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25 Forty Bistro & Bakehouse
Categories: Restaurants American (New) Restaurants Modern European American (New), Modern European [Edit]
2540 Congress St(between Harney St & Twiggs St)
San Diego, CA 92110
Neighborhood: Old Town
(619) 294-2540
- Hours:
Tue-Wed, Fri 5 pm - 9:30 pm
Thu-Fri 11:30 am - 2:30 pm
Thu 4 pm - 9:30 pm
Sat 10 am - 9:30 pm
Sun 10 am - 9 am
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Street, Private Lot, Valet
- Attire:
- Casual
- Price Range:
-
$$
- Good for Kids:
- No
- Takes Reservations:
- Yes
- Delivery:
- No
- Take-out:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- Yes
- Wi-Fi:
- No
- Good For:
- Dinner
- Alcohol:
- Beer & Wine Only
- Noise Level:
- Quiet
- Ambience:
- Trendy, Casual
- Has TV:
- No
- Caters:
- No
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
- Dogs Allowed:
- Yes
186 reviews for 25 Forty Bistro & Bakehouse
Review Highlights
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"Had the spinach stuffed chicken with lentil soup to start." In 4 reviews -
"The homemade fettuccine with braised duck is a have-to..." In 4 reviews -
"They serve pretty good french press coffee as well." In 6 reviews
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186 reviews in English
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Review from Charla A.
3/26/2012
This was a great stop before going to Seaworld! In fact, I think I liked it 10x better than seaworld.
One of the best cups of coffee I've had was here. As an appetizer, my boyfriend and I got a baguette with Nutella spread all over it. It was HUGE. It was a while ago since we've been there, but our entrees were nothing short of amazing. Wish we had a little more room to try the cupcakes, but we were stuffed.
One of the cutest little cafe's, this place is definitely a must-try! -
Review from Helena S.
San Diego, CA
5/22/2012
I was thinking of giving this place 3 stars just because any less seemed harsh, but then I saw the description for 2 stars, "Meh. I've experienced better", and that's a pretty good description of this place.
The food here was exactly "Meh" and on top of that the food service was distinctly slow. To eat we had the veggie fritter fondue appetizer, which wasn't appetizing. For $9 you got two fritters that kinda tasted like deep-fried chicken-less pot pie sitting in a pool of velveeta. My bf said the fritters tasted like they could have originated as freezer items. For mains I had the duck and white bean casserole that tasted just ok and had more duck skin and gristle than meat (I can't believe they charge ~$18 to let you eat their left over duck trimmings!); My bf had the cornish game hen, which he said was good, but no better than the chickens we roast at home. Then lastly, dessert... I was thinking of skipping since pretty much the whole meal had been a disappointment and I really didn't want to spend any more bank on mediocre food, but the bf was feeling generous and we gave the nutella creme brulee a shot. Sigh. disappointed again, it was definitely not worth the price we paid for it. Even with the restaurant(.)com certificate we had, the food still didn't justify the final discounted bill. On a single plus note, the ambiance is quite nice here.
So all in all, if you want to pay a lot of money for mediocre food and slow food service, this is the place to go. -
Review from Huyen N.
San Jose, CA
4/27/2012
My awesome roommate took me here for my birthday dinner. The restaurant feels like an old homey house with a nice fire pit in the front and nicely decorated inside. I'm not sure if it was just this Tuesday night that draws more of an older crowd (or well...seems like a 60 + crowd) which makes my roommate and I feel pretty out of place (both of us are in our twenties).
Services was good and the waiter was very helpful when we told him that it was our very first time here. I love that water is serve in an interesting bottle. We both order a white sangria for the celebration and it was very yummy and fruity. My roommate ordered the Spinach Stuffed Chicken and it was very tender and perfectly cooked. My only complaint is the fact that the blueberry reduction was a little bit too sweet and overpowering. I would like a little bit less of the blueberry on the chicken. My Bistro Filet was perfectly cooked (medium) and truffle sauce add a lot of flavor of the tender filet. I would have to say that the truffle sauce was one of the better sauce I've had. Both of our dishes were served with vegetables and mashed potatoes and they were good but nothing special. Overall, it's a nice place with good food :) -
Review from Lacey W.
