What we ordered | French Toast ($12) | Steak Frites ($28) | Carbonara ($18) Taste | steak and fries were good. portion of the steak was on the smaller side. the campari whipped cream tasted odd to me and was not a fan of it with the french toast. the carbonara texture was slightly different than your typical carbonara. Service | servers were very nice; adjusted the umbrellas for us as we sat outside with our dog Parking | street/small lot Notes | parking is a bit tough here read more

Valentina - Carbonara | French Toast | Steak Frites - Seafood Near Me - Encinitas, California

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Great food (tapas style) Love the ambience as there'll be trains passing by. Service is great as they're very friendly, accommodating and quick. The parking situation is a bit interesting. Would recommend going there several minutes before the reservation time to look for parking spots. read more

What a charming black and white decorated restaurant with a mélange of beautiful flavors in every dish! We had the strangely tasty anchovy toast, broccolini salad, and albondigas meatballs for our starters, and then we shared the Seabass. Everything could not have been tastier! Our server, Camille, checked in on us often, and we got to have a little pleasant conversation! We arrived at 6 PM and by seven, every table was filled up! This charming restaurant on the 101 place made it through the Covid era as a new restaurant then, it's a testimony to the excellent cuisine! We drove 45 minutes to go there and we will do it again! Do not miss out on this gem! The old-fashioned and sangria cocktails were excellent as well! read more

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If I could give this place 10 stars I would. The food was incredible, but the service was our favorite part. Our waiter had excellent recommendations and he paced out the meal perfectly so we never felt rushed. The ambiance was lovely and very romantic. read more

Valentina was yet another delicious treat on this tour! It's a small, but romantic modern European spot in Leucadia. The decor inside is modern industrial with a tinge of nautical, a salute to the beach city perhaps? Looking over the menu, several items caught my eye but I couldn't help but notice that it didn't lean towards a specific European country, rather there is an opportunity for you to tour several countries over the course a meal if you wanted as the menu featured dishes associated primarily with Spain, France, and Italy. I ultimately decided on the corn soup and the mussels. My waitress tried to sell me on a half baguette too which in theory would be excellent to soak up all of the the delicious mussel broth. However, I choose to prevent food waste if I can and a half baguette for a solo person would not have been good. Starting with the soup, it was delicious. You could really pick up on the smokiness of the roasted corn. The roasted poblano peppers and vanilla oil on top were nice touches though the oil did not really shine as much as the peppers. The soup was also more rustic with a coarser blend but I rather liked it. All in all, it was a comforting bowl of soup and well executed. For the mussels, you definitely get a pretty generous portion! The mussels of a good size, plump and juicy and steamed perfectly. The white wine, garlic, parsley, and butter sauce? Well, that was, as expected, amazing! The dish comes with 4 grilled crostini which aren't great for dipping so I mostly used an empty half shell to ensure that I had broth with every mussel and trust me, that's the move. To round out dinner, I went for the basque cake which was also delicious! I loved that it was delivered warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream on the side. The contrast between warm/cold was surprisingly wonderful. As for the cake, its mostly an almond cake but I liked the addition of amarena cherries...too bad I only had 2 through my whole slice. I also loved the bites that got the pastry cream from the middle - those bites were definitely meant to be savored! If you have room, definitely get this dessert. If you don't have room, make some. Dinner for 1 came to just about $50 including tip. read more

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We had an enjoyable dinner at this charming restaurant. The mussels were served in a butter and white wine sauce that was delicious. The octopus was tender. The soft shell crab was crisp and intimidating, but good. I think the baguette was perfectly crisp on the outside, soft on the inside. Was not impressed with the basque cake. There are a few things that negatively affected my experience at Valentina. Service was attentive. But fell off toward the end of our meal when our server was MIA. She finally showed up and apologized w when she reappeared at least half hour later. It may be just me, but the smell of the copper tables was unappetizing. Lastly, they require $20 per person reservation fee. There are so many new restaurants that don't require the reservation fee, it may be a while before I return. read more

