Diego to make a reservation to finally try her restaurant. We made a reservation for anniversary and it did not disappoint. Pro tip: they only do valet so be prepared for that. We got a lovely window seat with a beautiful view. Started off with some warm bread which was hit with our 7 month old. Along with the Potato & Coal Roasted Leek which was quite tasty. Main course was the Achiote & Sour Orange Chicken & Market Fish which was the swordfish for the night. I'll tell you what, the Chicken was a very decent portion of protein it was definitely filling. My wife enjoyed her swordfish and my daughter loved her bread. Also, we enjoyed our meals with a nice glass of wine. It was a lovely evening. Thanks VAGA. read more

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Who likes the ocean? We LOVE the view in this restaurant being in the Hyatt: Alila Marea Beach Resort hotel. Beautiful place for brunch so A+ for ambience. Definitely a place to go to again. We ordered the Vaga Breakfast, Vegetable Omelette and Crabs Benedict, all delectably made! Don't forget the extra bacon which made the plate even bettah! Kelsey served us who was also very pleasant and friendly. Hope she gets a raise :). We walked around the place which was ideal, being near the ocean, having access to a private beach near the hotel. The view was breath taking! Thanks Vaga waving (meaning of the word vaga), until the next wave! read more

VAGA Restaurant & Bar - Thumbs up for Vaga! - Latin American Near Me - Encinitas, California

Loved, loved, loved this place! We came to celebrate my cousin's graduation, and it was an amazing experience from start to finish. Our server, Johan, went above and beyond; he truly made the night even better than we could have imagined! The food was delicious, and the ambiance was excellent. I'd definitely recommend this spot for a small gathering or just a relaxing evening with friends!! read more

My friend wanted to check out the new restaurant at the alila hotel and so she made a reservation on a Saturday night. Place was busy so we couldn't move our reservation up. Elevated restaurant space and nice hotel setting for a date night. Menu is eclectic. I would call it American/seafood. Overall the food was pretty but it was pricey and valet was $5. They do have a kids menu which is good if you are staying with kids and need to eat the restaurant. read more

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We love Vaga! Dinner and brunch are both so great here. Special shoutout to Brandon M, who is the reason for this review. He was one of the most kind, attentive servers we've ever had. Our whole table had food allergies/restrictions and he was so patient with taking everyone's orders and he double checked with the chef to ensure food safety. He even brought out a gluten free, dairy free, nut free birthday dessert so everyone at the table could enjoy it. read more

Had brunch there today with my mom and we really enjoyed the food and view. Our server Sydney was lovely. However - the hostess working this morning was not friendly and had a slight attitude. We asked when the tables outside would be ready and she said she didn't know (it's quite easy to check if people are finishing their meals or have the check on the table) and "we have to wait for them to get up". Loved the pastry platter as a starter :) read more

VAGA Restaurant & Bar - Latin American Near Me - Encinitas, California

I booked a New Years dinner here at about $200 a person. (fixed price). Once sat, It took us about 20mins to get drinks ordered, and then 30mins on top of that to receive the drinks. The restaurant was for the most part empty with one waitress seemingly serving everyone. We ordered some appetizers which were good, and then for our main courses I had ordered a Lobster Pasta and my partner ordered the a Grilled Halibut. It looked great, however the lobster was chewy and hard to eat while the Halibut was dry. I've never been one to complain about food since I understand things happen, however with the pricing of the meal and expecting an amazing experience to close out the year, it felt disappointing. It looked like they were setting up for an event while we were eating so I'm not sure if that affected the food that we had received. I do want to note that our waitress was LOVELY! We had some great convos that kept us in high spirits while we were there. I hope this was a one-time experience but I will say this has lost my trust to return. read more