Brigantine

Good food, good service, REALLY good view of dog beach and the fair

Valet parking is $ 5 however we found street parking for free.
Reservation is a must to get a seat with gorgeous views.
Bread and butter brought to table before dinner arrives and it’s warm and delish.
We ordered the millionaire margarita, spendy but very good.
I ordered the seafood plate which was pretty good and my husband ordered the bacon wrapped filet cooked medium and he said the seasoning and the way it was cooked was amazing!
Service is excellent, attentive and fast!

LOVE this place ! Everything is good —
The service is tops. Parking is a bear unless you do valet… But not enough to keep me from coming back with family /​friends. Whether you like fish, red meat or even veggie, you’ll find something to enjoy.
Been here a number of times and will keep coming back!

Would be 5 stars if they didn’t get rid of their potato taquitos… That was the best thing on the menu
Dear Brig Management– we have returned only because of the return of the potato tacos.
Thank you. Don’t EVER take them off your menu again.

Always enjoyed the food n drinks, after visiting the fair grounds. My favorite is oysters on the half shell.

Crab and Lobster salad was yummy and well worth the money. A little loud for conversation but over all good experience.

My fav date night restaurant by far. Rarely do my husband and I have such an awesome experience eating out in this town, usually met with poor service and passive aggressive seating next to the kitchen or bathroom etc. We always have to request different seating, and our service is always lacking (Something about «interracial» couples I guess).
But this place treated us like the royalty we felt like, beautiful view and awesome service. Valentine’s day had some great specials too.

Very good food. Atmosphere is also good. We catch the happy hr great deals on booze and food. Never had a bad experience

Came here for lunch, got a chopped chicken salad. Sounds pretty regular but it was surprisingly tasty! Valet your car, it’s only $ 5. Nice venue, quite busy for lunch time. We sat at the bar… It wasn’t packed but there were a good amount of people here. My only complaint is that the entrance is difficult — either you try to make a left into the restaurant or you go allll the way down and bust a u-​turn and come allll the way back. They’re known for their fish tacos.

My girlfriend and I came here through recommendation and I’m glad we did. I got the chef’s special which was a t-​bone, medium rare, with asparagus, and prawns wrapped in jalapeño bacon. My girlfriend got the mahi mahi special. We also got the fried clams and a bowl of soup as an appetizer.
The server brought us some bread and butter to start with and I have to tell you, the butter was amazing. I practically ate it by itself. Next was the fried clams. I love clams and these were pretty standard. I would have liked to experience a little more at an expensive restaurant that has a seafood specialty.
The steak was absolutely amazing. I’d have to say that it was easily top 5 steak experiences in a restaurant setting. It was perfectly on the rare side of medium rare, the fat was cooked through and it was perfectly salted. I like my steaks a bit salty and this didn’t need anything. I tried the mahi mahi and it a little dry and bland, which was unexpected. I’d say that it was a little over priced for the quality of its seafood but it’s definitely decent food in a nice comfortable environment. The service was good and the people were friendly.

This place is amazing — great service, amazing food and awesome views! I tried the octopus and ahi tuna tacos and I loved both the dishes. I also loved the dynamite mahi-​mahi (that had a crust of crab on top!) and their signature swordfish (avocado butter is delicious :)).
The portions of the appetizers are small — so in a group of four people i had to order two and everyone ordered individual entrees (because entrée portion is not shareable as well). But overall, drinks, food and service are great!

