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    Vessel Restaurant

    3.8 (709 reviews)
    Closed 7:00 am - 11:00 AM
    Updated 3 weeks ago

    Vessel Restaurant Photos

    VESSEL RESTAURANT ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Moderate noise
    Casual
    Romantic
    Classy

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    Recommended Reviews - Vessel Restaurant

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    Inside vibe
    Amanda C.

    This is a really cool waterfront restaurant that's tucked away inside the Kona Kai hotel. It's perfect for a nice date night out if you're wanting something upscale and sleek. I thought the vibe was super trendy and cool and even the water glasses we drank out of were artsy and beautiful. Every detail and finish of this place was gorgeous. I really enjoyed my Parmesan truffle fries and love that they came in a big bowl. I gobbled them up. I was sad to realize the bar menu food items were different than the regular menu. I would have liked the mahi tacos or the sliders but I just thought they were seasonal or something when I didn't see them on the menu. By the time I realized they were on someone else's plate we had already ordered all the food and were full but I would have liked to know from the start that these options were available. I also didn't like how small the portions were for the yellowtail and the ahi tuna tacos though. I saw pictures on Yelp and was surprised they were even smaller in person. The yellowtail was also too lemony for my taste and I couldn't appreciate the fish as much as I wanted to. I also very much did not like that a benefit surcharge was added to our bill. I have noticed more and more restaurants doing this and I always dock a star on my reviews for any establishment that does this. It's extremely tacky to do, especially at a sophisticated place like this one. Benefits for employees should be paid by the employer, not by those dining at the restaurant in my opinion. I would say if you're looking for a sleek place to grab a drink in this area it could be a cool spot but I wasn't as impressed as I hoped for with the rest of the food menu.

    Adults only pool bar
    Leigh S.

    We had lunch at the adults only pool and it was amazing!! Lindsay was our bartender and she was so much fun, I would come back just to hangout at the bar with her. She recommended the fish tacos and they were SO good. The ceviche was also delish!!

    Nootzy! The bar treated us awesome!

    Wonderful time staying at the hotel. Nootzy was amazing! So friendly! Helpful, split our main plate without asking, offered suggestions, and made our stay memorable. I will be coming back! Love the stay! the ambiance was awesome!! And dog friendly! Pools are awesome!

    Oysters and Parmesan-Truffle French Fries
    Jeff L.

    Tucked away in a spot on Shelter Island, you have to go out of your way a bit to make it out to this quiet and serene restaurant by the Point Loma boat harbor but it is definitely worth the trip! We arrived around 6:30pm on a weekday and it wasn't super busy and we were able to promptly get seated. However, it did take a while for us to get our order but it looked like the restaurant was running on skeleton staff so I think its more that they were strained with the resources they had. To cut to the point, the lobster carbonara was the star of our night as there was ample lobster in the pasta. Unlike other joints where you order and get a sliver of meat and get charged an arm and a leg... Vessel makes sure you get healthy portions of lobster meat. The only downside was that the pasta was a tad bland and tasted better when we brought the leftovers home and salted it just a tad more. Likely unknown to most locals, this appears to be a spot that likely caters to out of towners and is a good place to escape to if you're looking for that vacation/staycation vibe without having to go too far.

    Dinner menu
    Adriana R.

    This place is amazing. Ambience is great, we got there and it wasn't too busy. Staff members were great, friendly, attentive give and shout out to the manager for being amazing and sharing his knowledge of the menu with us! Food was amazing, you get what you pay for delicious, savory, oh too good food! For sure recommend this place...

    Michelle Y.

    We stayed at the hotel which was wonderful so we decided to have brunch here on Sunday before going back home. We were both excited and hungry. Upon our arrival we were greeted by the sweet hostess. Restaurant was empty had about a couple people sitting inside. We opt to sit outside. This was for the Sunday brunch buffet they have here. Brunch was very limited and cold. Pretty basic breakfast dishes nothing spectacular. I was disappointed because everything was cold. The fruits they had were good and sweet especially the honeydew. The view was beautiful which sorta made up for the brunch. Our cups for our water were both dirty had lipstick stained on it. Coffee was just okay, if you're starving and looking for good tasty warm food I would skip this place. It was a bit pricey for what they served.

    Steak
    Jay L.

