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1500 Ocean
Category: Restaurants American (Traditional) American (Traditional) [Edit]
Hotel Del Coronado1500 Orange Ave
Coronado, CA 92118
Neighborhood: Coronado
(619) 522-8459
- Price Range:
-
$$$$
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Validated, Valet
- Attire:
- Dressy
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Good for Kids:
- No
- Takes Reservations:
- Yes
- Delivery:
- No
- Take-out:
- No
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- Yes
- Good For:
- Dinner
- Alcohol:
- Full Bar
- Noise Level:
- Quiet
- Ambience:
- Romantic, Classy
- Has TV:
- No
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
123 reviews for 1500 Ocean
Review Highlights
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"For dessert we split the Warm Chocolate Chipotle Cake." In 9 reviews -
"Has a fabulous creme brulee, no kidding." In 13 reviews -
"The Hiramasa Crudo (yellowtail with three presentations..." In 4 reviews
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123 reviews in English
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Review from Kristi G.
La Jolla, CA
An alluring dinner on Valentine's Day situated in one of the most stunning hotels in the San Diego county!
This place is highly expensive, but well worth the price for romantic evenings. My date and I had the special 3 course menu with wine pairings for $115 per person!
I have to give 5 stars for the sensational service. Our waiter was pleasant and accommodating, especially when helping me choose from the chef's menu. He timed our courses right to give us a respective time for lovely conversations. I understand that there are many complaints of the service being slow, but i felt it was appropriate for romantic evenings and not for just grubbing and leaving. Order some wine! Talk to your date! The chef even gave us complimentary mango and passionfruit drinks, which tasted exotic!
The food is above average. I didn't care too much for the appetizer and dessert, but the chef is a genius for pairing the wines so perfectly! The pink sparkling wine served with a chocolate mousse desert was my favorite wine of the night. The main dishes were also very delicious! I had the flat iron steak and he had the leg of lamb, both of which were made very tenderly.
Overall, my experience here was wonderful. If you like fine dining in La Jolla, Coronado is a nice change of atmosphere. -
Review from Edward W.
1/20/2012
The location is in a truly beautiful hotel, and 1500 Ocean is a restaurant befitting this unique and special venue.
Go for your celebration occasions and expect great service, great food and great surroundings.
It was San Diego restaurant week during our visit so the dishes we had were mostly off a special tasting menu (three courses for $40). Since these were special off-the-menu dishes, my review will be short and sweet. I started with a delightful vichyssoise. First rate by any standard. The entree was a tender, moist and flaky Grouper. Terrific. Dessert was a honey parfait that was good but not great.
My colleague had the beet salad and the flat iron steak in red wine syrup. Delicious! Her warm chocolate cake was more of a chocolate soufflé accompanied by pistachio ice-cream. Though I am not a dessert guy, this was the highlight of the evening for me.
The one item we had that was on-menu was the diver scallops. Four wonderfully prepared, plump pillows of scallop placed artistically on the plate. Gosh, they were delectable.
We had a wonderful evening at 1500 Ocean, and I will return when back in San Diego. What a welcome respite from the touristy Gaslamp District. -
Review from Christine K.
San Diego, CA
1/19/2012 1 Check-in Here
I wanted to love this place....I really really did.
Unfortunetely the food was average and the service was good and bad depending on what you count as service. Most yelpers correlate "slow output of food" with "bad service." Rather, i would say that there were some MAJOR issues going on in the kitchen.
We went for Resturant week. App, Entree, and Dessert for $40 plus a complementary amuse bouche from the chef which was a nice touch. However, each of our dishes took an HOUR to come out. Furthermore, the beet salad i had was just a salad and my grouper entree was average. I would say the best part was the warm chocolate cake which wasn't all that great either.
Yes, It was restaurant week. but to put things into perspective, there were only 5 tables in the restaurant on the Sunday night that we attended. Not impressed... -
Review from shannon l.
San Diego, CA
5/15/2012 Seated via OpenTable
Only good thing about this place is the location. You can see the ocean from most of the tables at the restaurant, that is really nice.
I had high hopes since all of the produce is grown onsite at the Del. Knowing this you would think there would be at least one vegetarian option. This place had NO vegetarian options on or off the menu. I finally got the sever (who was shocked I didn't eat fish) to agree to make the gnocchi without the meat. We are in California, come on! There are tons of vegetarians here, I can't be the first one ever in this restaurant!
Anyways, I received the gnocchi it was good, but I was shocked when the bill arrived. They charged me $44 for the gnocchi. (The rest of their main dishes range from $30-$39 for expensive meats-with nice sides). That is ridiculous that the gnocchi dish with no side would be cost me more than their recommended main dishes.
I will not be going back, and I don't recommend it to vegetarians unless you want to be ridiculed about the food you eat. -
Review from Al R.
Escondido, CA
3/25/2012
My girlfriends and I came here and had a GREAT experience!!
Perfect 10 mojito was fab!! Our group ordered a few items and all turned out great. The oysters were the best that I've ever had (no joke!) and I'm normally not a big fan of scallops but these were AMAZING!!! The calamari was great. I never had burrata before and it is the most addicting thing ever. I would come here to sit outside and enjoy the scenery and this tasty treat. Love this place and hope to be back again soon. -
Review from John B.