San Diego, CA
4/22/2012
25 Forty is the ONLY place to eat in Old Town San Diego. If you are a tourist and really want that Mexican thing, go ahead and get it out of your system. Soon you will realize that there is NO GOOD MEXICAN FOOD IN OLD TOWN SAN DIEGO. After your disappointing crappy Mexican food experience, go to 25 Forty for some REALLY good food. If you are a "foodie", you will LOVE this place. There are NO Mexican decorations. Actually, the decor is quite absent; but don't let the appearance fool you. What energy is taken out of the ambiance is put into the food. It's what I call "food truck" food, which I think is the greatest thing to happen to food in San Diego in a long time. If you are going to Old Town, DO NOT MISS 25 Forty. It's a tourist and locals place alike. Skip the crappy Mexican food. Get your drinks on at those places and then come HERE for lunch or dinner. TRUST ME. I am a San Diego native, avid foodie, and have been everywhere to eat in Old Town. ENJOY!
P.S. why only four stars? The decor is a bummer for me, but that may just be personal preference. The food is 5 stars all the way. :) -
Review from Michael A.
San Diego, CA
5/16/2012
Have been here four times now - and really had a good meal and experience each time. The service is spot on and the food is very well prepapred. I like the casual and cool atmosphere of a small place (ten or so tables inside and more outside) The wine list is ecclectic and well thought out. the prices are reasonable. Save room for the deserts as they are amazing. Definitey at the top of the eating out rotation..
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Review from Sila B.
San Diego, CA
4/9/2012
So, I was so bummed about this place.
A friend and I went a few months ago for a 3-course special we had heard about. The place is really cute--it has a huge outdoor patio with lots of welcoming looking seating, and a fairly intimate dining room.
We got seated and ordered a bottle of wine, then started perusing our menus. I decided to choose something from the 3 course meal, while my friend opted for regular-menu fare. The waitress came back and we placed our orders. We sipped on our water...and sipped...and sipped...and probably about 20 minutes later, the wine came. After we asked about it.
We placed our order, and went back to sipping. And sipping. And sipping.
About another 30 to 40 minutes later, the first course (soup and salad) came. Duplicate the aforementioned time scheme and apply it to the main course. Even in my famished state, I was not super impressed with the food. Perhaps I just ordered the wrong thing--it was strip steak (which was decent) with Mediterranean pasta; this was penne pasta with tomatoes and a little feta. And no flavor outside of that. My friend's food looked amazing though, and she confirmed that it was. She had ordered a spinach stuffed chicken with blueberries, which she was quite pleased with.
I want to like this place. I really do. There was only one waitress that seemed to have the entire floor. But, for a bottle of wine to take 20 minutes to hit the table, and a meal (soup and salad, no less) to take 50 minutes to an hour to hit the table, in a restaurant that was not even half full, something is amiss.
I would try it again (based on my friend's meal), however I'll be sure to allot a very long time to enjoy my meal. -
Review from Sarah O.
Glendale, Los Angeles, CA
4/23/2012
Amazing Food and great atmosphere. This is an awesome place for a date. their food was well priced and super tasty. They also have house wine at an affordable price. If we lived closer i would go more often.
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Review from Eric W.
Menlo Park, CA
5/18/2012
Decided to eat here based on Yelp reviews and 25 Forty lived up to them. Decor was modern and cool. The first time we ate here the food was very good, although I had a few nits to pick with my lamb being just a bit on the rare side and some of the seasoning choices. Loved the red wines I tried. As another reviewer said, the wine list is eclectic and well worth exploring. The second time we ate here the restaurant was full and was hosting a private party on its deck outside. The kitchen and wait staffs are great but the food and the service suffered that night (understandably). I'd definitely go back again, but maybe not on a weekend.
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Review from Candie G.
West Hollywood, CA
4/26/2012 1 Check-in Here
Best breakfast and latte in Old Town! Was very happy to take the suggestions from Yelpers to try 25 Forty.
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Review from Maribel F.
San Diego, CA
2/2/2012 3 photos
This past weekend we found ourselves hungry on a Saturday night looking for a nice place to have dinner without reservations. I figured we could be seated right away in Old Town, since it's usually not very crowded there.
We ended up at 25 Forty and with parking only a block away no less! We were also seated right away. We opted for the outdoor patio since it was a beautiful clear night. My little four legged one stayed home this night, but she can join us here next time since they are puppy friendly.
We both chose from their $6 cocktail list, which I was weary of given the price. Sure enough both my tincho and his lemon drop were seriously watered down. Next time I'm sticking to their wine list.