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This place was really great all around! We got the octopus carpaccio, the Patas bravas, pan tomate, and the artichokes. We also got a Spanish wine and everything was absolutely delicious and one of the better meals I've had in a really long time! The ambience is really cute too, and our server was so kind and knowledgeable. read more

SEAFOOD. SEE. FOOD. (4.25 stars) Hola Valentina. - FOOD: yum - PRICE: fair - SERVICE: excellent until it got busy - AMBIANCE: bright, inviting, open :: FOOD :: ARONA SAUVIGNON BLANC ($10) - whites pair well with seafood. But I didn't just enjoy this wine because it pairs well but for many other reasons. I am a white wine lover from regions of France (Pinot Blancs) and as of recent the past few years have taken a strong gravitation towards whites from Marlborough region of New Zealand (Sauvignon Blancs). This one was LOVELY. Easy and smooth to sip, hints of fruits, and it was dry. I love a dry white that gives that crispy and refreshing taste. And I got a nice buzz which lead to a deep nap afterwards. HIGHLY RECOMMEND. CHIPIRONES A LA PLANCHA ($13) - Seared local baby squid. They were tiny but prepared simply yet deliciously. Adding a fresh squeeze of lemon brought out a little more flavor. They were seared perfectly... baby squid is delicate and can easily be over or under cooked and neither was the case. I did pop one in my mouth and it was "stuffed". I proceed to assume they were stuffed with something I didn't recognized and it felt like hundreds of tiny clear pulp-like texture that were oblong shaped with no flavor. The next one I ate was NOT stuffed and so forth. They are NOT suppose to be "stuffed" and suppose to have a hallow body. I googled and realized I ate roe from a pregnant squid (lol, YES, a pregnant squid) - very weird, kinda gross, and I can't believe I ate that when it wasn't suppose to be there. It didn't taste like anything and I thought it was part of the dish (it was clear and barely noticeable) and didn't die so all is OK. Besides that pregnant squid, overall this was still delicious. HIGHLY RECOMMEND. ... on a side note, crossing out pregnant squid off of my "weird things I've ate" list. On a positive note, my takeaway is, "you haven't lived a full life until you are a pregnant squid" lol jk. MEJILLONES A LA MEUNIÈRE ($19) - muscles meunière style. This was served in a thin redish broth with flavors of rich garlic and butter with a little bit of heat. It is served with grilled bread which is perfect for dipping into the sauce. The broth always makes a muscles dish. HIGHLY RECOMMEND PASTEL VASCO ($15) - basque cake. The cake AND ice cream had fresh vanilla bean and complimented each other in texture. The cake was dense, soft, and custardy with a thin crunchy top and the ice cream added that cold "wet" factor. RECOMMEND. :: SERVICE :: Excellent at first before it became busy. Very attentive service and good amount of checking in. Even when mentioned about the pregnant squid (after the plate was finished) was offered a new plate (but declined because it wasn't necessary). It was when the restaurant became busy the server was stretched thin until others came to shift. The bill was asked twice and waited for a long time (maybe 15min) until the bill arrived to the table. Not upset, busy... happens! Just mentioning. Will definitely be back! JABA APPROVED. Until the next review... read more

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Legit, yummy Spanish tapas!!! Wow! Felt like we flew to Barcelona for dinner. We will be back! read more

Valentina - Tapas galore! - Seafood Near Me - Encinitas, California

this place is more like a 4.25 out of 5 stars. We had a staycation in rancho santa fe, and wanted to find something to bring back to the hotel to eat. Glad i ended up picking this place. i don't think i've ever been to Encinitas, and definitely never drove on the coast hwy in this part of town. I found so many cool restaurants and if i'm back in the area, i'll definitely check out some others. We ended up getting steak tartare with fries and salad, squid and 1 order of sausages. Everything was great and i'm glad they packed in separate boxes for the steak tartare entree combo. The best item was the squid followed by the sausages. the steak tartare was a bit on the bland side, but i enjoyed how they included a raw egg to mix into the meat. The only con was that they didn't provide any utensils for to go orders. I'm not sure where people could park as the main street was under construction the time we went, but i can see how this place could be a very cute date dinner location. read more