Fountain Valley, CA
1/4/2012
I would've given them 1 star, but it was Christmas. Now, here's the story.
I wanted to take my fiancee out for a nice date for Christmas. What would be nicer than Coronado, right? Well, apparently quite a few places would have been far better. The restaurant and bar looked really nice. There were countless people ice skating on the hotel's little temporary ice rink. All the heat lamps were on. The ambience was great. I really wanted to have a good time here.
I walked my lady to 1500. We sat down. I gave her my jacket to keep her warm. Our date was going great. We were looking at the menu and waited. We waited. Then we waited some more. I'm an extremely patient guy when it comes to these things, but I really felt ignored. I gave them the benefit of the doubt. It was Christmas and the whole hotel was bustling with people. However, 1500 was very empty. There were empty chairs and tables throughout the restaurant and bar areas. Other people were getting service, but we were not. No one greeted us and no one took our order either.
I tried getting eye contact and waving my hand. Then I noticed that they REALLY were ignoring me. They were actively trying to imagine that I was not there. I thought, "This can't be happening!" I tried being proactive. I tried walking up to two people that worked there. Both made brief eye contact with me and then walked away from me!
At that point, my fiancee was even more upset than I was. After approximately 15 minutes of being absolutely invisible to everyone there but ourselves, we got up and left. I'm sorry but in this economy most businesses are watching every penny. A business cannot afford to treat customers like this.
I usually give very good ratings to all the establishments I visit. I am very easy to please. I'm sorry, but I don't see myself returning here. I would recommend that people find other places to support.
February 15, 2012
The management of the Hotel del Coronado contacted me and kindly requested that I give them another chance. Steve Schackne, from the Food & Beverage Department of the hotel, offered me a gift voucher and a free parking pass as an incentive. After some deliberation, my fiancee and I decided that we could give the hotel a shot at making up for the last time.
So, I visited the Hotel del Coronado last night with my fiancee and I must
say that this experience was much better than the previous time. We
arrived early for our reservation and were seated almost immediately
in the veranda. It was close enough to the ocean while providing a
decent amount of protection against the cold. The tri-tip and braised
short rib entrees were prepared very well. Our server, Manny, was very
friendly and attentive even though he had to take care of the guests
at many tables. All in all it was a much more pleasant experience.
I would give this experience 4 stars. Averaging that with the 2 star experience last time, I am changing this rating to 3 stars. -
Review from Victor B.
Spring Valley, CA
3/30/2012
Service was excellent! Food was very good!
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Review from Ryan P.
La Jolla, CA
1/18/2012 1 Check-in Here
Coronado is truly a beautiful place, and my first thought about 1500 Ocean is that I wish we had gone in the summer, while the sun was setting. The view over the ocean would be beautiful. As it was, night time wasn't bad. The setting indoors was very elegant and comfortable. There are pillows in the booths! Really cool.
We came here for restaurant week in January 2012. Started off with the Sunchoke Vichyssoise, a potato-y soup with bits of bacon and chives. It had a hint of lemon too which gave it a slightly sour taste that was refreshing and unexpected! Our waiter helped us learn how to pronounce Vichyssoise, he was super friendly. Great service!
For our main course, I had the grouper fish while my friend ordered the steak. The fish was so tender and flavorful. I was just amazed by how great it tasted! The fish melted in your mouth and the seasons were not overbearing. The vegetables tasted great and were also well seasoned. I had a really great meal. Her steak was cooked medium, and was also filled with flavor. I can't say enough about how great the main courses tasted! So impressed!
The dessert to top it off was a honey parfait and a warm chocolate cake. The parfait came with bits of fruit and graham crumbs. It wasn't overly sweet, and was the perfect amount to top off the meal. Her chocolate cake was served with pistachio ice cream. The chocolate was rich and perfect. It was more like a brownie.
The portions were perfect I was full and really satisfied with the meal at the end. I recommend this place to anyone looking for a nice dining atmosphere. Go now! -
Review from brianna s.
San Diego, CA
This was a hard one. If based on food, ambience, and service alone I would say 4 stars. What took it back one star was the over timing of our dining experience.
My boyfriend made reservations here for 8, as our anniversary dinner, when we were staying at the hotel. The restaurant was absolutely packed, which I found shocking, because of how upscale and pricy this spot is, and the economy, but we nailed it when we looked around and simply said... "This is the entire 1%." Don't expect to leave here without spending at LEAST $100 per person...
We went for the four course option. Reading the menu made my mouth water, and we were both starving! Take your server's word for whatever it is that they recommend. You can't go wrong. I normally do, and always end up with the best meal at the table, while my boy ends up wanting to share mine. I went for the Black Spaghetti, Seared Scallops, Blackened Cod and a Chocolate dessert. Everything was indeed mouthwatering, and by far my favorite was the scallop. The best I have ever had!!
You must be asking, why the 3 star review?? I was expecting our whole night dining would take a max of about an hour. We wanted to enjoy a bottle of champagne in the room and walk on the beach. But it seemed as though they brought out each piece of our meal every 30 minutes. No joke, it took us 2 1/2 hours just to finish, and not because of us. We would eat, they would clear the settings, and 30 minutes later bring the next course.