We ordered the Buffalo Mozarella, shrimp, mango chutney, and avocado appetizer. We thought it was going to be like a tartare due to the way the waitress described it, but it was literally a large ball of fried mozarella (which was cold), 3 slices of avocado, 3 shrimp (nice if these were grilled), and a couple of globs of mango chutney. They were each okay separately but the flavors didn't come well together. We wouldn't order this again, especially not for $15.
As an entree, I had the Duck & White Bean Casserole, which was simple and delicious! It came out piping hot in a small casserole dish with a nice crispy crust. The BF had the catch of the day which was a nicely sized grilled sheepshead with garlic mashed potatoes and veggies. The fish was cooked nicely and subtlely flavored. Overall, our entrees were good.
Service was fast and friendly at first, but then our waitress got busier and forgot to refill our water and see if we needed another drink.
I'm really wavering between a 2-3 star on this one, but I'm giving them the benefit of the doubt. As the BF said, we should really try some of their baked goods since they do call themselves a bakehouse.
Just a tip: Get a http://Restaurant.com certificate to use here (I've been using them more now that they've finally gotten a phone app!).Listed in: Puppy Friendly Places
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Review from Greg S.
San Diego, CA
4/29/2012
Fantastic. Home baked awesome bread. A must visit.
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Review from Molly F.
San Diego, CA
4/16/2012
Drove out to old town to have breakfast here because of the high ratings and it was just ok. I was expecting to find my new favorite breakfast place based on the ratings, but was disappointed. I had the nutella french toast which was good but it seemed like the nutella inside was kinda dry and i couldn't taste it very much (I expected it to be oozing out a little?... lol). The boyfriend got the pb&j french toast which was really good, although it was very 'heavy' for breakfast... Ordered a side of eggs and bacon extra crispy although the bacon was undercooked and not even a little crispy, meh. I also think the server didn't understand the request. He didn't speak english too well which isn't a big deal but a tad annoying... Its a cute little place, maybe when the weathers really nice the patio would be better. I dont know, not sure I'll be back though just because there are so many other good places to go to...
+On the plus side, mimosas were only $4... -
Review from Gavan W.
San Diego, CA
5/13/2012
I wanted to like this place - I specifically picked it out because of its high yelp reviews. Now I feel like I have to do my service to warn other yelpers. I thought it might be a good alternative Kitchen 4140, to which it seemed similar in nature...but the food quality is no where near that. It feels like a restaurant that is trying to be hip and gourmet, but its really nothing more than some fancier ingredients thrown into poorly prepared meals. I ordered the steak sandwich, and was kind of impressed with how badly they were able to prepare steak/roast. I like rare, but the meat was a different type of rare...it tasted like flavorless gum, and lacked color (a good roast is supposed to be red or pink - this was closer to grey or white). The whole sandwich was soggy out the door, and I kind of wondered if they just microwaved the meat. Also ordered the bread and cheese plate, which is pretty hard to screw up, but I also was not that impressed with their bread, despite being made in house. This place kind of felt like a restaurant started by someone who was inspired by other good restaurants, but had no idea how to cook. Maybe I just arrived on a bad day? I spent over $100 for 3 people, which is not a huge amount, but I honestly would have been happier shelling out $20 at in-and-out. Waiter and service was great at least.
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Review from Mo T.
San Diego, CA
4/7/2012 1 Check-in Here
Took the family here on Thursday family dinner night. It wasnt bad by any means but a little overpriced for a basic ribeye steak, pasta, and two kids meals. I do like that everything was fresh but it lacked the wow factor. It just didn't blow me away.
Would I go here again? Maybe if I had a groupon, but other than that, no -
Review from Patrick F.
Valley Glen, CA
2/13/2012
Ok... so the food was awesome... No joke. The PB&J French Toast was AMAZING!
But the service...
25 Forty Bistro??? More like 25-40 minutes just to have your order taken. My boy Ricky was devastated! -
Review from Stacia R.
Marina del Rey, CA
4/23/2012
What a fantastic little restaurant! It's like the European fusion Marine Room, with no view and at 1/3 the price. It's terrific value for money----in my opinion this chef charges TOO LITTLE for his food: The Wednesday night $20 special is an absolute steal. Even the wines are a bargain: this chef clearly tastes the wines and selects those that complement his food, so even the $8 a glass wines are delicious. The creative decor manages to combine elegant with simple but edgy (we love the white paper tablecloths with crayons for drawing, and the chalkboard floors that record reservations in front of the table). And the front patio, with the fire pit and heaters, is both attractive and romantic. I don't understand what happened to the person who had to wait 40 minutes---I found the service friendly, attentive, and well-trained.