We ate here last night, and I can’t say enough about the customer service, food, and atmosphere! My husband, son, and I brought my parents who are in from Chicago. My dad is in a wheelchair, and the hostess made sure she found exactly the right table where he would be comfortable.
We were seated on the patio, and got ready to enjoy the lovely view. As soon as we sat down we realized that the table of 8 women next to us was going to be a problem. In their defense, they probably don’t get out much, and were excited to be getting together. However, they weren’t on their first round of cocktails, and the volume and pitch of their conversations had escalated to what can only be described as shrieking. Our waitress had to lean down and almost yell in order to tell us the daily specials.
The management team handled the situation with efficiency, and professionalism. They offered the ladies a larger table inside the bar area where they would be «more comfortable». Problem solved, and a huge sign of relief from every table on that end of the patio. Well done, Brigantine!
The food was delicious. We ordered a variety of dishes — the half-​chicken, scallops (YUM!), fish & chips, and a burger. Our whole family enjoyed their meals. Our waitress, Kate, was delightful. This was only my second time here, but The Brigantine just became my new go-​to restaurant.

Came to the Brig for Sunday Brunch and we had the best seat in the house. We were seated across from the bar right next to the windows looking over the Del Mar Race Tracks. We had the waitress slide open the windows so we could get the ocean breeze and full view.
We came at a great time 11am before it got crowded. We enjoyed our $ 3 bottomless mimosas until 2pm. The food was amazing! I ordered their seafood omelette, with crab, shrimp, artichokes, cheese, hollandaise sauce and a side of breakfast potatoes. I opted for fruit instead of the potatoes and left out the hollandaise sauce. The waitress Tara was wonderful and very accommodating. She checked on us often and was always there to refill our «Man Mosa» cups picture will be attached. The BF ordered a mahi mahi sandwich with a side of fries and house made coleslaw. He ate the entire thing without sharing so it goes to show you how good it was. The bestie ordered steak and eggs which he also devoured without sharing.
The atmosphere is just so relaxed and the views make the perfect back drop. And you can’t beat the $ 3 endless mimosas deal. Service and food were top notch. However parking is another situation… I say just bite the bullet pay the $ 5 valet fee. Otherwise there is $ 8 – 10 parking across the street. Or you can get lucky with street parking which is difficult on that stretch of road.
First time here and defiantly not the last! This may just be our official Sunday Brunch location.

The company I work for is located close to the Brigantine (the Brig) in Del Mar. Several of us go there for a fish taco as soon as we fly into town, literally from the airport to the Brig. We have done this 3 times a year for the past 10 years. We will also go there for lunch and for dinner 2 to 3 time while we are there for the week.
This review is not about the food, it is about customer service! 11 of us from all around the world (USA, England & Japan) decided to go to the Brig for Taco Tuesday. We got there around 6:00 pm and we’re told to come back after 8:00 because they were crowded and our group was too big.
When we got there at 8:25 the bar was still crowded, they told us to sit anywhere. The problem was there weren’t any tables that could seat 11 people. I asked about the large table that was just inside of the dining room, just 5 feet away from the last bar table. They said the dining room kitchen was closing at 8:30 and they had a policy against serving bar food in the dining room. I asked to speak to a manager who I assume was too busy to talk to me. To my embarrassment, the hostess said he said «no exceptions.» I really do not understand how they can be SO customer unfriendly!!! The Brig lost a long time customer.

Ahi tacos were good. Coconut schrimp and the salads /​burgers were just average… Mud pie was great!
Brigantine is more of a bar scene than an interesting place for dinner. I prefer this place for lunch rather than dinner. Mainly, the reason being service is slow in the evening compared to lunch service.

The Brig is within walking distance of a friend’s house and has a dog friendly patio, in addition to amazing happy hour and a fantastic view. Not sure how it gets much better!
We seriously ordered ALL of the food on the HH menu (there was a group of us sharing). Everything was really good and reasonably priced. They also have a decent selection of local beers.
The fact that they are dog friendly is enough alone to bring me back! Not someplace I would go out of my way for, but since it’s close to a friend, I am sure we’ll return.