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We made reservations for dinner and arrived a bit early, but was able to get seated right away! We sat out in the patio area and it's such a delightful place. My friend ordered a glass of pinot noir and it came with a cute carafe. There were so many items I wanted to try! We ended up getting the mussels, half baguette, pulpo, and the crispy softshell crab special. Their menu items are great for sharing and portions are just right. The half baguette was actually a lot of bread! The broth for the mussels was so flavorful. I also enjoyed the pulpo and softshell crab was interesting. I've been seeing basque cake a lot on IG lately, so I was excited to try this dessert. It came with vanilla ice cream, but I thought it was okay. Service was really attentive at first, then we were unable to find our server for long periods of time. Overall, I had a nice time here and wouldn't mind trying their other menu items soon! read more

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Excellent food and service! We ordered a variety of appetizers and a few entrees to share during our girls nights. All of them were delicious. Well priced and the service was great. read more

We ordered the Tomaquet con Iberico, Croquetas de Iberico, Patatas Bravas, Alcachofa, Sashimi de Atun and Lubina con Patatas. Everything was amazing & the Lubina was the most perfectly cooked sea bass I have ever had in my life. The atmosphere is cozy and we love to sit out on the street bistro tables. Staff is amazing and Issa (probably spelt that wrong) has such a great energy and everyone was incredibly attentive and warm. read more

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This is our second visit to Valentina and it was as good as the first. First - both times the service was impeccable- Shiloh and Summer are great at recommending a dish and knowledgeable about wine to pair with the dishes. Second - the decor is fun and a conversation starter for sure. Last- the incredible FOOD. We started with Gambas Al Ajillo and Mussels Marinieres. The kick of spice on the shrimp was perfect and they came to the table sizzling. Be sure and get the fries to go with the Mussels. Every bite was delicious. The Alcachofa was a showcase of how versatile an artichoke is in the kitchen. A visit wouldn't be complete without the Arroz Del Senyori. Crispy rice, lots of seafood, full of flavor. Chefs kiss to a perfect dish. Leave room for the Basque Cake. Not too sweet or heavy - just right. We are going back soon to check out the other dishes. This is definitely our go to Spanish restaurant. read more

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Came here for last minute belated brunch to celebrate my 30th birthday. Invited 3 of my girlfriends who haven't really had tapas before so we really didn't know what to expect. But the experience here was awesome! We shared a bunch of plates and our favorite (that my mouth is still watering at) we're the Patatas Bravas. They were these thinly sliced potatoes stacked together with this Smokey cheesy sauce on top. They were so good, we had to order 2! Service was quick and our waiter gave us a ton of great recommendations. The restaurant is super cute, lots of open air and has very eclectic decor. Come early to find parking. There isn't much because it's all street parking. That is probably the only downside of the restaurant location. Other than that, it was great! read more

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Fantastic ambience, service, wine list, and serious food. Yes, please! Todd Henderson and team does an amazing job.

The food is good. The furniture is uncomfortable. Don't let them charge you a credit card fee if you use a debit card. That's illegal.

Pros - Ordered the Arroz del Senyoret (Gentleman's Rice) and it was OUTSTANDING. Think of paella, but made for a single serving. The seafood was really well cooked and tender. Rice crust provided a wonderful texture without being burnt. - Mojito was tasty - My server Jessica was attentive and pleasant without hovering. Con - Seating at the bar was REALLY tight. I'm only 5'6" and felt cramped. read more

Valentina - Seafood Near Me - Encinitas, California

We were really excited to go to Valentina because it has an awesome looking menu. For starters we ordered a half dozen shio tang oysters which were really fresh but a bit bland which was a bit surprising for me for Pacific Northwest oysters. The chiparones a la plancha were seared perfectly and tasted great! The gambas al ajillo were yummy in the garlic butter but made me wonder if it would have been even better if they used a different type of shrimp with the heads on. The yellow corn soup was fresh and creamy but I wished there was a tad bit more vanilla bean oil flavor. For our main course, we ordered the paella de mariscos which was a bit on the salty side but the seafood was very sweet and fresh. We ended the night with a basque cake which I thought could have tasted even better with a few more amarena cherries in it. Valentina has great potential with the right ingredients but maybe the overall execution of it all was lacking just a bit. Maybe with a little tinkering it can become a can't miss restaurant. Service was also a tad slow but hopefully that will also change as we slowly try to dig ourselves out of Covid. And one last thing, they really need to provide more spacing for outdoor seating as it was ridiculous on how they placed their tables and chairs on the street seating side. It was so difficult to squeeze into my seat and I saw a lot of other customers complaining about the set-up as well. read more