What do I mean by European fusion? Well, the duck casserole is like a combination between a classic French rabbit cassoulet (with white beans) and Polish bigos. May sound weird, but it is absolutely addictive. Their homemade pasta is superb---the bolognese, duck fettucini, or eggplant ravioli (yes, I've tried them all!) are all excellent choices.
The desserts are grand too: the pannacotta a luscious blend of caramel and chocolate and the perfect consistency, also large enough for two. The lemon gnocchi---an item I wish he would make a menu staple instead of a special!---perfectly flavored, a light finish to the meal, and enough for two if you just want a little something to close out dinner. The cheeses and the olives, all scrumptious and interesting. Nearly everything this chef cooks is perfection: the only dud I've found on the menu is the vegetable fritter (nice idea, blandly executed---some chipotle or something would punch up the fondue). Better eat there now because the price will triple once this place is discovered. -
Review from Jenny D.
San Rafael, CA
4/14/2012
What a great find. The food was delicious and fresh and the coffee was superb. I wish I had a bake house like this in my neighborhood - they are doing great things here!
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Review from Jenna L.
1/13/2012
This review is for the cooking class held at the restaurant, not the actual restaurant food/experience itself.
A while back, I bought a Groupon for a cooking class at this place for me and my mom, and my mom's friend. I thought it would be fun, so we finally got around to using it, and we decided to go to the Pasta, Risotto, and Ravioli class. We sat down and got to know the instructor. It was a decently small restaurant, but really cute and modern. I really liked the place.
We started out learning how to make a risotto. The instructor made some for us to try, and it was DELICIOUS. It was just simple parmesan risotto, but it was really really good. Tons of flavor, and lots of parmesan cheese made it super creamy and delicious. Plus we learned a lot of tips on which kinds of rice to use, and how to add in different things to make different types of risotto.
Next was the pasta-making. We learned about different types of noodles, where they come from, fresh pasta vs. dry pasta, how to make simple sauces, and best of all got to try the instructor's penne with meat sauce. He studied in Italy, so you can bet that this pasta was really really delicious. The sauce was thin, but rich at the same time. And the crazy amounts of cheese he put on top definitely helped things.
Lastly was the ravioli, which my mom was most excited about. We got lucky - the instructor made us duck ravioli, and it was really delicious. It was in a really good brown gravy-type sauce. He told us about how he likes to put big chunks of meat or other things inside the ravioli so that when you bite into it expecting a mush of some sort, you get a nice hearty bite instead. Sounded delicious, and makes me want to go eat at their restaurant all the time. He showed us how to make all kinds of ravioli, and how to take care of the ravioli molds if we decide to get our own.
Overall, this class was really good and I would recommend it to other people who want to learn tips and tricks on how to cook :) However, the only bad thing was that you didn't really get to do any cooking yourself.
I will definitely be back for the restaurant next time :) -
Review from Katinka C.
Murrieta, CA
3/15/2012 1 Check-in Here
I have only ever been here for Saturday brunch, as thats when I work in the area. Everything I have had is delicious. $10ish for a grilled cheese but I ordered it anyways, and it was the best grilled cheese I ever had, I would definately pay that price for it again. The fried rice is amazing, I have ordered it several times. Its served with a perfectly cooked egg. The cupcakes aren't pretty but they sure are tasty. This place gets 5 stars because the food is so darn good but I do have a couple things on my wish list. Larger to go cups for iced tea (I had to order three last week which sure adds up), a more lunchy hot entree for Saturday for people who aren't really sandwich, salad people, and umm...nothing else, its all so tasty my mouth is watering thinking about it.
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Review from Julie S.
San Diego, CA
5/9/2012
Food was amazing, great service and atmosphere.
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Review from Tom B.
San Diego, CA
12/20/2011
Loved the duck and fettuccine.
Wonderful pork belly
Corkage is inexpensive -- very nice place to have on the restaurant rotation. -
Review from Kim W.
San Francisco, CA
12/5/2011
My friend and I were in town for a conference and checked out 25 Forty Bistro because it was close to our hotel (hotel circle) in Old Town, had great reviews and had vegetarian options for me.
The atmosphere is warm and the staff is friendly. They have a nice fire pit seating area on the front porch area, and a cool wine map inside the restaurant. We made a reservation.