After that long with the dimmed lights, small portions, and plenty of drinks, our eyelids began to get heavy. Right before we asked for the bill, a busser asked if we would like a coffee to end out our meal. We both said yes, but to our surprise, we got none. We had to ask for our check, because our server was no where to be found...
Great food, for the most part great service, but a two and half hour meal isn't exactly what I had in mind. -
Review from Carol K.
Gilbert, AZ
9/17/2011
The setting is gorgeous and the food fab. We tried the tasting menu in which you order four courses off of the menu for a f fixed price. We opted for the wine pairing for an additional fee.
We were amongst the last to be served because it was busy and we prefer late dining. The server was OK, nothing special. We would have liked a sommelier to serve the wine or at least a server who was knowledgeable and could tell us about the wine selection. The food was delicious. The wine, not so much. The wine was poor pairing, and most were fruity.
The Hiromassa sashimi appetizer was poetic. Twas' melt in your mouth divinity with a touch of tang. The duo of lamb entree (osso bucco and chop) was succulent and truly memorable. Writing about it, I want to RUN and have some more.
I recommend this place for a romantic evening or special dinner. It lost a star over the wine and the forgettable server. -
Review from Luci B.
La Quinta, CA
2/5/2012
Wonderful atmosphere but the accolades stop there. Duck overdone not crispy proportions small and overpriced. Best item was the bread and wine. Should have stopped there.
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Review from Monica L.
San Diego, CA
6/5/2011
My husband and I dined at 1500 Ocean in celebration of his birthday; and we were staying overnight at the hotel. We were seated promptly (we had a reservation) and our table was on the covered patio that has heaters. It was very nice, even though it was a bit chilly out (the heaters really helped). The service was attentive throughout most of the meal but began to lack towards the end.
I started with a vodka martini (Chopin) with blue cheese olives and it was fantastic! Delicious and a generous portion. We decided on the four course tasting menu, named "As You Wish", because you get to choose any four items off the menu to create your own tasting menu. At $75 it's a pretty good deal.
First Course #1: Lobster Salad - There was probably about half a tail of lobster meat on there which a healthy portion. I loooooove hearts of palm, but these ones were too crunchy and very chalky. The menu lists "citrus" as one of the items on the plate and boy was there some citrus! There were literally entire cross sections of citrus fruits on my plate, pith, seeds, and all. The only thing that had been removed was the rind. It would have been much nicer if they had used segments instead. There were also some sort of cracker chips layered with the lobster that were a little floury and stale or undercooked. Not the best salad.
First Course #2: Veal Short Ribs - This was a very nice appetizer sized portion and they were very good. My husband loved them!
Second Course #1: Sweet Pea Agnolotti - I love sweet/english/spring peas! This dish was about six agnolotti filled with a beautiful pea puree (not too smooth, not too chunky); some individual peas that were large and beautiful and cooked to perfection; but the carrots were almost raw and pretty crunchy and fibrous. I just wish they had been cooked a tad bit more.
Second Course #2: Red Wine Pappardelle - The pasta was a bit grity, but the rest of this dish was very nice. The richness/slight gaminess of the lamb paired with the brininess of the olives and the richness of the chard was fabulous.
Third Course #1: Alaskan Halibut - This was fantastic! The fish was cooked to perfection and it was topped with sweet little chunks of halibut cheek that was divine!
Third Course #2: California Natural Angus Beef Filet - The meat was delicious and cooked to a perfect juicy red. My husband had no complaints!
Fourth Course #1: Manjari Chocolate Mousse - Served on a pistachio cake and with raspberry, it was okay, not too exciting and definitely outshone by the next one . . .
Fourth Course #2: Orange Cointreau Creme Brulee - Now this is what Creme Brulee should be! It was deliciously smooth, not too sweet, and had a perfect burnt sugar crust that I love.
So I would rate the food at 1500 Ocean a 6.5 out of 10; but all components considered they get my 4 out of 5 stars on Yelp!Listed in: Hotels, Fine Dining
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Review from Alice A.
Updated - 1/18/2011 1 Check-in Here
What: San Diego Restaurant Week
Pre-dinner drink at Sunset Bar: Jose is still here. He made me "Sangria", with berry vodka, the dark red liquid sitting atop refreshing wine/spritz mix I wish I remembered the name of. He told me to mix it, and it was as delicious as it was beautiful.
Dinner: Three-course prix fixe for $40.
I can sum it up in three lines:
The lamb shank.
Mt. Rosa pinot noir.
O.M.G.
So worth it.Listed in: San Diego for Northern…
1 Previous Review: Show all »
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2/19/2010
We really splurged on our V-day dinner.
First, hats off to Jose, the bartender manning the patio bar… Read more »
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Review from carlos a.
10/15/2011 1 Check-in Here
1500 Ocean is not only one of the best meals I've had it was also set in a stunning oceanside environment. I tend to have a rule: the better the view the more mediocre the food. This was not the case for 1500 Ocean. Quite the opposite. I had steak and scallops and both were amazing. Service was top notch. I can't wait to go back.