Was lucky enough to spend time in San Diego and coworkers took us to lunch at Brigantine. Pretty impressive, the weather was fabulous for February and all the doors were open to allow us the opportunity to take in the fresh warm air! Had lunch on the back patio and it was great. The server was terrific, she took all of our orders, everyone enjoyed their meals. The food was fresh, hot and delivered in a very timely manner. The only draw back for me was parking. Coming from a place where we park ourselves, Brigantine requires valet parking and it costs to park. The main highway was pretty clogged with cars, so there really wasn’t an option. I supposed this would keep the tourists out of the parking lot and make it truly only for customers. I really liked this place, would visit again when I am back in the San Diego area.

The swordfish tacos are incredible. You’d think you’d died and went to heaven. This place is always a stop when I’m in the Del Mar area. Go before or after the races in the summer. Great atmosphere!

Beautiful views and pleasant wait staff. Good was very satisfying but not epic. Overall great place for atmosphere and good service.

Finally visited this place! The patio has an amazing view of the racetrack. It gets a star just for that. Food here was also delicious. I tried their famous fish tacos and they delivered. Portions were big too! I liked their coconut shrimp appetizer. I definitely recommend eating in the dining area on the patio. Again, amazing view if the racetrack.

Lovely place for lunch on a weekday. Their swordfish tacos are delicious. On Tuesday they have taco specials. Great beer on draft and some interesting seafood dishes also. I especially like the Coctel Del Mar which has just about everything from the ocean in it. Nice views outside while you dinee from nearly anywhere in the restaurant. They have valet parking but there is plenty of metered parking near dog beach less than 100 feet away. If you sit outside near the windows it can get a little cold as I suggest bringing a sweater.

i went here last night… and realized that I haven’t been here in over 10 years! We used to come to the Brig for HH… all the time!
Well the place sure has changed… they tore down walls and opened it all up… so bright and open now! love the new (well new to me) look.
We were here for Taco Tuesday and for SD humane society benefit… so it was PACKED! like too packed… no room to pull up to a counter or table… no room to walk… nothing at all. Tons of new and familiar faces. We somehow managed to order a drink (and it eventually showed up)…
They definitely needed more bartenders… when we tried to order a second drink (well we did order it)…it never came. hmm… oh well.
i also had a mahi taco. which comes with cabbage, cheddar, salsa and ranch (no ranch on mine!)…it was ok… the piece of fish was tiny and just tasted ok. love the crunch of the cabbage. The chili sauce on the counter made it so much better!
i would like to come back (i’ve been saying that for years) on a night that isn’t so insane.

Came here for dinner the day before Thanksgiving. It was super packed! Everyone was on the prowl for self-​seating since they were no longer taking reservations for the night. Thankfully, the hostesses were really helpful and we were able to find seats fairly quickly.
One complaint I have is the silverware didn’t seem properly cleaned. My knife and fork had disgusting stains on them and when I asked for replacement ones, I was handed other dirty silverware. I just cleaned it myself with my napkins and water. I mean, I understand the place was packed and everyone was so busy. But. Please clean your silverware! It makes contact with our food and eventually goes in our mouths!
Anyway. We finally decided on the steak frites and the scallops. The portions were pretty small but the dishes are loaded with carbs so you will leave full (but maybe not satisfied). The food was nothing special, though I did enjoy the scallops (but then again, I was craving scallops for THREE months so anything that resembled a scallop would’ve satisfied: p). I expected the scallops to be more fresh since this place was known for its seafood. I guess that was our mistake in ordered the steak lol. But the steak was decent. Very small. I didn’t like the fat fries that came with the steak frites. I’ve put up some photos to show you the food!
All in all, I wouldn’t come here again because I don’t think the prices are worth it, but I’m glad I tried it once!

Stopped in for lunch and ended up dining on the patio out back. Their margaritas were fantastic and the fish tacos were even better. Great, relaxing afternoon. I’ll definitely go back.