We started with basic mixed green salads, a bottle of pinot, and a bread basket. The breads are pretty good. My friend had the duck fettuccine and I had the vegan fettuccine. My dish had a lot of flavor, presentation was great and the fettuccine was homemade, vegan, light and perfect! My friend liked her duck dish a lot but there was a bit more duck skin than duck meat, which she said gave it nice flavor but she was hoping for a little more meat. I was so starving when we started dinner that I was afraid my portion wouldn't be enough to fill me up but it was more than enough. The food was also piping hot in temperature which we liked! We didn't have room for dessert but everything looked excellent.
Great spot for a date, with friends, etc. And great for vegetarians/vegans and omnivores alike. -
Review from Richard M.
Riverside, CA
11/8/2011
Went to the Bistro with a group of nine (9) and had mixed comments about the food. We sat outside, it was dark, hard to read the menu. We ordered several drinks, wine, hard alcohol.
Started off with the cheese palte, bread, jam, walnuts and cheese. The kale salad, btaised porl belly and spinach salads all were good.
My entree was delicious, I had the oven roasted lamb. Other people in the party had the pasta, some vegetarian dish, a rib eye, and the catch of the day. Everything was good but the service lacked professionalism. Thats why I give it 3.5 stars. -
Review from Suzan P.
San Diego, CA
1/22/2012
Stopped by for lunch last weekend thinking I would have a wait. I was early and had the restaurant to myself. Chef Mark came over to the table and asked me what I would like and then suggested the veggie hash. I felt like I had my own personal chef.
The hash was wonderful, lots of fresh veggie and two eggs on top sprinkled with Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese. It was a lot of food and took half of it home to share with my husband.
We love 25 Forty and go often, which is usually every other week. They have a Wednesday night special of $20 for 3 courses and a glass of wine. Every dish has been excellent.
I strongly recommend it to anyone looking for a small intimate restaurant. Great for lunch or dinner! Reservations recommended for Friday and Saturday nights. -
Review from Jim R.
San Diego, CA
10/24/2011
Based on a mention by a friend and the positive rating here on Yelp, we went recently for dinner. We were very disappointed and would never go again.
The service was marginal. Not awful, but nowhere near great. One waitress was very nice, but perhaps she was too busy or not experienced enough to provide good service. She struggled with basic questions about the menu (where's the fish from, where's the pork from, etc). If the food was great, this really wouldn't have been too bad. Maybe an off-night at worst.
The wine list seemed odd to us. It seems to be trying very hard to keep the price low. There are probably only a couple of bottles over $35. That's not a bad idea, but it fails in the execution. An affordable pinot from the central coast, you say? That's a good call. From *san simeon*? You or I could come up with 3 better choices in the grocery store. A California Cab for $28? (really?! well, let's try it). Sorry, we're out and only other thing we have is a Cab Malbec blend from Argentina. If the food was great, this wouldn't ruin your meal. Your wine might not be the sublime complement to your food that you had hoped for but it's not a deal killer.
You can probably anticipate what's next. The food was not great. It wasn't even *acceptable*. At our table we had "butter-poached new york steak" (that should have been a tip-off to us, but we overlooked it and ordered them anyway), the bistro filet (which the waitress has learned to pre-emptively explain is *not* the filet mignon you are expecting, but a very-tasty-nevertheless cut from somewhere else on the cow), and the glazed stuffed chicken. I'm used to buying steak at Seisel's, and eating them at local restaurants like Cafe Chloe, The Farmhouse, and Jayne's. I wouldn't serve a steak like the ones we had here. No one at our table could muster anything complementary to say about their entrees.
Old Town is a tough location for restaurants that want to do quality. It's notorious for restaurants taking advantage of tourists who either don't know better or are simply drunk on fabulous San Diego sightseeing. Of course there's an exception or two, but it's common to get mediocre food, drinks, and service at hotel prices. That's nothing the owners of 25 Forty have created, but it is something they have to overcome. Unfortunately, it's not happening here.
As an example of how 25 Forty is just not hitting the mark, they had a hostess sitting on a bar chair on the sidewalk at the entry steps. It strikes us as an awkward attempt at 'faux elegance' which confused us because we thought this was a "Bistro" (it is in the name). There's nothing elegant, requiring a hostess, about a good bistro experience. That, and she ends up blocking the sidewalk so that groups of people walking through Old Town have to go around her chair. It's just awkward and seems weird to us.