    We dined at Vessel a couple of times during our stay at Kona Kai, once for dinner and again for brunch and overall had a great experience! The staff was super friendly and even remembered us from our previous visit, which was such a nice touch. Service throughout was attentive and welcoming without feeling overbearing. The ambiance is definitely one of the highlights beautiful views of the marina, breezy outdoor seating, and a relaxed coastal vibe that made every meal feel like a mini escape. The only downside was the price point. While the food was tasty, the portions didn't quite match the cost especially at brunch. We tried the eggs Benedict and steak medium rare. That said, you're paying a bit for the setting and experience, which we did enjoy. Perfect spot if you're staying at Kona Kai and want to dine close by with a view. Just know you're treating yourself when you go!

    Tableside Affogato
    Shirley S.

    It's been a minute since I last visited this restaurant We ordered the #ParmesanTruffleFries as a starter but it came after our main entrees ‍ It was enjoyed as I helped finish this item The #LobsterCarbonara came with lots of lobster but overall the dish lacked flavor. I am hoping like most pasta dishes in the U.S. it tastes more flavorful the next day. I had the #TablesideAffogoto for dessert and I should have had the expresso separate. It came paired with a biscotti that was harder than usual and I couldn't get it soften. I tried the #KeyLime and #BruleeBananaSplit and both were yummy The service was friendly and most of the entrees came out promptly except my starter and entree but worked out fine as I was busy taking photos. We were a party of 10 and everyone seemed to enjoy their meal and the ambience was great for our group. We didn't have the oceanside view but it was evening and the larger parties were against the wall. We didn't feel rushed and enjoyed our visit

    Menu
    Marci T.

    After struggling to find parking downtown and canceling our original reservation, we decided to try The Vessel since they had availability. Unfortunately, our experience was mixed. To start, we ordered the fritto misto, Brussels sprouts, and fries. The fritto misto was just okay--it didn't meet our expectations. The Brussels sprouts, however, were a hit, while the fries arrived lukewarm, which made us question their freshness. For entrees, my friends each ordered a burger and salmon, which they both enjoyed. I went with the lobster carbonara and specifically requested no poached egg, yet it arrived with the egg anyway. This was frustrating, and to add to it, I found the lobster overcooked and the snow peas had a taste that reminded me of frozen, thawed-out vegetables. For dessert, we ordered the sundae and I asked for it to come out with a candle, but the request was overlooked. Since it was night and raining, we couldn't appreciate what I imagine is a lovely marina view during the day. Overall, the service and a few kitchen errors kept our experience from being great, though my friends enjoyed their meals.

    Breakfast buffet receipt.
    Shannon B.

    Dinner was delicious! I recommend the Mediterranean Platter if you're open to an appetizer. The babaganoush is served with feta, so if you're dairy-free, make sure you mention it to your server when ordering. I had the Eggplant Jalfretzi for my main entree, and it was far tastier than I even expected: dairy-free, and delicious. I also highly recommend the glazed carrots; however, they are served over cream cheese, another thing to bring up if you've got dairy concerns. The Banana Old-Fashioned was a very unique and tasty twist on the classic cocktail. The view was beautiful at night, looking out in the marina. At breakfast, the hostess was very chipper and welcoming. They serve a breakfast buffet, which included various pastries and bagels, oatmeal, fruit, eggs, bacon, pancakes, and chicken apple sausage. The one thing I recommend you do t pass up is their muesli. I have never tasted such delicious muesli in my life! My only qualm with breakfast was that gratuity was automatically added--which is perfectly fine, except there were two separate gratuities: one for the server and one for the buffet. This was an unexpected extra charge. Not terrible, but as a whole, the Kona Kai resort does seem to seek out ways to nickel and dime you to death. I wouldn't let that small detail deter you, though. Worth it for the muesli alone! :)

    Eva G.

    Made reservations even though I didn't have to during the time we arrived. It wasn't crowded or busy at all. Located at the beautiful property of the Kona Kai resort. We started with an appetizer Fritto Misto - calamari, jicama, red cabbage, peanut, togarishi, yuzu aioli Since it was happy hour, we chose the shrimp and some adult beverages for the table FYI the shrimp is not sharable ( 5 pieces) lol For our entrees we ordered the Maryland-Style Crab Cake Sandwich - butter lettuce, tomato, pickled fresno chilis, creamy mustard sauce, brioche bun, house-made old bay kettle chips Mahi Tacos - cucumber pico de gallo, pickled red cabbage, cilantro lime crema, chips & house-made salsa Vessel Burger - beef, gruyere cheese, bacon jam, arugula, tomato, pickles, pommery mustard aioli, brioche bun The food was good but a little on the pricey side. The view was nice too.

