Was so excited to try this place so we drove down from LA and decided to make a night of it. The restaurant is spectacular, they've done an incredible job on the interior and it looks and feels like a very swanky modern steakhouse - impressive!
I'd been looking forward to trying the steak sampler. We were given the menus and spent a few minutes deciding. When the server came to take our order, he told us they were out of the Beyond steak and so couldn't offer us the steak sampler or the Oscar entree it was in. I was really disappointed, not only because I'd been looking forward to trying it but also why did he not tell us that when he gave us the menus?? No apology, no attempt to substitute it, nothing. It was such a downer because it's advertised as a vegan steakhouse and then they say they're out of steak... Bummer. There are only five entrees on the menu, so not having the main attraction is a big deal.
We ended up getting the Diane (lion's mane steak), the chicken piccata, and the fettuccine bolognese. These were all delicious! Although $32 for the Diane is pretty expensive when it really is just sliced mushrooms. So after my initial disappointment, I was still pretty happy with the food we did get.
Then the server gave us the dessert menu. I'd been wanting to try the baked Alaska as I'd never had that since going vegan, I was so excited for that. But AGAIN, when it came time to order, the server told us they were out of that too. In fact, they were out of all but two desserts. Why did he not tell us this before?? It makes no sense. We ended up getting the brownie and it was great but I was still kind of disappointed I didn’t get to try two of the dishes I was really looking forward to, and the server didn't really seem to care.
The food and the restaurant are fantastic, but the overall experience was kind of lacking. It's not their fault we drove all the way down from LA just for this, but I probably won't be going back there any time soon. It's such a shame that we left with that feeling, even after eating some delicious food.
Updated from previous review on 2026-01-23
MichaelVeganCa
The menu was thoughtfully composed and well executed, though it could benefit from a bit more breadth. Highlights included an incredible martini, which paired perfectly with the crab cakes and easily stood out as a memorable moment of the meal. Service was friendly and upbeat, but at times felt rushed and somewhat frenetic, which detracted from the overall experience. I had noted a “special” birthday reservation, but it wasn’t really acknowledged, which was a small disappointment. Overall, strong food and drinks, with some room to refine the pacing and guest experience.
Updated from previous review on 2026-01-01
Michael
The menu was thoughtfully composed and well executed, though it could benefit from a bit more breadth. Highlights included an incredible martini, which paired perfectly with the crab cakes and easily stood out as a memorable moment of the meal. Service was friendly and upbeat, but at times felt rushed and somewhat frenetic, which detracted from the overall experience. I had noted a “special” birthday reservation, but it wasn't really acknowledged, which was a small disappointment. Overall, strong food and drinks, with some room to refine the pacing and guest experience.
Carlos
The cocktail meatballs were nice, but I really liked the caviar service. Tasty spread and kettle chips. The piccata had a nice lemony flavor and was a decent sized entree. The brownie was also quite good, although the texture was slightly chewier than I expected. We sat in the “lounge” area, right by the entrance, so we didn't quite get the full restaurant experience. I'd recommend trying to get a booth, so you can really enjoy the beauty of the interior.
Jennifer
Had a lovely birthday dinner here! Food was delicious, ambience was romantic and sophisticated ad service excellent. Will definitely return! The mini meatballs were outstanding!!
Brooke
The staff were all very friendly. They even gave us a signed card and complementary champagne to celebrate our anniversary. The food was delicious, and the ambience was spectacular. We can't wait to come back again!
Stacy
My son and I ate dinner last night at Vulture. The ambience and decor is amazing. Cocktails were delicious! Starters were fantastic, and the main courses were outstanding. Unfortunately, due to a freezer breakdown they did not have the Baked Alaska available. However, we did have the carrot cake that had fantastic flavor combinations.
lilia
The food flavor and aromas were below expectations for an upscale restaurant with a tailored menu. The crab cakes dish was the only exception, I actually enjoyed it. Potatoes pave dish was the runner up. In addition to those two dishes, we also had the french onion soup, the wedge salad, and the steak sampler. We did not try anythign from the dessert menu.
Sherrell
I ordered the meatball sub, margarita, Cesar salad, mini poet's dream, pasta alla vodka, bolognese, and bananas foster. The food was easily a 2.5/5. The service was friendly. I expected the service to be slow based on previous reviews so I was ok with waiting. I enjoyed the ambience, but I wouldn't return here.
Kay
Absolutely enjoyed it. I sat at the bar. Bartender (Javi), was very knowledgeable and friendly. Food was delicious. Vibes were incredible . Highly recommend!