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Loved the vibe of this place for a date night. The sharing plates were all delicious. Service was ok but we will Be back for the food. read more

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Tapas style dining so smaller portions. Food was delicious. We ordered the oysters, patatas bravas, and pan tomate for appetizers. We can't wait to return to try more! For entrees we ordered the sea bass and steak. We also ordered the basque cake and bunuelos. Everything was incredible! They aren't a full bar which is a negative for me. It seems to get busy but our waiter was great. It's got trendy decor, both indoor and outdoor options, and I loved the vibes. read more

Valentina - Patatas bravas - Seafood Near Me - Encinitas, California

Maybe eat before you arrive? A table outside with a broken heater on a chilly evening? Better yet, a communal table with seriously lacking lowback chairs? Perfect! Service was basically non-existent at the communal. No water refills, no ice. Asked for a non-alcoholic cocktail but everything is premixed except a (no) gin and tonic. You'd think a $15 cocktail would be made to order? We passed on the $15 glass of tonic water. Spanish food is great, but they serve a more refined (read: expensive) version. Octopus crudo was good, squid was overly chewy, sea bass was unremarkable. Mentioning a food allergy didn't yield any suggestions except one that I would have clearly been allergic to. Fail. Definitely wouldn't come back. Not that they'd care. Left hungry and disappointed. read more

Food was ok but pricey...service had much to be desired. This place has the feel that they take their customers for granted.

wow. one of the best restaurants in san diego. our server violet was so informative, kind and attentive. the food was 10/10. everything was so flavorful, came out hot, and was just delicious. we got the smashed tomato bread, artichokes, and crudo to start. wouldn't have changed a thing about those! then we got the paella (unreal) , the chicken, the steak and the weinersnitzel which happened to be one of the best flavored dishes we ever had! to top it off the atmosphere is so bright and warm and it felt so comfortable. we can't wait to come back! read more

Date night, birthday dinner, casual meet-up with friends, Valentina is a great spot for any occasion. The food was excellent, but the standouts were the patatas bravas and basque cake. Portions are on the smaller side because they are tapas, and they have an extensive wine list and a few beer options. Service deserves 5 stars. Shoutout to Kim and the bussers who were exceptional. Attentive but not too overbearing and made dinner memorable. For weekend dinner, make a reservation (they'll require a credit card) if you want to be seated at a table. It looked like most walk-ins were either given the option to sit at the bar or the communal table inside the main dining area. There are also a few patio tables on the sidewalk with heat lamps. Knocking off a star because of the prices. We ordered the boquerones (anchovies), which were good but were two index finger-sized anchovies, split in half, for $9 and only came drizzled with olive oil and a lemon wedge. A slice of the basque cake with a scoop of vanilla ice cream was $15. And four baby squid were $12. Street parking wasn't too hard to find. read more

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Fantastic all around!!! My party of six ordered a bunch of share plates and there was no bad bite. The steak tartar and mushrooms were especially delish and the service was great. Highly recommend, especially with a group! read more

Lots of hype. Beautiful restaurant, smallish. It really comes down to simple straight forward dishes with very strong execution. With that in mind I wouldn't have minded some uniqueness. The sashimi is decent. I've definitely had better quality fish else where in San Diego. It's bathed inside rich olive oil and relies on capers, onions, salt and pepper for flavor. The steak sandwich is pretty standard. Something that can be attained at a public house on the 101. The muscles were a big win. Classic butter and white wine sauce with no less than 20 muscles. Strong value on this one. The fries are also up there. You've never seen a more golden brown perfectly cooked fry I guarantee it. All in all pretty good but really just a well decorated public house with a side of solid service. read more