I apologized to my guests and promised to take them to one of San Diego's many fine restaurants on another occasion. -
Review from Dan D.
11/7/2011
Atmosphere - Very nice date and chill place in Old Town that offers a different option than the norm in that area. Limited seating inside with outdoor seating as well.
Food/Beverage - Full bar and they have wine pairing specials and Wednesday night deals. They offer a small selection of baked goods as well. The dinners I have had have all been excellent...somewhat on the smaller side...but enough where you don't walk away hungry.
Cost - I think it is probably moderate but I'll be honest...I have never eaten here and not used a $25 http://Restaurant.com certificate. That being said it usually comes out to $25 for everything included.
Summary - Short review but they offer different options and constantly change the specials. Food is excellent and so is the atmosphere. The only knocks are seating and menu options...they are good but limited. I usually pair this
*** BONUS BONUS BONUS ***
http://Restaurant.com $25 certificate costs $2 and you have to spend $35 (alcohol included!). I usually pair this with the same exact certificate with Wine Cabana - DIRECTLY ACROSS THE STREET - and have a killer night out with dinner and drinks for under $50. -
Review from T-Bone R.
San Diego, CA
11/5/2011
Old Town isn't just Mexican food anymore, places like this are bringing a little flair and innovation to Bandini Land. 25 Forty is a cool little bistro in what appears to be an old house. There's a chalkboard on the wall with a map of the world on it and the wines they are serving written on their continent of origin, which is cool but the wine I chose was not cool. Sure it was the cheapest bottle(25 bucks) but shouldn't wine lists start from the bottom up?
The eggplant ravioli seemed house made and it was delicious. I couldn't put my finger on it but the pasta seemed a little more Asian than Italian, great none the less. The croquettes in cheese fondue was really fun, not so healthy but unique and tasty. The kale salad was expensive for what it was but it's great to see healthy stuff on a menu.. There was something magical going on with the texture of the kale, the dressing and the caramelized walnuts.
This is a neat addition to Old Town and definitely worth a try. They have specials throughout the week so check them out online and pick a day that suits you -
Review from Rob P.
1/22/2012 1 Check-in Here
Can't hate on these guys at all. A business associate took me here for an espresso and a pastry, but they were closed. The owner let us come inside and have an espresso anyway since we weren't trying to have them cook us food. How cool is that? Apparently the food is delicious here, and seeing all the Yelp reviews, I can't wait to come back down to San Diego and give it a shot.
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Review from Le Chef D.
San Diego, CA
10/11/2011
Is it not ironic to find a pleasant "taste of Europe" in Old Town, San Diego?
Traditional European Fair along with Euro Atmosphere. Beyond Stellar service, quite possibly the best I have ever experienced, and not just for a cafe.
The Croque Madame was delightful, for the homemade bread, along with the perfectly cooked fried egg, allowed for the ham and cheese to simply melt in your mouth.
The salads are traditional for Euro Fair, including truly fresh ingredients with a little pizazz, but my Americanism got the best of me, wanting a little more or simply charging a little less.
The French Press was solid, served table-side, but with a small suggestion- Source Local! Why Not?
I will be back because the struggle to order late breakfast or early lunch still prevails, and I am sure the breakfast can hold its own! -
Review from Chris K.
La Mesa, CA
3/2/2012
Awesome food and desert! My wife said the pork chops were the best she's ever had (she's from Ohio, so she knows her pork chops), and the spinach-stuffed chicken with blueberry reduction that I had was wonderful (yeah, I know, that sounds like a weird combination, but it really worked!). We also had the vanilla custard crepes and the chocolate cake with peanut butter mousse for desert, and they were incredible. Next time, we'll try the nutella creme brulee. Pay the extra $4 for the basket of bread; it is definitely worth it. We ate every piece (and there's several different kinds of bread in the basket, including corn and banana). We love finding new and great places to eat for our rare "date nights," and this is our favorite, so far.
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Review from Beth W.
1/11/2012 1 Check-in Here
We stumbled across this hidden gem across the street from Rockin Baja Lobster in Old Town. It's tiny, but quaint and the servers make you feel like you're at home. The food is soooooo amazing! Try the pork belly. It's melt in your mouth delicious.
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Review from Bryan L.