We visited Brigantine Del Mar for a family brunch in December. The weather was gorgeous and I was thankful they sat our group outside where we had a view of the racetrack and the ocean. The patio area also had an open space where my son was able to run and play while the adults ate.
I was disappointed by the limited selections for the brunch menu. Especially given the many brunch options in San Diego, I really expected the menu to have a greater variety of entrees and in particular more breakfast-​y entrees. I shared some oysters and a shrimp cocktail with my husband and I had an oriental shrimp salad. The food was ok, although I wasn’t overly impressed. The best part of brunch was $ 3 unlimited champagne with an entrée purchase! Boo-​ya!
The primary reason this is only a three-​star review is that the service really wasn’t great. Several of our orders were incorrect and one member of our group had to send back an incorrect order that he couldn’t eat because of a health condition. I had to remind the waitress a few times that I had ordered juice for my son and they brought the wrong side with his meal. That would not normally be a big deal, but try getting your 5-​year-​old to eat fruit after the waitress accidentally brings French fries!
The price was right. Brunch and drinks for three adults and one child was $ 117. Side note: Valet parking is $ 4 so, if you don’t like to pay for parking, be forewarned and park on the street.

So another Sunday funday in San Diego. Decided to leave the usual suspects of Oceanside and head down to Del Mar. Made a reservation thru open table at the brigantine for the Sunday brunch. Have been a few times before and after races but 1^st brunch adventure. Food was on point as expected. And of course had to take advantage of the $ 3 bottomless mimosas .
After brunch decided to move inside to the bar for a couple of cocktails. Service at brunch and bar was awesome. Was great people watching inside to go with the drinks. Definitely will be back again.

The appetizers here that we ordered and the desserts were not bad, but all of the entrees were really underwhelming. What’s worse though is the scallops I ordered said that it came with risotto on the menu, and what I got was definitely fried rice. I feel betrayed.

Usually we have good service but today was the exception. Very poor service at the bar
We had to flag down the bartender three times then one more time just to get the check. They weren’t even busy. Valet was a joke, poor service. They put our car keys in the seat where we sat on them and couldn’t find them
This was after we paid and tipped the guy
So we had to wait and flag him down for him to yell at us they are in the seat. Never opened the passenger door. Poor service every way we turned
It will be a long time if ever that we return here.

This is one of the coolest restaurant/​bars I have ever been to. My husband had the spicy swordfish tacos and I had the fish tacos and we both agreed… they were the best we had ever had! The outdoor (doggie friendly) area over looks both the ocean and the race track! Service was ok. We were the only ones outside for awhile so not the most amazing service ever, but totally fine. We CANNOT wait to go back and will make the drive from Palm Springs to do so!

My department was staying at one of the hotels across the street and we had dinner reservations on Thursday night at Brigantine. We had a party of approximately 40 people and they reserved a section by the window for our group.
We had a condensed menu to order from and could chose from the following:
===========================================
–Pan Roasted Salmon — Creamy caper remoulade, served with rice & local vegetables
–Grilled 12-​oz New York Strip Steak — Pepper-​crusted strip steak with pinot noie demi-​glacé served with mashed potatoes & local vegetables
–Pan Roasted Chicken Breast — Prosciutto, mushrooms, roasted peppers, artichoke hearts, fontina cheese & dijon butter sauce, served with rice & local vegetables
–Pasta Primavera — Roasted vegetables in a lemon brother or marinara sauce
All of us started with the Brigantine House Salad (mixed greens, dried cranberries, hearts of palm, blue cheese crumbles, and candied pecans with blue cheese vinaigrette dressing).
I honestly did not care for the salad as I was not a fan of the blue cheese vinaigrette.
For my main course, I chose the salmon. After all, they are a seafood restaurant, right? The salmon itself wasn’t cooked how I like it. There wasn’t any flavor and underdone in the middle. I also tried my friend’s New York Strip Steak as well as my other friend’s Chicken dish.
To be honest, my favorite was probably the steak as it was seasoned and cooked nicely, the chicken came in second, and salmon was my least favorite.
I also ordered the «Pomegranate Shaker» ($ 12.00) which tasted like straight up Tequila. Again, not my fave.
Dessert was a slice of Brigantine Mud Pie. It was like a coffee ice cream cake with bits on toffee in it. This was okay, but not as good as I was expecting.
I did scan their regular menu and overall their entrée prices are decent (only around the $ 20-​$ 30 mark).
¹⁴⁸⁄₁₀₀ Reviews for 2015