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Review from J C.
Coronado, CA
5/14/2011 1 Check-in Here
Good food! I love good food. Gourmet, not burgers and fries but they have their place as well. I was prepped to be disappointed.
Ambiance was intimate. Dim lighting, romantic music. This place is not for the amateur palate. It is not meant to be gorged on. The flavors are balanced. The food is light.
My waiter looked like he just crawled off his surf board and came to work. Had I been single with low standards, he would have pleased me. Luckily, the next table had more knowledgeable staff and I borrowed him so I could get a better understanding of the evenings' offerings. He did not let me down!
1500 Ocean was a nice meal. I recommend Restaurant Week dining to keep the bill low. Why pay more? -
Review from Jeff B.
San Diego, CA
2/15/2012
I surprised my wife by taking her here for her 25th birthday which happens to be on Valentines day. She loves Coronado and I thought this would be the perfect place to take her! Boy was I wrong. The place was not busy at all especially for a holiday so you think the service would have been quicker. The only way we could get our waiters attention was by pushing or plates to the side. The first course was ok but the meals themselves were terrible! For $85 you would expect so much more! I know it's Valentines day but this was just terrible. The Flank steak was tough and the sides were fried who knows what. The Lamb was incredibly rare which I usually don't mind but this was too much. The dessert was ok. Nothing I would ever order again. I'm sorry that I didn't take the time to read the other reviews before coming here.
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Review from David S.
San Francisco, CA
4/4/2011
Has a fabulous creme brulee, no kidding. The waiter said it was his favorite in 25+ years there, and we took him at his word.
I love having an experienced wait staff -- you can learn a lot about your food and wine from them.
It was a perfect sunset dinner there. We brought our sunglasses.
We enjoyed the wine pairings with the meal but I must be honest. I am a vegetarian and all the wines were white -- and I'm just a noob in the pale grape department.
The Burrata was fabulous. As I recall it's domestic.
The Risotto was wonderful. Rarely vegetarian, it was a real treat.
I'll be back! -
Review from Elmerissa S.
Bonita, CA
12/16/2011
This is perhaps the best snapper I have ever had and the tastiest side dish of mushrooms. The snapper had cauliflower with 2 different types of sauces and currants. The flavors were complex and balanced. My family had the cod and the rock fish and the steak. They were all equally exquisite in both presentation and taste. The food is 5 star all the way and you cannot do better in the food area. Now for the rest--the inside is nice and well appointed but not much of an ambience. And if you are going to pay over $300, then we like to have the "dining experience" like in other places. It it is not the "dining experience" one expects in a fine dining. It was slightly annoying that our food server kept trying to push the Tasting Menu. But the service was friendly and efficient.
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Review from Idania D.
Manhattan, NY
We wanted one special dinner while staying in San Diego and 1500 Ocean proved to be a good choice. We sat outside and were able to take in a breath taking view of Coronado Beach and enjoy some wonderful live jazz. Our service by both the sommelier and waiter was professional, knowledgeable and warm. We started with a very nice bottle of Meursault.
Appetizers- stuffed squash blossom- fried perfectly with no greasy after taste
Hiramasa cruda- so good, I just wish there was more of it
Heirloom tomato- great tomatoes, just right
Entrees- homemade artichoke ravioli - melt in your mouth goodness
Diver scallops- they were perfectly cooked and the squash vegetables/puree was out of this world. The crispy prosciutto added a nice dimension to the dish.
Dessert- The pear tartine and brown butter cake were masterful executions. We could have taken a dozen to go. Usually you give up good food for a spectacular view, but we had both at 1500 Ocean. -
Review from Laura D.
9/10/2010
OK, the first thing that's cool about this place is that you drive over the bridge to an island, a rather long, curving bridge. Coronado is a very quaint, very cool little place, with stortybook houses and lush landscaping, surrounded by the ocean. Everything looks like it was stopped in time.
1500 Ocean is in the historic Hotel del Coronado (where they filmed "Some Like It Hot" with Marilyn Monroe oh so many years ago). My mother used to take me to the hotel when I was a kid and I remember thinking I was in another country.
The hotel is now quite the tourist trap, and my friend Kay and I sashayed our way through the throngs of flip-flopped-tshirted folk to get to the restaurant. The place itself is gorgeous. Very well decorated, architectural, styled, etc etc. Just so au corrent.
But the cuisine is a bit weird. There are very few "ordinary" dishes, everything is rather exotic. I opted for traditional mozzarella and tomato appetizer, followed by the sea bass which was delicious. Everything comes like a piece of art on a plate, and the service is good if a bit snooty.
My friend had the lamb, which was nicely prepared but a bit overspiced, and it was quite rare.
It's very expensive and not really worth it. But it's very romantic if ya wanna take a date here. We didn't try the desserts but they looked great. -
Review from James N.
Phoenix, AZ
6/21/2011
We dined here on a Saturday night in June. They did not have any tables inside but allowed us to seat ourselves at a table in the outdoor bar area. The service was slow but the food and views were excellent. We ordered a cheese plate to start, and the grouper and vegetable dishes as our entrees. This paired very well with a bottle of Pinot. The prices are a little on the pricey side but we had a beautiful view of the Cornado beach/ocean so the ambience was fantastic. We hit a wine/chocolate bar at the Hotel Del afterwards and had an overall fantastic evening.