What a fabulous experience. We booked a table for four for my daughter's 21st birthday. We are blown away by the decor, and this being Christmas Eve, the festive atmosphere. The Manuel was impressive. The French onion soup, reminiscent of my childhood in France. The state sampler was one of the best we've had, and we travel the world in search of vegan fine dining.  the table side, Caesar salad and bananas foster service was fun and interactive. The staff was engaging, friendly, and professional. Only minor challenge was that Service stalled a couple of times. Dinner took 3 1/2 hours start to finish. We were entertained along the way, but definitely worth keeping in mind and planning accordingly. I can't wait to go back. 
Shontea
Last night, My lady Ivón and I found ourselves wrapped in the kind of vibe that makes you slow down, breathe deeper, and smile wider. We had dinner at Vulture — a newly opened vegan gem in San Diego — and babyyyy... they did not come to play, they came to nourish the soul. 🌿✨ From the moment we walked in, everything felt intentional. The atmosphere? Soft, cozy, intimate — the kind of space where conversation flows, laughter lingers, and love feels right at home. The service was warm, attentive, and genuine. You can tell this place was created with heart. And the food... listen. Every bite tasted like someone in the kitchen cares about flavor, texture, creativity, and experience. Bold seasoning, beautiful presentation, layers of flavor — the kind of plates that make you pause mid-sentence like, “Hold on... wait... THIS is vegan?!” 😂🔥 Vulture isn't just a restaurant — it's an experience. A date-night keeper. A “take your favorite person here” spot. A place where you feel seen, fed, and delighted. San Diego, y'all did something special with this one. We'll definitely be back. 💜
Andi
Happen to find this place through a recommendation on Instagram and was going to San Diego. The atmosphere was amazing. The martini's were delicious- we tried the briney and twist tiny tinis. We ordered a steak and the potatoes and they were fantastic! They offered bread which we later found out was not complimentary but that's okay, overall we had the best time. Our favorite thing of the night was the tableside cesar salad. It was not only the best cesar we've ever had but I really enjoyed watching it being made. We'll be back for sure!
Edward
Amazing food and beatiful restaurant. For the price point, the service needs much improvement. The shared plates came to our table incredibly fast (within minutes of ordering the) and our drinks came much later. We then waited almost an hour for the main dishes. We ordered a bottle of wine before our entrees were served yet they finally brought the bottle of wine right as we were finishing up our meals. Just poor timing and poor service for an amazing and delicious restaurant.
Rodney
Overall, the experience was good, with the food, ambience, and value earning solid three-star ratings and service standing out as very good. However, many items on the menu were unavailable, which limited the dining experience, and the music was overbearing, making conversation difficult despite the otherwise energetic atmosphere.
Was so excited to try this place so we drove down from LA and decided to make a night of it. The restaurant is spectacular, they've done an incredible job on the interior and it looks and feels like a very swanky modern steakhouse - impressive! I'd been looking forward to trying the steak sampler. We were given the menus and spent a few minutes deciding. When the server came to take our order, he told us they were out of the Beyond steak and so couldn't offer us the steak sampler or the Oscar entree it was in. I was really disappointed, not only because I'd been looking forward to trying it but also why did he not tell us that when he gave us the menus?? No apology, no attempt to substitute it, nothing. It was such a downer because it's advertised as a vegan steakhouse and then they say they're out of steak... Bummer. There are only five entrees on the menu, so not having the main attraction is a big deal. We ended up getting the Diane (lion's mane steak), the chicken piccata, and the fettuccine bolognese. These were all delicious! Although $32 for the Diane is pretty expensive when it really is just sliced mushrooms. So after my initial disappointment, I was still pretty happy with the food we did get. Then the server gave us the dessert menu. I'd been wanting to try the baked Alaska as I'd never had that since going vegan, I was so excited for that. But AGAIN, when it came time to order, the server told us they were out of that too. In fact, they were out of all but two desserts. Why did he not tell us this before?? It makes no sense. We ended up getting the brownie and it was great but I was still kind of disappointed I didn’t get to try two of the dishes I was really looking forward to, and the server didn't really seem to care. The food and the restaurant are fantastic, but the overall experience was kind of lacking. It's not their fault we drove all the way down from LA just for this, but I probably won't be going back there any time soon. It's such a shame that we left with that feeling, even after eating some delicious food. Updated from previous review on 2026-01-23
The menu was thoughtfully composed and well executed, though it could benefit from a bit more breadth. Highlights included an incredible martini, which paired perfectly with the crab cakes and easily stood out as a memorable moment of the meal. Service was friendly and upbeat, but at times felt rushed and somewhat frenetic, which detracted from the overall experience. I had noted a “special” birthday reservation, but it wasn’t really acknowledged, which was a small disappointment. Overall, strong food and drinks, with some room to refine the pacing and guest experience. Updated from previous review on 2026-01-01
The menu was thoughtfully composed and well executed, though it could benefit from a bit more breadth. Highlights included an incredible martini, which paired perfectly with the crab cakes and easily stood out as a memorable moment of the meal. Service was friendly and upbeat, but at times felt rushed and somewhat frenetic, which detracted from the overall experience. I had noted a “special” birthday reservation, but it wasn't really acknowledged, which was a small disappointment. Overall, strong food and drinks, with some room to refine the pacing and guest experience.
