Most of our dishes were good , not exceptional, but lobster dish with underdane noodles was very disappointing.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 3
Service: 4
Prospero Galvan-Calvillo
The experience was great. Andrew and Kanye, our servers, we're outstanding. They took care of us the entire time we stayed there.
Food, OMG, it was incredibly good. We had the filet, sebastiano, fried rice and lamb chips. Ah, and for dessert the creme brule and chocolate cake (that tastes like seaweed, in a good way. Need to have it again!)
The only bad this that there was a lot of noise, so it was difficult to hear all people in my party.
PGC
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Beet Salad
Reena Ramanuj
I ate dinner here with my husband and another couple and we enjoyed everything we got. I’m vegetarian and there were plenty of delicious options. Highlights for the table were the Taiwanese chicken, beets, mantou buns, and tenderloin steak. Our server was fantastic and the vibe was great. Very cool space. Would definitely recommend!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Taiwanese Chicken, Mantou
Mery Nt
Insane, not just the interior and atmosphere but all the drink and food options! This is such a quality restaurant, worth visiting for special occasions. Just speechless!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Abi Nguyen
visited on Valentine’s Day. The restaurant offers valet parking and has a beautiful, elegant ambiance with a deep olive-green color palette as its main tone.
The staff were extremely nice, and I was especially impressed by the table setting, which was delicately decorated with rose petals.
The set menu was beautifully presented and delicious, featuring four courses.
I also ordered the wine pairing, which included four glasses of wine matched with each course. For those who don’t drink much alcohol, I would recommend ordering wine by the glass instead of the full pairing.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Mikailia Rogers
This was the perfect restaurant to try while in San Diego after a conference ! The vibes were there and I loved the music . The food and service were great I’ll surely return
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Anna K
Amazing service, atmosphere, everyone who comes to San Diego should come to this restaurant. We loved every dish we tried (doesn’t happen often). I recommend you to try wontons, wagyu fried rice, crispy potatoes and shortrib (I usually don’t like shortribs, but this one was phenomenal). Sticky rice crème brûlée was also pretty good.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Mary Grace Garcia
We celebrated our 14th wedding anniversary here and had such a memorable experience. With a Filipina chef at the helm, the menu offers a creative Asian fusion that feels both elevated and nostalgic. The ambiance is vibrant, with fun 90s/2000s music that makes the whole evening feel lively yet intimate.
The cocktails were standout. Favorites included the Uncle Iroh, Midnight in Manila, and a unique Old Fashioned. They even surprised us with complimentary champagne for our anniversary, which was such a thoughtful touch.
For food, the scallop crudo was fresh and bright with beautiful acidity. The short rib kare-kare with garlic rice was incredibly tender and flavorful (slightly salty, possibly from the bagoong, but still delicious). The pork tocino tomahawk was a highlight — amazing on its own, and the mango sawsawan took it to another level. Even the coal-roasted cabbage was a revelation — deeply flavorful and perfectly cooked.
Desserts were just as impressive. The turon tart was a creative deconstructed take with brown sugar custard, banana ice cream, jackfruit gel, and a crisp turon wrapper. They also treated us to a complimentary matcha sponge cake with boba, berries, and strawberry Pocky — both desserts were fantastic in their own way.
The staff, especially our server Tessa, were attentive, warm, and genuinely made the night feel special. Little details — like the scent of sampaguita near the restroom — transported me back to the Philippines in the best way.