Would definitely go to this restaurant again when staying at the Hotel Del. -
Review from Tim F.
12/11/2010 1 Check-in Here
After reading some of the reviews i was concerned about this place meeting my expectations. As it turns out, my expectations were far exceeded.
Incredible location {Hotel Del Coronado), incredible food and wine, and incredible presentation; I loved my pork tenderloin. Perfectly cooked and seasoned, it melted in my mouth.
The service was very good, and if you are looking for good wine, this is the place to try.Listed in: The "F" Word
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Review from T and M A.
San Francisco, CA
11/18/2011 8 photos
Excellent Service and Excellent Food. The waiters really know their stuff. This is pretty high end, so remember it's the quality, not quantity (IE: giant white plates with small amounts of food). Going for super high quality is fun every once in a while.
We each ordered the 4-course tasting menu: ($75 each)
Course 1:
Heirloom Pumpkin Veloute with bacon crouton and mimolette cheese: This had incredible taste. Definitely a highlight.
Poached Prawns with shaved celery, concord grape, and ginger reduction: If you buy the 4-course meal you only get one prawn. This was a little forgettable.
Course 2:
Heirloom Tomato with burrata cheese, basil currant, and tomato consomme: Great collection of tomatoes and other good tastes.
Black Spaghetti, with dungeness crab, jalapeno sea urchin, and gremolata crumbs: This was delicious. The black is tinted with squid ink. The portion was slightly small, probably because it was so tasty and I still wanted more.
Course 3:
Black Cod with potato confit, clams, and leek coriander emulsion: This was excellent. The potato confit had an incredible light texture that was perfect with the cod.
California Natural Angus Beef Filet: potato puree, red onion marmalade, and pickled chanterelle: This was incredible. The beef was absolutely perfect. Each of the sides packed incredible flavor and paired nicely with the beef. The chanterelle mushrooms were extra delicious and red onion marmalade gave just the right sweetness to the meat.
Course 4:
Seasonal Sorbet Trio with fresh berries: The best sorbet and freshest berries.
Roasted Fig with walnut cake, iced yogurt, and honeycomb: Definitely more of an adventurous dessert. Excellent compilation.
We also got a surprise dessert plate for my wife's birthday.
Overall, an amazing meal.
My only slight annoyance was the hostess that brought us to our table. The sun was just going down and the sunset view was absolutely beautiful, but the hostess sat us at the far end of the patio behind the bar. We decided not to say anything and then made our orders. Once we decided to drop $200 on the meal we decided for that price we are going to sit where we want. We asked to be moved to opposite side of the patio where there were plenty of open tables and view was amazing. Since they were all open I thought they might be reserving it for a group, but turns out no. I think we got a quick evil eye from the hostess, but oh well. It's probably not a bad idea to ask the customer if they have a preference of where to sit, especially at a high end place like this. And who wants to be behind the bar when they could have an ocean view? This was minor and it turned out okay for us. -
Review from Nicole P.
San Diego, CA
3/19/2011 1 Check-in Here
The restaurant is just a few steps from the beach and is located in Hotel del Coronado. We came around sunset and had outdoor seating which was just so perfect. The view of the ocean was amazing. Now on to the food...
It was alright. For the first course we ordered the lobster salad. It looked good but it was extremely bitter and the lobster was a little raw. I'm not sure if that's how it's supposed to be but I guess I'm not a fan of raw lobster. The salad was pretty small, too. The flavor certainly did not make up for the size.
For the main course I had the scallops and my fiance had the chicken with hedgehog. The scallops were cooked perfectly! It had a very delicate flavor and was not overseasoned. The chicken with hedgehog, however, was not so delicious. It tasted burnt and had this weird sourness to it.
The service was great. Our server was very attentive and always checked to see if we needed anything. Our water glasses were always full.
The best thing about the restaurant is the atmosphere and the service. As for the food, you're just paying lots of dollars for food that looks pretty, but doesn't satisfy your taste buds. -
Review from Nicole F.
Updated - 9/20/2010
Things were hit or miss. I don't know if they are still doing the 4 course pre sunset dinner for $40 but that had been a better deal than the restaurant week dinner we had last night.
Things we liked: watermelon/tomato salad; tagliatelle pasta; amuse buche of faro (mediterrean medley); duck
Things we didn't like: All three groupers (not sure if that is goldspotted sand bass that is listed on the restaurant week site) They arrived way undercooked - and I usually like fish that is rare - but this was bad. Waitress apologized and took all 3 dishes back, but it took at least 10-15 minutes for her to return with the now done grouper.
She should have brought out some cheese or an appetizer while we waited...something to make up for the fact that one person in our party finished his meal before we even got to eat ours. Now that we have our cooked fish, it's really unremarkable - sitting in a bland tomato sauce with no fresh herbs. It sits on top of one lonely slice of potato - that's "potato confit?"
Also liked the coconut creme brule and chocolate bavarian. But they offered us coffee only after we had received our dessert - otherwise might have ordered some.