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Cool little Spanish tapas style fusion restaurant with local flare in Escondido. We stopped by for a quick and early dinner around 5PM in a Sunday and found the place surprisingly full for the mentioned time. Valentina has a beautiful modern decor, and is located blocks away from the beach. We ordered octopus carpaccio, Spanish sashimi - a trio of crudo fish, an absolutely delicious corn soup and a cauliflower raclette dish that was recommended by staff. Everything was very enjoyable and fresh. Tips: This is a happening, busy spot, reservations are recommended. Street parking. Fusion tapas style place perfect for sharing. Hip and modern interior. Great wine and drinks list. Tastefully curated unique menu. read more

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We've been here three times and have had an amazing experience every time! Wonderful tapas menu with a thoughtful drink menu that suits the food menu very well. The staff is always very helpful and knowledgeable and the space is beautiful! read more

A nice date night spot. Lovely ambiance. We enjoyed the food a lot especially the paella, tomato toast with jamon and the garlic shrimp. However, portions are reallyyyyyy reallyyyy small and prices are really high. This is a special occasion type of place, not my new regular spot. read more

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Probably the best service we've had at a restaurant in a while. Food was delicious. My only criticism is the portion sizes, even for tapas was ridiculously tiny given the price. The beef and salmon - though tasty - were sliced so thin- if put together wouldn't equal one mouthful. The artichoke was fabulous- as was the rice & seafood dish. Food taste & service rocked, although we left still a bit hungry and a decent dent in our wallets. Would go again with appropriate expectations read more

Went without reservation on Saturday for our anniversary. Were able to be seated within 15 minutes although place was packed. Got lucky. The service is incredible the food is much much better than incredible. Everything we tried was exceptionally good. The wineeeee !!! One of the best wines I have tried. The best surprise was the price. Can't wait to be back read more

Not sure why have not given this place a 5 star review yet. Have been eating here often since moving down to Carlsbad 3 1/2 years ago. Valentina is one of a few handful of good restaurants in North County. Valentina is heavy on the European Charm and aesthetics with Estrella on draft and a solid wine selection to include Central Coast and Northern California wines, which I think are superior ;) . They finally got real wine glasses after serving it in little Cafe Copas. Food is solid and consistent without a lot of fusion or other foof trying to discern themselves from other spots. Menu has changed over time but quality is consistent and the classics are executed perfectly. Prices have gone up but inflation is nuts everywhere. Southern European classics could only be had cheaper if you were in Nice or Malaga. The tartare - best around Sashimi - quality fresh fish , good portions, Steak Frites - They did get rid of this one but it hits all the notes Patatas Bravas - Here they do do it a tad more laborious with stacking layered potatoes making for better texture and I am glad they do versus the traditional method of just here are some fried potatoes. The sauce is great and has a hint of chipotle which may just be some smoked paprika. Valentine's Day they had a special prix fixe and it hit hard. Fresh Beet Salas, Octopus Agua Chile. A little more outside the box from what you normally get but still amazing. I would sum it up. Quality in a small and aesthetic intimate environment with skilled chefs and knowledgeable wait staff. One issue on this last visit was the tartare and oysters were pre plated and then thrown in the fridge. We had to give them a minute at the table to rise in temperature as the initial bites were too cold. read more

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This is a quaint and modern establishment filled with charming vibes. We had a ceasar salad, bluefin carpaccio, grilled squid, scallop on shell, chimichuri steak, and a seafood paella to share. My favorites were the bluefin carpaccio and chimichuri steak. The paella was just ok. It had squid, shrimp, and mussels. It would have been tastier if the squid was grilled first and mixed in but that's not the traditional way so it is appreciated for what it is. The vibe was good and the staff were friendly. read more

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Valentina We had a dinner for four persons at Valentina earlier this week. Parking can be a bit challenging but it typically can be found across the street near the railroad tracks. We arrived at peak dining time but the table was reserved and ready. We ordered a verity of small dishes. They included; Mussels Marinieres, Patatas Bravas, Alcachofa (smashed artichoke), Baked Bread, Tomaquet con Iberico, Roasted carrots. We can highly recommend all of those dishes. Don't forget to order the Basque Cake for desert. Service was excellent throughout the evening. An added benefit was the very reasonable "house wine" pricing. Overall, a great dinner. Highly recommended. read more