The cocktail meatballs were nice, but I really liked the caviar service. Tasty spread and kettle chips. The piccata had a nice lemony flavor and was a decent sized entree. The brownie was also quite good, although the texture was slightly chewier than I expected. We sat in the “lounge” area, right by the entrance, so we didn't quite get the full restaurant experience. I'd recommend trying to get a booth, so you can really enjoy the beauty of the interior.
Had a lovely birthday dinner here! Food was delicious, ambience was romantic and sophisticated ad service excellent. Will definitely return! The mini meatballs were outstanding!!
The staff were all very friendly. They even gave us a signed card and complementary champagne to celebrate our anniversary. The food was delicious, and the ambience was spectacular. We can't wait to come back again!
My son and I ate dinner last night at Vulture. The ambience and decor is amazing. Cocktails were delicious! Starters were fantastic, and the main courses were outstanding. Unfortunately, due to a freezer breakdown they did not have the Baked Alaska available. However, we did have the carrot cake that had fantastic flavor combinations.
The food flavor and aromas were below expectations for an upscale restaurant with a tailored menu. The crab cakes dish was the only exception, I actually enjoyed it. Potatoes pave dish was the runner up. In addition to those two dishes, we also had the french onion soup, the wedge salad, and the steak sampler. We did not try anythign from the dessert menu.
I ordered the meatball sub, margarita, Cesar salad, mini poet's dream, pasta alla vodka, bolognese, and bananas foster. The food was easily a 2.5/5. The service was friendly. I expected the service to be slow based on previous reviews so I was ok with waiting. I enjoyed the ambience, but I wouldn't return here.
Absolutely enjoyed it. I sat at the bar. Bartender (Javi), was very knowledgeable and friendly. Food was delicious. Vibes were incredible . Highly recommend!
Restaurantji Recommends
What a fabulous experience. We booked a table for four for my daughter's 21st birthday. We are blown away by the decor, and this being Christmas Eve, the festive atmosphere. The Manuel was impressive. The French onion soup, reminiscent of my childhood in France. The state sampler was one of the best we've had, and we travel the world in search of vegan fine dining.  the table side, Caesar salad and bananas foster service was fun and interactive. The staff was engaging, friendly, and professional. Only minor challenge was that Service stalled a couple of times. Dinner took 3 1/2 hours start to finish. We were entertained along the way, but definitely worth keeping in mind and planning accordingly. I can't wait to go back. 
Last night, My lady Ivón and I found ourselves wrapped in the kind of vibe that makes you slow down, breathe deeper, and smile wider. We had dinner at Vulture — a newly opened vegan gem in San Diego — and babyyyy... they did not come to play, they came to nourish the soul. 🌿✨ From the moment we walked in, everything felt intentional. The atmosphere? Soft, cozy, intimate — the kind of space where conversation flows, laughter lingers, and love feels right at home. The service was warm, attentive, and genuine. You can tell this place was created with heart. And the food... listen. Every bite tasted like someone in the kitchen cares about flavor, texture, creativity, and experience. Bold seasoning, beautiful presentation, layers of flavor — the kind of plates that make you pause mid-sentence like, “Hold on... wait... THIS is vegan?!” 😂🔥 Vulture isn't just a restaurant — it's an experience. A date-night keeper. A “take your favorite person here” spot. A place where you feel seen, fed, and delighted. San Diego, y'all did something special with this one. We'll definitely be back. 💜
Happen to find this place through a recommendation on Instagram and was going to San Diego. The atmosphere was amazing. The martini's were delicious- we tried the briney and twist tiny tinis. We ordered a steak and the potatoes and they were fantastic! They offered bread which we later found out was not complimentary but that's okay, overall we had the best time. Our favorite thing of the night was the tableside cesar salad. It was not only the best cesar we've ever had but I really enjoyed watching it being made. We'll be back for sure!
Amazing food and beatiful restaurant. For the price point, the service needs much improvement. The shared plates came to our table incredibly fast (within minutes of ordering the) and our drinks came much later. We then waited almost an hour for the main dishes. We ordered a bottle of wine before our entrees were served yet they finally brought the bottle of wine right as we were finishing up our meals. Just poor timing and poor service for an amazing and delicious restaurant.
Overall, the experience was good, with the food, ambience, and value earning solid three-star ratings and service standing out as very good. However, many items on the menu were unavailable, which limited the dining experience, and the music was overbearing, making conversation difficult despite the otherwise energetic atmosphere.
Loading...