Wine list is decent and the view is good. The view and the company is what saved the night, but later discovered that two in our party were starving an hour later.....1 Previous Review: Show all »
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5/18/2009
Service and food top notch. Knocked 1 star off due to portion size as my husband said the only… Read more »
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Review from Uyen C.
Silver Spring, MD
4/3/2011
Ocean front restaurant in the Hotel Del Coronado, it is the perfect setting and second to none ambiance for a romantic dinner. Location and ambiance can not be beaten, food was good, but did not live up to our expectations.
We had the 5 course menu ($85), and everything was good, but not mind blowing. I honestly don't even remember what I had. It's good food, good service, all around good 3.5* restaurant on yelp.
Not so memorable, probably won't return. There are many dining options on Coronado, and this did not live up to our expectation. -
Review from Jaclyn B.
San Diego, CA
2/15/2012
So bummed about this place. Unfortunately my BD is on Valentines day so we're usually stuck with a pre set menu. My husband surprised me by taking me here and I'm sad to say it will be our last time. They were not busy at all but the service was slow. It's nice not to be hurried out but but come on. The food was not good at all. We had the flank steak and lamb. We couldn't decide which was worse. Definitely not what we expected for an over $200 meal. Do yourself a favor and just go to Ruth's Chris where it's always good and no pre set menus. Lesson learned.
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Review from Jennie N.
San Diego, CA
5/8/2009
This was the BEST dinner I have ever had. Perhaps it's because I had too many pina coladas at B&S Bar next door while waiting for 1500 to open for dinner or it was just that good, I dunno.
My BFF and her husband came into visit for my graduation and treated me to dinner. I only see her once a year, so it was a real treat. The restaurant was very classy and regal. When we arrive the plesant hostess asked if we were celebrating anything, and I mentioned we were toasting my graduation from pharmacy school.
Our waiter was very professional, prompt and courteous. He thoroughly answered each menu with expert advice and descriptions.
I ordered the pork medallions, my BFF ordered the lamb and her husband ordered the halibut. We each LOVED our meals, but still decided the halibut was the best dish of the three. While we were waiting for the main course, we had bread with organic butter. We also had a little salad of strawberry, arugala, and goat cheese ball, compliments of the chef. So delicious!
We ordered 2006 Tudor Pinot Noir with our meal.
After the main course, we had excellent, frothy cappuccinos with our desserts. I ordered the almond butter cake with vanilla ice cream and strawberries, the BFF had the chocolate chipotle cake with caramel banana on top and a carmel gelato that rested on a bed of crushed almond, and her husband had white chocolate mousse with grand marnier and chocolate sance. On my plate, they had written "Congratulations" in chocolate sauce on the edge of my plate. So cute!
The main courses were between $35-$45 each, the desserts were between $12-$15 each, the wine bottle was $75, and the cappucinos were $5 each.
It was the best meal I have ever had, and I really hope to come back soon. -
Review from Sarah C.
San Diego, CA
10/5/2009
I've basically concluded that restaurant week was a well conceived plan by restaurateurs to coax further spending, which was true in my case but, I digress.
The next stop on the restaurant week train was 1500 Ocean at the Hotel del Coronado. My expectations were high secondary to its location and sterling reviews but, disappointment was soon discovered.
My friend and I were seated outside which afforded us the calming effect of the sound and smell of ocean waves thus deserving a star. On the other hand, I thought the ambiance was a bit haughty especially when many of the patrons seemed unable to extend a courteous smile.
Instead of choosing items from the restaurant week pre fixe menu we chose to order from the regular menu as the selection were furthermore appealing and the courses followed as such:
First Course:
Shrimp cocktail - the shrimp were plump and cooked well but, the cocktail sauce was bland. It lacked that "zing" cocktail sauce is suppose to have.
Second Course:
Rib-eye with sauteed veggies, mushrooms and mashed potatoes - ordered my steak rare but was served a cold medium rare with accompanying sides containing most of the flavor. The dish was more about presentation than taste and probably designed to give tourists the "wow" factor however, undesirable for locals who most likely tasted better.
Third Course:
Creme brulee and seasonal sorbet - the best part of the entire meal hence the second star.
The service was slow. Our waiter was pretentious and showed preferential treatment to those ordering from the regular menu. Unfortunately, the service didn't precede the hotel's reputation.
The entire meal was pricey. Normally, I never complain about the cost but I do believe that the meal and the experience has to match the price. The fact that they couldn't cook a steak to specifications, the service was bordering on agitating and when you can honestly say that you enjoyed the entree presentations more than its taste, the matching principle is amiss. -
Review from Meagan D.
9/17/2009
* Restaurant Week Review *
Wow. I decided to pop my restaurant week cherry by hitting up 1500 Ocean because I love any excuse to go to the Hotel Del, and we're looking for a great place to take my man's mom to on her birthday. I think we found it.
First course - truffled parpadelle was divine. The watermelon salad was okay, not my favorite but I think that's just because I was jealous of the parpadelle.