    Robert H.

    So I was trying to make a memorable brunch experience with my gf and this was a swing and a miss. The view and ambiance are great, but it stops there. The service was a bit inconsistent as the servers were all over the place. The appetizers was delicious and the presentation was excellent. Our entrees however were a let down. My steak has a very gamey taste to me. The fries were crisp and flavorful though. My gf did not enjoy her fish and chips as the batter lacked a crisp texture and the dish as a whole lacked flavor. Great view, but that menu needs some love.

    Ahi Tuna Tacos
    Sheila C.

    When they say the appetizer is small, they do mean small. We laughed at the appetizer because we could not believe how little it actually was. It was the Ahi Tuna Tacos and it comes out with a slot for three tacos, they only serve two, with a little lime to fill in the third slot. Look at picture, ridiculous! For us being the almost the only ones in the restaurant, the service was pretty slow. The sandwich we had, hame and brie melt was pretty good and we split it and they did a great job splitting it in the kitchen. The view is amazing, but not sure if it makes up for the expense and lack of food.

    Lobster Carbonara*

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    Vessel Restaurant Reviews in Other Languages

    Ask the Community - Vessel Restaurant

    Where to park if going to vessei restaurant?

    There is a parking lot with a self-serve ticket station on the Kona Kai property....on the right as you enter the property....very convenient!

    Are there bottomless mimosas here?

    Good afternoon, Isis! Thank you for your question. At this time we do not offer bottomless mimosas, but we love getting ideas from our guests and will look at doing this in the near future. Thank you.

    What's parking like here?

    Vallet parking from hotel takes your car.

    Who do I need to contact about playing live music there?

    Hi Daniel, You can reach-out to Amanda Bilbro (abilbro@noblehousehotels.com).… Read more

    How dio you make reservations?

    I used OpenTable and reserved what I needed.

    Are you dog friendly at the restaurant?

    They allowed my pup when we at outside on the patio area. Water dish included!

    View All 7 Questions

    Pacific Shores

    Pacific Shores

    3.9(298 reviews)
    2.7 miOcean Beach, Point Loma
    $

    PACIFIC SHORES @ OCEAN BEACH…read more Parking is available on the street, and it's free! We ended up coming to Pacific Shores because one of my best friend's mom was there with her girlfriends. When we arrived, there was no line at all. Security was really nice, and we got in easily. There weren't many people inside around 10 PM, and I definitely feel like this bar is more of a "grab a drink, sit with your friends, and chat" type of spot. It's not a club or a dancing bar. We ordered a round of shots and a mixed tequila drink. It wasn't strong at all, but it was really delicious, and I genuinely enjoyed it. The server was also super nice, especially since our friend's mom kept ordering drinks and shots. He brought everything out quickly and with great service. I really loved the architecture and ambiance. It had a darker, cozy vibe, very much a small, deep-bar aesthetic. They also had some really cool paintings, and if you were wearing white or yellow, your clothes would glow in the dark, which was a fun touch. It wasn't super busy, and I appreciated how easy it was to find seating and just relax. The bathroom wasn't the cleanest, but it was still manageable. Overall, I'd definitely check out this spot if you're walking around Ocean Beach and want a chill place to grab a drink and hang out with friends.

    Came here for a bachelor party at opening and it was great. Anna was the bar tender and she took…read moregreat care of us, for a party of 12 and only having one employee there, we had a blast. Anna knows her facts about the historic bar and is fun, definitely give her a visit. Pool table in the back was cramped but still fun to pass the time.

