We had an absolutely wonderful experience here. Our server (I believe his name was Carter) was exceptional and very accommodating. All the dishes we ordered were delicious and flavorful. They also have a wide array of tasty cocktails to choose from. The only critique I have is the portion size. I don't mind paying a premium and I acknowledge the quality but the value should be commensurate with the cost. Otherwise, we had an excellent experience. Highly recommend.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Ocean Trout, House Smoked Mackerel, Yellowtail Crudo, Fried Potatoes, Red Snapper
Lauren DuBois
I had high hopes after hearing reviews about this restaurant, however I found the experience to be underwhelming and the food overpriced unfortunately.
The restaurant is basque tapas style restaurant, so 3-4 dishes recommended per person. We ordered pan con tomate, patatas, gem salad, octopus, and the shrimp and rice dish. Not the biggest fans of the seafood dishes we tried. I will say the dirty martini cocktail was very good.
Atmosphere: 2
Food: 3
Service: 3
Recommended dishes: Basque Cheesecake
SHARON POLANSKY
Just excellent all around! Was skeptical as we were seated at the bar rather than a table, but turned out to be the best as we could watch the show unfold. Wow, they work hard to deliver an excellent meal…lovely wine recommended by Director of Operations Amy who spoke with knowledge and passion about the varietals in Spain…had the little gem salad, a light refreshing start, followed by a tuna credo or ahi tuna, not sure the name because their menu keeps changing and I couldn’t find it, but nonetheless, attractive presentation, but the weakest link in the dinner, as the fish was okay but not best quality level, followed by halibut and pattatas Fritas. The fish, delicately sliced (had not seen halibut this thin before) was served a bit undercooked; I’m OK w/sushi and raw fish but not when it’s supposed to be cooked; asked for a redo and it was redone anew and perfect with a slight crisp edge served in a delicate sauce; meanwhile awaiting our redone fish, I asked if our potatoes, which were absolutely delicious, could be reheated. Forget that, we were presented with a new plate, and sadly I must admit, we ate all of it, as well as half the earlier portion. Very yummy. Didn’t think would do it, but of course had to try the Basque cheesecake, which as someone who believes NY cheesecake is the standard, now must make room for a worthy contender (I can’t say winner and deny my roots); it was crustless as the style is made to be with incredibly smooth and soft and creamy and I wish I had a piece now delicious. All served by the most terrific server, Kenz, who despite the busy and happening vibe managed to cater to our needs with a smile and professional efficiency. It is really a great spot. Menu changes, so can’t be sure what you will find, but the staff there will guide you for a delightful dinner. Amy and Kenz made sure all was good, and all was good.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Natalia Callejas
Everything at Mabel's Gone Fishing was delicious, but if I could only get 3 things there it would be (in this order): 1. the London Dry G&T, 2. the octopus dish, and 3. the spanish tortilla. 10/10!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
John Barrett
The staff was amazing and the food sublime!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Dave Campbell
An exceptional find. Top of the line food. Get a spot at the chef's counter if you can. The woman chef is amazing to watch. Highly recommend the tuna and the shrimp/rice dish.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
rob russell
Fun and lively place. Young energetic staff. High energy scene. Small a la carte plates. $$ Excellent flavors and variety appetizers and entre
I really wanted to love this spot, but I thought they got a few things wrong through the night. Staff was great, space is nice.
We had a few oysters, chorizo, and cheese to start and they were all really good. The dirty martini is really solid.
I was disappointed by the swordfish spread, which is really a "tuna salad" consistency. It comes spread on a single large piece of bread, so you have to cut it up with a kind of awkward/undersized knife that makes it a nightmare to share. The flavor was good enough but I wouldn't order it again.
The grilled octopus came with two pieces, one of which was legitimately tough. The flavor was there, and it included an awesome sauce, but the texture was not right at all. The larger piece was better, but still not the best octopus I've had.
The tuna was good, but overcooked IMO. The smaller piece had no pink in it at all. Flavor was good.
The basque cheesecake was awesome.
So I don't know, people seem to love this place, I felt we had a good variety of dishes and it turned out all of the seafood ones were pretty underwhelming, which is a bad sign for a seafood restaurant. The texture in particular was a miss on a couple dishes. YMMV.
Hands down the best restaurant I’ve been to in San Diego. The service (impeccable) the grilled octopus (smokey and light) the swordfish (buttery with a golden crunch)…
If I was on death row, last meal would be here
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Fried Swordfish
Luis Rodriguez
Food and drinks are excellent, a very interesting twist to the tapas concept. You have to try the Chef's Menu, it's a little bit of everything they serve. The drinks are really good, but the artistic ice cube fills the entire glass taking away the enjoyment of your $16 cocktail 🍸.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Olives, Mussels Escabeche, Basque Cheesecake, Fried Potatoes, Toast, Pan Con Tomate
We only stopped by for drinks but wished we also came for food because everything looked delicious. We will have to make a reservation next time we are in town
The staff was great and the drinks were delicious, such a great selection of gin which made my husband happy.
We had an absolutely wonderful experience here. Our server (I believe his name was Carter) was exceptional and very accommodating. All the dishes we ordered were delicious and flavorful. They also have a wide array of tasty cocktails to choose from. The only critique I have is the portion size. I don't mind paying a premium and I acknowledge the quality but the value should be commensurate with the cost. Otherwise, we had an excellent experience. Highly recommend.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Ocean Trout, House Smoked Mackerel, Yellowtail Crudo, Fried Potatoes, Red Snapper
I had high hopes after hearing reviews about this restaurant, however I found the experience to be underwhelming and the food overpriced unfortunately.