Second course - beef and trout. At first I was wary of the trout but once the waiter told me it looked and tasted a lot like salmon I knew it would be okay to order. Man I'm glad I did. It was delicious. Perfectly flaky, just enough crust (it's not crust but I'm not educated enough food wise to call it the real name) and perfect pairing with a Pinot Noir. The beef was really good too, the filet had a mushroom sauce that was a tad over powering, but nothing that ruined the dish.
Third course - ice cream sandwich and lemoncello something or other. It was amazing, I loved both. The man didn't love the lemoncello dessert but I thought it was just tart enough to make the dessert wine work. The ice cream sandwich was the standout though. I think it's the chocoholic in me, but I could have eaten the whole thing if I let myself.
This is one of those places that was totally worth it for restaurant week. It was a special treat, that we wouldn't normally have and at a price we were comfortable with. I have a feeling the birthday dinner will be amazing, especially if she picks here! -
Review from Allison L.
Laguna Beach, CA
6/22/2010
Wow.
My boyfriend and I came here for our 2 year anniversary and everything was amazing.
We got the 4 course tasting menu and decided to each get something different every course so we could split and share everything and try 8 different dishes. Every single dish we tried was fantastic. I have no complaints.
Our server was excellent as well. He even brought us a free desert :) Woohoo! 5 stars. -
Review from Maribel F.
San Diego, CA
9/14/2009
I came here for SD Restaurant week last night...in part due to the good reviews it has received but I've also walked by & thought hmmm...what a nice restaurant & being at The Del, it has to be good, right?....Wrong. I have never been so disappointed!
First of all, they bring out these cold mini sourdough baguettes that are so hard that you can stab someone with it & cause some damage. You also get these mini cheese biscuits, at least these were warm....w/ some butter w/ black lava salt....they were ok. I realized later that they bring the bread to help you fill up as their dishes are ridiculously small.
We ordered...
* Hiramasa Crudo (Raw Hamachi w/ an avocado sauce, small slices of melon on top)...this was good, but how can you ruin good raw hamachi?
*Handmade Truffled Pappardelle( pasta in a mushroom based sauce)...this was just flavorless.
*Pan Roasted Trout (on top of Quinoa)...the quinoa was good but I got Salmon instead when it was supposed to be trout? The Salmon itself was no competition to the salmon the BF made earlier that day.
*Duck, 2 ways (rare duck breast over a grain, w/some figs on the side)...also lacked flavor.
As for dessert...
*"Ice Cream" Sandwich (a chocolate macadamia cookie filled w/ chocolate semifreddo w/ raspberries on the side)...it was good, not great.
*Limoncello Panna Cotta (looked like a jello w/ a small lemony shortbread & what looked like 2 lemon drops!) ....didn't like this at all.
To top it all off the service was horrible!! They kept taking our silverware for some reason & when they brought our next dish, we would have to wave someone down for a fork or spoon. We also ordered a caprihina & they didn't know how to make it!
Again, a GREAT DISAPPOINTMENT!!!
This is a prime example of a overpriced, over-rated restaurant...shame on you Hotel Del!Listed in: Over-rated Fancy Schmancy…
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Review from Jonathan R.
San Diego, CA
1/12/2009
Yelp needs to work on instituting 1/2 stars. I often feel like places are above average but not quite worthy of 4 stars. Here is another example of a place that I would give 3 1/2 stars. This was one of those places that I wanted to try but I wasn't sure that the prices were justified. It turns out that my impression was correct. Some friends had been here in the past for restaurant week and raved about it. I like the idea behind RW but I am not sure it always lives up to the billing.
Anyway, the food here was good and well presented, although not too much about the presentation or the food itself wowed me. Don't get me wrong, it was all good and some of the courses (dessert) were well above average but overall I felt like there are plenty of other places that I would rather spend my money, even at RW prices. I would suggest maybe going there for a sunset or to take advantage of the fire pits that they have outside-neither of which we were able to do. The chocolate cake with cinnamon ice cream was quite good and I really enjoyed it but the other items were not stuff that I would order again. However, the service was very attentive, they were accommodating to dietary issues and quick to rectify any problems. -
Review from John P.
Coronado, CA
1/4/2012
We went to 1500 Oceans for New Years 2010 with friends and it was absolutely great. We went again this year and were totally disappointed. What began as an annual trek ended up being a vow never again to go to that restaurant. It was a terrible experience with small and tasteless entrees and mediocre dessert and first 2 courses. I was embarrassed. Never again!
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Review from Jen T.
San Diego, CA
6/27/2010
This is seriously one of the best restaurants in San Diego.
The food is just amazing. However, the portions are not big, they are average. Its enough to fill you up, but you are not going to be stuff or have left overs.
But onto the food. I always get the 4 courses for $75 here. I have tried something different each time, and it does not disappoint. I have had the split pea soup, and now they have switched to the white corn soup. Both are very good, but I highly recommend you guys come in for the white corn soup now.
For my second course, I have had the black spaghetti and the agnolotti, which are veal shank raviolis. The black spaghetti is too creamy for me, but the raviolis are heavenly. I have also had the duck confit risotto, also very good.
For my main entrees, I have had the halibut, which is amazing. It was so tender and flaky and light piece of fish. The scallops are also amazing. I also liked the sea bass as well. The lamb rack is also not to be missed.
For dessert, I highly recommend the orange creme brulee.