Highly recommend for a special occasion or anyone looking for a refined yet heartfelt Filipino-inspired dining experience. It would be amazing to see taho added to the menu someday for an extra touch of Filipino nostalgia.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Susan Christmas
We had a phenomenal experience here tonight. We didn’t have a reservation but the hosts said immediate seating was available at the bar so we chose that. Nicole was our main server and she was fantastic. The ladies behind the bar all worked together to ensure we were taken care of though. We chose to order a variety of small plates and we were blown away by the dishes and individual flavors.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Elizabeth Picel
We had such a good experience. Each thing I got was the best version of that thing I've tried. Great drinks, food and very engaged and kind service. I wasn't convinced I was gonna to think the food was worth the price - but it is
Food was amazing, and the service was even better. Victor, our server assistant, went above and beyond to ensure we had the best dining experience possible. He truly knows the menu inside and out—every recommendation was spot on. We came to celebrate an early Valentine’s Day and will definitely be back again soon.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Jacqueline lee
Met Animae’s bartender Nicole at a private event there and she gave us such a special experience, my friend and I came two days later for a second meal with more friends. We had such a great time - and will definitely come again in the future. The cocktails were delicious and dishes are YUM!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Evan Siira
Great dining experience at Animae - standout dishes were the miso brown butter cabbage and pork tomahawk. Impressive range of flavors in all sides and entrées
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Taiwanese Chicken, Braised Short Rib Kare Kare
Red Hoodie
I’ve been here like a few times, but my recent visit wasn’t to the usual standards, I went for my birthday but this is the cabbage that was ordered to take to go…it smells severely burnt, it looks dry, the food I had ordered didn’t taste the same as it usually did, it was bland, and my server didn’t seem particularly interested in serving us, at first she was okay, but after I had asked if the chef changed due to the plating appeared different, the taste was completely different… he attitude switched, she was already polite enough but it seemed she turned cold, and wasn’t responsive when we said thank you, it was just the little things but we tried to brush it off as maybe she was having a bad rest of our night as we never knows what goes behind the background..and since the other servers were great, we put up with it. I usually have a great time and I was excited to enjoy the time there for my birthday but all of this plus seeing this made me regret even spending any money there or tipping at all, however I did not want to reduce the tip due to one bad server. There’s another server there I really liked but we weren’t at her table that evening. But I don’t know if it was on purpose that we were served that way and provided below standard meals because of something different due to internally but she denied there being a different chef. I rather not come to the conclusion that it was because of our racial identity, or if we appeared young but regardless of the reason since we both met the dress code, and treated our servers politely and respectfully with regards that their human and would like to be treated the same and not be served whatever this is. I don’t think I’ll be comfortable coming back or if I should just go in person to make a report but it was just a weird feeling, and my husband also felt weird about the environment. I really hope I’m wrong but this is just a heads up for anyone else. We spent about 600+(The shrimp look fine just more underwhelming than usual) I wished I took a picture so I can show you an example of the cabbage before, it was juicier and didn’t appear like that.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 1
Service: 2
Jenna McConnico
Amazing and unique dishes, friendly and attentive service, and a cozy atmosphere!
Grape Expectations - 5/5
Beet Salad - 5/5 (incredible flavor) Beef Tendon Salad - 5/5 (table’s favorite app) Tuna Crispy Rice - 5/5 (delicious!!) Cucumbers - 5/5 (better than DTF’s) Scallop Crudo - 5/5 (no notes) Taiwanese Chicken - 4.5/5 (great flavor) Mantou - 4.5/5 (buns were so soft and tasty, sour cream butter was very sweet) Grilled Beef Belly - 3/5 (meat was very tough) Wagyu Corned Beef Fried Rice - 2/5 (not a lot of flavor and was very salty)
Pork Tomahawk Tocino - 5/5 (incredible dish, highly recommend!) Chicken Adobong Pula - 4/5 (juicy and flavorful) Assam Seabass Curry - 2.5/5 (very overcooked and dry unfortunately)
Most of our dishes were good , not exceptional, but lobster dish with underdane noodles was very disappointing.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 3
Service: 4
The experience was great. Andrew and Kanye, our servers, we're outstanding. They took care of us the entire time we stayed there.
Food, OMG, it was incredibly good. We had the filet, sebastiano, fried rice and lamb chips. Ah, and for dessert the creme brule and chocolate cake (that tastes like seaweed, in a good way. Need to have it again!)
The only bad this that there was a lot of noise, so it was difficult to hear all people in my party.
PGC
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Beet Salad
I ate dinner here with my husband and another couple and we enjoyed everything we got. I’m vegetarian and there were plenty of delicious options. Highlights for the table were the Taiwanese chicken, beets, mantou buns, and tenderloin steak. Our server was fantastic and the vibe was great. Very cool space. Would definitely recommend!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Taiwanese Chicken, Mantou
Insane, not just the interior and atmosphere but all the drink and food options! This is such a quality restaurant, worth visiting for special occasions. Just speechless!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
visited on Valentine’s Day. The restaurant offers valet parking and has a beautiful, elegant ambiance with a deep olive-green color palette as its main tone.
The staff were extremely nice, and I was especially impressed by the table setting, which was delicately decorated with rose petals.
The set menu was beautifully presented and delicious, featuring four courses.
I also ordered the wine pairing, which included four glasses of wine matched with each course. For those who don’t drink much alcohol, I would recommend ordering wine by the glass instead of the full pairing.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
This was the perfect restaurant to try while in San Diego after a conference ! The vibes were there and I loved the music . The food and service were great I’ll surely return
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Amazing service, atmosphere, everyone who comes to San Diego should come to this restaurant. We loved every dish we tried (doesn’t happen often). I recommend you to try wontons, wagyu fried rice, crispy potatoes and shortrib (I usually don’t like shortribs, but this one was phenomenal). Sticky rice crème brûlée was also pretty good.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
We celebrated our 14th wedding anniversary here and had such a memorable experience. With a Filipina chef at the helm, the menu offers a creative Asian fusion that feels both elevated and nostalgic. The ambiance is vibrant, with fun 90s/2000s music that makes the whole evening feel lively yet intimate.
The cocktails were standout. Favorites included the Uncle Iroh, Midnight in Manila, and a unique Old Fashioned. They even surprised us with complimentary champagne for our anniversary, which was such a thoughtful touch.