Food was very good a little rich, but really good. The issue I had was the booths are just a hard wood seat. The chairs are hard wood . The barstools are hard wood and small, very uncomfortable. If you sit longer than 20 minutes it's uncomfortable, they need to add some padding. It would be nice if they had a full bar too, but That might be tougher to do. read more

I've been wanting to try this place and decided to go for brunch. Menu is quite small but I think that is a good thing, because then you know that the food is fresh. The wait staff were welcoming and attentive. I started off with Prosecco and my husband got a beer. I was really looking for mimosas or cute girly drinks but didn't see it on the menu. I guess I could've asked. They have a nice wine menu though! Anyway we ordered the Spanish sashimi and seared squid for appetizers. Sashimi was simple but so good and fresh. The seared squid was clean and light but just as delicious. For our entree I ordered their mussels and he got the steak and fries. Mussels were good, same as I've had before. My husband was impressed with how they made the steak as he ordered, medium rare. As this not being a steak restaurant, he enjoyed his steak. We didn't get the lemon like most of yelp posted but I enjoyed brunch. I do want to come back for a dinner session to taste the dinner menu. read more

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We went here for my wife's birthday and I'm very happy that we chose it. The front desk was very accommodating and able to get my large party indoors instead of the patio. Our server was helpful and the food and drinks were very timely. The sangria, old fashioned and negronis were great. We ordered a ton of food and most were very good. The eggplant, sea bass, carpaccio, croquettes, tartare, artichokes, oysters, and baby squid were very good. Throw in the still steaming bread and it made everything even better. The razor clams were too chewy but the flavor was good. My kids medium steak was well done but overall okay. Would definitely recommend and look forward to coming back and trying the rest of the menu. read more

Valentine's Day '21 Prix-Fixe Review Food: The food was AMAZING! We started with a fresh salmon amuse-bouche that had our appetite churning. The appetizers followed and did not disappoint - the half dozen oysters my girl and I shared were fresh and flavorful, while the Spanish sashimi comprising scallops, salmon, and ahi were mouthwatering delicious melted like butter; no fishiness whatsoever to these seafood dishes. Speaking of more seafood, we shared the local halibut seared in a creamy lobster broth and seafood paella cooked to perfection, not to mention the artsy presentation. The portions here were decent. Again, the freshest ingredients were used and was just comfort food and it's finest! For dessert, we shared the basque cake and panna cotta. Both dishes were not overly sweet and the flavors worked well together. They were not extraordinary, so not much else to say about them. Also, they had a nice extensive beer and wine list. We were satisfied with our drinks. Service: We had reservations, so we were seated once we checked in. We requested seating at the open air "indoor" area, but ended up at the outdoor dining area. Heaters were on and kept us warm but the noise from the cars driving down the street were loud. Our server was the nicest woman, unfortunately cannot remember her name. She brought was water and alcohol, giving us plenty of time to read over the menu. She checked up on us quite frequently. And although she was serving many other tables, she was readily available to us to bring the next course. And COVID guidelines were upheld here. Atmosphere: The restaurant is quaint and nice. Less is more and definitely looks classy. The decor inside and layout was pleasant. Again, the only downside is the car noise when sitting outdoors. The mood was chill and romantic. People all around enjoying their food and company. Everyone was kind and helpful to each other. read more

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Really great restaurant In Encinitas. Spanish food and we didn't have a bad bite the entire night. The tartare was great the patata bravas may be the best I've ever had, Spain included. My wife loves the snails and my octopus was delicious. Somehow that is the only item I remembered to photograph. 2 members of our party had the crispy rice which looks awesome. The steak and potatoes was my son's favorite. Pork schnitzel I had was delicious and pounded very thin. Drinks and desserts were also well done. read more

Valentina - Octopus salad. - Seafood Near Me - Encinitas, California