I have had great service everytime I have been here. I love everything about this place. The atmosphere, the service and most important, the food! -
Review from Kevin T.
Boston, MA
1/14/2009 3 photos
I came to Coronado for the first time just to try this restaurant for restaurant week with a couple of friends. Let me first say that Coronado is freakin awesomes. The streets are clean, some of the architectures were crazy cool to look at and it's a great place to just have a nice relaxing dinner. 1500 Ocean is one of the fanciest restaurants I have ever been to and I really dig the setting of the place. We got seated in this somewhat enclosed booth, where there were curtains and panels surrounding us. Although this was really cool, me and my friends laughed at ourselves because we are definitely not the classiest people.
We got two waiters for the evening, which was a first for me, and they were really friendly. They brought us out fancy bread and butter to begin with. There were two varieties of bread: these long pointy sticks that tasted like regular bread and these "balls" that tasted like biscuits. It was pretty delicious. However, we decided to have a little fun with our food and decided to take pictures of a stick with two balls, yes, use your imagination. I also decided to cram 2 balls in my mouth and topped it off with the pointy bread, not very classy at all. The waiters must have been pretty entertained by us, they even gave us complimentary appetizers on the house, fancy salad on a spoon.
I chose the celery root for my first dish and...it was interesting. It definitely was not my favorite soup. It was creamy and the flavor was just....weird. Then I had the sonoma duck for my main dish and it was delicious. They definitely know how to serve their duck. It came with risotto, pomegranate, and greens. The risotto was a bit cheesy so I did not like that part very much, but overall, it was very good. For dessert, I got the chocolate cake with ice cream and banana. The chocolate cake was extremely rich but the ice cream complimented it very well. Although i could never see myself coming back to this place, I definitely recommend it if you're into fancy food and decor. -
Review from Jessica L.
San Diego, CA
4/27/2009
I really want to like this place since I'm a fan of its neighboring restaurant, Sheerwater, but I think in the end, it was just okay.
To start out, they serve little sourdough baguettes and mini cheddar biscuits. The baguettes were very hard and the biscuits were similar to those that you get at Red Lobster. We also had the veal cheek..as the waiter said, it was very supple.
As for entrees, I had the eye of ribeye. I'm very critical on how my steak is prepared so I specifically asked for a medium-rare steak that was more towards rare in hopes the chefs would not mess up. This place was no exception. The steak I got was clearly overcooked and dry. I tasted the sea bass which had a nice crispy skin...it wasn't very exciting otherwise.
The dessert was the best part of the meal. We had the almond brown butter cake....deliciousness! The presentation was beautiful and the almond semifreddo was a nice surprise under the cake.
To sum it up, portions are small and pretty expensive for what you get. I would give 3 1/2 stars if I could. -
Review from Harlen B.
San Diego, CA
2/7/2011 1 Check-in Here
Visited this place on the oceanside of the Hotel Del Coronado and had the Black cod for dinner during restaurant week. It was quite yummy. The fluke crudo, though was almost great. It could have used a little more salt or lemony something. I liked it, but my co-diners did not. I had a delicious carrot cake which turned out to be a good light desert, not the heavy sort of cake you often get with barely chopped carrot bits. This had a nice carroty flavor, a soft inside with crispy crust, and some nice ice cream to go with. It was traditional, but in a unique way that I liked.
Hopefully they're on the way up and I can go again and have an even better experience. I bet this place is super crowded around sundown - it's probably beautiful. Alas, it was rather cold and definitely dark when we were seated, but the outdoor seating was well heated and comfy once you're at your table. -
Review from Nicole M.
San Diego, CA
8/4/2011
Holy Hot Mama! 1500 Ocean has some of the best culinary creations known to man. My boyfriend and I came here for a romantic Valentine's dinner. Being 24 year-olds, we were definitely on the younger side, compared to the other patrons. But, no matter. We had a wonderful time! The Hotel Del is beautiful, and this restaurant will not disappoint if you are looking for a place to celebrate a worthy occasion. Be weary, however, for it may eat up quite a percentage of your next paycheck!
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Review from Jennilee W.
San Diego, CA
1/23/2011
My husband and I went here for restaurant week a couple of years ago. I know this review is late but I had to write something because this is our favorite restaurant that we have been to for restaurant week. We do restaurant week a lot.
We started out by getting drinks at the bar on the beach while we waited to be seated for our reservation. We got a table outside and it was beautiful. It was like we were dining on the beach. We even got to see the sunset while dining.
I remembered that we ordered the steak dish. It was DELICIOUS! When we go to restaurants during restaurant week this place is always what we compare things to. None have ever topped it yet. The dessert was also sooo good. We also ordered the french press coffee with it and it was the best coffee we have ever had. I know you are thinking...its just coffee but man...it was good.
Of course, everytime I go to a "fine dining" restaurant I always have to review the service. When you are a fine dining restaurant to get 5 stars from me you need to have excellent food and excellent service. That's what you pay big bucks for right? The service here was superb! The waitress was friendly and prompt and was always there when we needed something. It was like she knew when she needed to come to us.
I totally recommend this place to anyone if they are looking for great food and a fine dining experience.