    Photos
    Pacific Shores
    Pacific Shores
    Pacific Shores - OB Dive bar

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    OB Dive bar

    Winstons Beach Club - Subsurface Tension

    Winstons Beach Club

    3.7(248 reviews)
    2.8 miOcean Beach, Point Loma
    $

    Simply the best for Dead music in SD…read more Every Monday and often on weekends I've been here 400+ times

    So I found this place by sheer happenstance. Came here on a work trip and flew in on a Sunday…read moreafternoon when I really just wanted to watch my Redskins play on Sunday Night Football. Found out there's actually a Redskins watch party at this place called Winston in Ocean Beach really other side of America and there's a group of Redskin fans signed me up. These are my people here's what Winston's had to offer: Ambience: literally a dive bar in the middle of Ocean Beach security and everything. Guess they do a lot of events here live music parties, etc. actually quite a cool freaking place. Service: fast friendly and fun not only because I was here for the game but because they decorated up for the Redskins and literally had like 40 to 50 Redskins fans. Seems like they do a lot of live events and music which is super cool and I'm sure they do a great job as my service was fantastic. Food: I ordered a pizza. Some other guys had nachos. Everything looked good. My pizza was actually pretty good for a dive bar. Beer was cold. Tasty had some local flavor added in. It's not a Michelin restaurant but for a game night perfect. The summit all up I had a fantastic time. Parking is a nightmare down in Ocean Beach, but you know what it's a small price to pay for having a great couple hours watching a team celebrating with others that love the same team singing the same songs I eat the best fight song in NFL and doing it on the beach in California. I don't think it gets much better than that. Thanks for a great time Winston's hope to see you again. Keep munching, and HTTR!!!

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    Winstons Beach Club - Subsurface Tension

    Subsurface Tension

    Winstons Beach Club - Subsurface Tension

    Subsurface Tension

    Winstons Beach Club - Male review. Hell yeah.

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    Male review. Hell yeah.

    Ponyboy - Juicy Lucy.  Ig mel_foodie_ventures

    Ponyboy

    4.7(75 reviews)
    1.1 miRoseville, Fleetridge, Point Loma

    adding another review...brought the husband back to experience Ponyboy at golden hour…read more we literally got almost everything on the golden hour menu. here's the list food (half off during happy hour) brussels sliders chips w/ pickle dip cornbread w/ butter Birthday (comp treat) birthday banana split drinks...(not on happy hour) bubblegum margarita root beer flip each and every item was over the top amazing! we started with the chips and pickle dip...i had to force myself to stop eating so i wouldn't fill up brussels and sliders came next then the cornbread. the sliders have sliced beef and horseradish...so yum!!! brussels were flavorful and not too wet (love!) cornbread...oh that cornbread! so delicious served in a cast iron dish with butter in the shape of corn on the cob. the butter was drizzled with honey ...so damn good! i had the bubble gum marg previously and loved it...i know it sounds odd but try it! then there is the root beer flip...it tasted just like a rootbeer float...its the best drink ever!!! looking forward to a return visit ASAP

    Happy Hour (starts at 4) had an amazing selection…read more These were by far the freshest Oysters I've had EVER in any restaurant, no grit no odd aftertaste was pleasantly surprised Another noteworthy dish was the pickle dip was trying not to eat it by the spoonful lol The Service was great everyone made us feel at home The vintage decor was classic and lovely..the ambience reminded me of a diner scene in a Quentin Tarantino movie and I friggin loved that ! I also observed that there were alot of reserved signs placed on the tables pool-side so this would be a cool date night/ girls night out place .. I also saw there was a large projector screen so I'd love to do more research about that since it peaked my curiosity.. The only thing that would worry me next time around is parking but if you leave early enough to make happy hour on time/plan it out I'm sure things would run smoothly We willl definitely be back!!

    Photos
    Ponyboy - Table setting next to pool.  Ig mel_foodie_ventures

    Table setting next to pool. Ig mel_foodie_ventures

    Ponyboy - Fisherman's Catch Ceviche - clamato aspic, cucumber, avocado aioli, pickled onion, fennel tortilla chips

    Fisherman's Catch Ceviche - clamato aspic, cucumber, avocado aioli, pickled onion, fennel tortilla chips

    Ponyboy - Tuna Noodle Casserole - potato-crusted Tunaville Ahi, pasta, peas, pearl onions, maitake mushroom, parmesan soubise

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    Tuna Noodle Casserole - potato-crusted Tunaville Ahi, pasta, peas, pearl onions, maitake mushroom, parmesan soubise

    Vessel Restaurant - bars - Updated June 2026

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