Seriously bad service tonight. I have been here many times and had great service but this night was not one of them. I arrived around 4:30pm for their Happy Hour and Taco Tuesday and sat at the bar waiting for my friend. After we had chatted we had to wave down the bartenders who seemingly passed us off to each other which I really do not appreciate. We ordered ONE Original Fish Taco and a small cup of the soup of the day. I thought it was weird that we ordered from one bartenders and when we asked a question about the soup another bartender was brought over to answer our question. Her soup arrived and I saw a fish taco but they never brought one to me. After waiting a ridiculously long time, I asked and was passed around again until he confirmed it was in the computer. He then stole someone else’s fish taco and made a big deal of stealing «the next one up.» Seriously, someone else got screwed tonight, too?
Maybe they all need to go back to server school.

Out of the Brigantines, this is probably my least favorite location. I know its so close to the beach and Del Mar race track which is also why it’s usually always packed.
The service can take a hit because of how crowded it gets. The parking situation is a nightmare. You either valet for a price or find street parking and walk.
I also believe the Happy hour specials are not as good at this location.
The fish tacos, and cheesy bread are delicious like the other locations. There’s also a nice view from the back patio here.

Best. Fried. Fish. Taco. in town!
Don’t believe any negative comments until you try it for yourself. Soft juicy crisp corn tortilla stuffed with fresh cabbage, crispy fish, cheddar cheese and crema. As you devour such deliciousness you can also get a spectacular view of the Del Mar Racetrack if you choose to sit outside! Nothing beats sitting out there on a gorgeous summer day. Now for the drinks… I would stick with wine, beer, and simple cocktails ;)
xoxo

Fabulous!!!
I have NO clue why it took me 4 years to come here! We went last Saturday night, party of 4, showed up around 8pm and it was packed. Luckily we grabbed a bar table in the outdoor side area with a great view of the lagoon and track. I would recommend taking the time to wait for a bar table or sit outside of possible, atmosphere was really fun and casual.
Our server was extremely attentive and friendly. We tried the crab/​shrimp appetizer with veggies and chips, the calamari, oysters, lots of different tacos and some other dishes. Everything was absolutely delicious and nothing to critique. Drinks were very satisfying as well. I’ll be back asap!!!

Just okay. Valet parking situation is interesting. Nearly got into a car accident pulling in.
Stopped in on a Thursday night and the place was packed. Sat at a large table in the bar. Nice waitress, however left us hanging with empty drinks for a solid 15 minutes. Considering the price of the entrees, I was very disappointed with the food. I ordered a seafood combo for $ 20. Deep fried fish with little flavor, potato salad was good, and 4 pieces of «fresh vegetables». Booooo will not be going back to spend my money on the food, maybe drinks only.

I live walking distance to the Brig so the $ 5 valet charge doesn’t faze me but there is free self parking directly across the street for those who do not wish to valet. I only dine in the bar area, the dining area is a bit too fancy for me. Bar area is self-​seating, beware and good luck during happy hour or taco Tuesday — the regulars know the secrets of seating. Views of outside are gorgeous, but I love the cozy feel inside so usually try to find a booth. The decorations for the holidays made me and everyone else in town come here often.
–Happy Hour everrrrrdayyyy 4pm-​6pm
–Taco Tuesday goes all night
–Good Oysters but wish they served a side of shallot vinegar
–Best Irish Nachos sub carne add the jalapeño cream sauce. OMG the best ever. Their carne is amazing.
–Calamari and baja grilled shrimp tacos are my fav
–Swordfish taco is the mans fav
Don’t love the wings or ribs but the seafood — A+