For food, the scallop crudo was fresh and bright with beautiful acidity. The short rib kare-kare with garlic rice was incredibly tender and flavorful (slightly salty, possibly from the bagoong, but still delicious). The pork tocino tomahawk was a highlight — amazing on its own, and the mango sawsawan took it to another level. Even the coal-roasted cabbage was a revelation — deeply flavorful and perfectly cooked.
Desserts were just as impressive. The turon tart was a creative deconstructed take with brown sugar custard, banana ice cream, jackfruit gel, and a crisp turon wrapper. They also treated us to a complimentary matcha sponge cake with boba, berries, and strawberry Pocky — both desserts were fantastic in their own way.
The staff, especially our server Tessa, were attentive, warm, and genuinely made the night feel special. Little details — like the scent of sampaguita near the restroom — transported me back to the Philippines in the best way.
Highly recommend for a special occasion or anyone looking for a refined yet heartfelt Filipino-inspired dining experience. It would be amazing to see taho added to the menu someday for an extra touch of Filipino nostalgia.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
We had a phenomenal experience here tonight. We didn’t have a reservation but the hosts said immediate seating was available at the bar so we chose that. Nicole was our main server and she was fantastic. The ladies behind the bar all worked together to ensure we were taken care of though. We chose to order a variety of small plates and we were blown away by the dishes and individual flavors.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
We had such a good experience. Each thing I got was the best version of that thing I've tried. Great drinks, food and very engaged and kind service. I wasn't convinced I was gonna to think the food was worth the price - but it is
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Restaurantji Recommends
Food was amazing, and the service was even better. Victor, our server assistant, went above and beyond to ensure we had the best dining experience possible. He truly knows the menu inside and out—every recommendation was spot on. We came to celebrate an early Valentine’s Day and will definitely be back again soon.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Met Animae’s bartender Nicole at a private event there and she gave us such a special experience, my friend and I came two days later for a second meal with more friends. We had such a great time - and will definitely come again in the future. The cocktails were delicious and dishes are YUM!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Great dining experience at Animae - standout dishes were the miso brown butter cabbage and pork tomahawk. Impressive range of flavors in all sides and entrées
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Taiwanese Chicken, Braised Short Rib Kare Kare
I’ve been here like a few times, but my recent visit wasn’t to the usual standards, I went for my birthday but this is the cabbage that was ordered to take to go…it smells severely burnt, it looks dry, the food I had ordered didn’t taste the same as it usually did, it was bland, and my server didn’t seem particularly interested in serving us, at first she was okay, but after I had asked if the chef changed due to the plating appeared different, the taste was completely different… he attitude switched, she was already polite enough but it seemed she turned cold, and wasn’t responsive when we said thank you, it was just the little things but we tried to brush it off as maybe she was having a bad rest of our night as we never knows what goes behind the background..and since the other servers were great, we put up with it. I usually have a great time and I was excited to enjoy the time there for my birthday but all of this plus seeing this made me regret even spending any money there or tipping at all, however I did not want to reduce the tip due to one bad server. There’s another server there I really liked but we weren’t at her table that evening. But I don’t know if it was on purpose that we were served that way and provided below standard meals because of something different due to internally but she denied there being a different chef. I rather not come to the conclusion that it was because of our racial identity, or if we appeared young but regardless of the reason since we both met the dress code, and treated our servers politely and respectfully with regards that their human and would like to be treated the same and not be served whatever this is. I don’t think I’ll be comfortable coming back or if I should just go in person to make a report but it was just a weird feeling, and my husband also felt weird about the environment. I really hope I’m wrong but this is just a heads up for anyone else. We spent about 600+(The shrimp look fine just more underwhelming than usual) I wished I took a picture so I can show you an example of the cabbage before, it was juicier and didn’t appear like that.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 1
Service: 2
Amazing and unique dishes, friendly and attentive service, and a cozy atmosphere!
Grape Expectations - 5/5
Beet Salad - 5/5 (incredible flavor)
Beef Tendon Salad - 5/5 (table’s favorite app)
Tuna Crispy Rice - 5/5 (delicious!!)
Cucumbers - 5/5 (better than DTF’s)
Scallop Crudo - 5/5 (no notes)
Taiwanese Chicken - 4.5/5 (great flavor)
Mantou - 4.5/5 (buns were so soft and tasty, sour cream butter was very sweet)
Grilled Beef Belly - 3/5 (meat was very tough)
Wagyu Corned Beef Fried Rice - 2/5 (not a lot of flavor and was very salty)
Pork Tomahawk Tocino - 5/5 (incredible dish, highly recommend!)
Chicken Adobong Pula - 4/5 (juicy and flavorful)
Assam Seabass Curry - 2.5/5 (very overcooked and dry unfortunately)
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
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