The restaurant is basque tapas style restaurant, so 3-4 dishes recommended per person. We ordered pan con tomate, patatas, gem salad, octopus, and the shrimp and rice dish. Not the biggest fans of the seafood dishes we tried. I will say the dirty martini cocktail was very good.
Atmosphere: 2
Food: 3
Service: 3
Recommended dishes: Basque Cheesecake
Just excellent all around! Was skeptical as we were seated at the bar rather than a table, but turned out to be the best as we could watch the show unfold. Wow, they work hard to deliver an excellent meal…lovely wine recommended by Director of Operations Amy who spoke with knowledge and passion about the varietals in Spain…had the little gem salad, a light refreshing start, followed by a tuna credo or ahi tuna, not sure the name because their menu keeps changing and I couldn’t find it, but nonetheless, attractive presentation, but the weakest link in the dinner, as the fish was okay but not best quality level, followed by halibut and pattatas Fritas. The fish, delicately sliced (had not seen halibut this thin before) was served a bit undercooked; I’m OK w/sushi and raw fish but not when it’s supposed to be cooked; asked for a redo and it was redone anew and perfect with a slight crisp edge served in a delicate sauce; meanwhile awaiting our redone fish, I asked if our potatoes, which were absolutely delicious, could be reheated. Forget that, we were presented with a new plate, and sadly I must admit, we ate all of it, as well as half the earlier portion. Very yummy. Didn’t think would do it, but of course had to try the Basque cheesecake, which as someone who believes NY cheesecake is the standard, now must make room for a worthy contender (I can’t say winner and deny my roots); it was crustless as the style is made to be with incredibly smooth and soft and creamy and I wish I had a piece now delicious. All served by the most terrific server, Kenz, who despite the busy and happening vibe managed to cater to our needs with a smile and professional efficiency. It is really a great spot. Menu changes, so can’t be sure what you will find, but the staff there will guide you for a delightful dinner. Amy and Kenz made sure all was good, and all was good.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Everything at Mabel's Gone Fishing was delicious, but if I could only get 3 things there it would be (in this order): 1. the London Dry G&T, 2. the octopus dish, and 3. the spanish tortilla. 10/10!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
The staff was amazing and the food sublime!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
An exceptional find. Top of the line food. Get a spot at the chef's counter if you can. The woman chef is amazing to watch. Highly recommend the tuna and the shrimp/rice dish.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Fun and lively place. Young energetic staff. High energy scene. Small a la carte plates. $$ Excellent flavors and variety appetizers and entre
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 4
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Daily Oyster Selection, Grilled Octopus
I really wanted to love this spot, but I thought they got a few things wrong through the night. Staff was great, space is nice.
We had a few oysters, chorizo, and cheese to start and they were all really good. The dirty martini is really solid.
I was disappointed by the swordfish spread, which is really a "tuna salad" consistency. It comes spread on a single large piece of bread, so you have to cut it up with a kind of awkward/undersized knife that makes it a nightmare to share. The flavor was good enough but I wouldn't order it again.
The grilled octopus came with two pieces, one of which was legitimately tough. The flavor was there, and it included an awesome sauce, but the texture was not right at all. The larger piece was better, but still not the best octopus I've had.
The tuna was good, but overcooked IMO. The smaller piece had no pink in it at all. Flavor was good.
The basque cheesecake was awesome.
So I don't know, people seem to love this place, I felt we had a good variety of dishes and it turned out all of the seafood ones were pretty underwhelming, which is a bad sign for a seafood restaurant. The texture in particular was a miss on a couple dishes. YMMV.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 3
Service: 4
Recommended dishes: Basque Cheesecake, Daily Oyster Selection
Hands down the best restaurant I’ve been to in San Diego. The service (impeccable) the grilled octopus (smokey and light) the swordfish (buttery with a golden crunch)…
If I was on death row, last meal would be here
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Fried Swordfish
Food and drinks are excellent, a very interesting twist to the tapas concept.
You have to try the Chef's Menu, it's a little bit of everything they serve.
The drinks are really good, but the artistic ice cube fills the entire glass taking away the enjoyment of your $16 cocktail 🍸.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Olives, Mussels Escabeche, Basque Cheesecake, Fried Potatoes, Toast, Pan Con Tomate
Restaurantji Recommends
Food was fantastic and different. I would definitely return
Atmosphere: 3
Food: 5
Service: 3
Food was fine, perhaps my expectations were set too high due to the many recommendations from locals.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 3
Service: 5
Kid-friendliness: I don't think it is particularly kids friendly
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 5
Service: 5
Incredibly friendly and knowledgeable staff. Bright, fresh, and flavorful dishes.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Olives, Roasted Mushrooms, Swordfish Dip, Iberico Ham, Basque Cheesecake, Daily Oyster Selection, Fried Potatoes, Toast
We only stopped by for drinks but wished we also came for food because everything looked delicious. We will have to make a reservation next time we are in town
The staff was great and the drinks were delicious, such a great selection of gin which made my husband happy.
Atmosphere: 5
Service: 5
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