Denver, CO
8/31/2011
25 Forty is a small unassuming establishment that holds the palate captive with each bite. My family ordered the Eggplant Ravioli and I the Gnocchi with Pesto. We also ordered the bread basket. Our seats gave us a glimpse of the kitchen, where we could see the chef and his staff carefully preparing our homemade meals from scratch.
The bread basket arrived with a variety of warm fresh baked breads. All varieties were excellent, with the exception of the banana bread. It was epic! The subtle banana flavor and bread texture was outstanding.
Our entrees were equally as good. The ravioli was flavorful but not overly complex. The gnocchi was tender, coated with pesto and served with a generous dollop of ricotta cheese. All of the portion sizes were perfect. With a meal this good, we had to have dessert. The vanilla crepes and the nutella creme brulee was amazing. I nearly licked the ramekin clean.
In summary: Our waitress was attentive, informative and friendly. The prices were excellent for the quality of our meal. This was by far the best dinner of our four day trip, and I would highly recommend this establishment for any occasion. -
Review from Mike S.
San Diego, CA
2/13/2012
Wow, great foot and fair prices. This is in Old Town so you need to be willing to walk a few blocks from where you find parking. I had the gnocchi at about $14 and it was very good. The beer I had was Moretti La Rossa and it was excellent. It's an Italian beer w/ malty flavors. So for about $25 per person, you get a great experience. This place is small so reservations are a good idea on the weekends.
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Review from Fay V.
San Diego, CA
9/8/2011
Stellar service, cute ambiance, reasonable prices and deelish food.
Definitely recommend the bread basket, an assortment of homemade breads, lightly toasted and warm.
We split the Kale Salad (currants + candied pecans), and I had the Spinach-Stuffed Blueberry Chicken.
I will definitely be back soon to this little diamond in the rough! -
Review from Erica A.
San Diego, CA
11/3/2011 5 photos
My boyfriend and I recently celebrated our 3 year Anniversary here. This place is a very romantic spot especially for Old Town. They have a lovely outdoor patio but we opted to dine inside.
We had an exceptional 3 course meal...
1) Starting with shrimp, mozzerella, avocado w/ mango chutney that we shared..
2) My man chose the "black truffle steak" and I had the most divine "braised duck with homemade fettuccine"
3) The "brown sugar custard cream" dessert truly topped off the experience- soooo good!
25 Forty Bistro has top notch service, our server made us feel very welcome and treated us so well... everyone including the chefs smiled and greeted us. They also have an extensive wine list and the ambiance is lovely.
It is fine dining experience without the excessive high prices... definitely worth it... they deserve all the business they get, they are truly a sparkling gem in Old Town. -
Review from Gregory K.
Los Angeles, CA
11/23/2011
Their weekend brunch features the best French toast I have ever had. Outstanding!
Evening fare is hearty and savory, a recent visit had cassoulet on the menu, it was served in a small cast iron skillet. Great presentation and delicious. -
Review from Derrick T.
San Diego, CA
10/13/2011 1 Check-in Here
I've been here a few times for different dining experiences. Once at dinner, lunch and another during Sunday Brunch which was my favorite.
The desserts are really good as are the breads -- its a bakehouse for sake!
I love the sandwiches and kale salad at lunch. For dinner our party shared everything so I tried some gnocchi, risotto with cod fish, spinach stuffed chicken and bistro filet... Let me tell you everything was really good and tasty.
Its a bit different from the other places to dine at in Old Town, and I feel would attract a larger crowd if they were located somewhere else. Nonetheless, its a gem that I'd continue to visit. -
Review from Natalie F.
San Diego, CA
1/22/2012 1 Check-in Here
5 of us went here for a good friend's birthday, and I really liked it!
We had a special deal, like a groupon but not with the groupon name, so we got a really good value. I don't know if I would be totally willing to pay full price at this point, but I would consider it!
The place itself is super cute! I love the house feel, the patio, the chalkboard floor (SO COOL! They wrote the reservation name and time in front of the table on the floor!) I love the black and white decor and the map on the wall with the different regions of wines, and I love the tables with the paper on top and the chairs with pillows, and I love the glass water bottles. Sigh, 25forty won me over fast.
We tried the bread basket, which was nice! I love bread and this had a great variety. Nothing too special but pretty good! We also tried the fettucini with duck, the spinach fettucini with lamb, and the spinach stuffed chicken with blueberry sauce. All were delicious! Large portions as well. We tried to finish everything but didn't succeed.
The service was great! They were prompt and friendly and took pictures when we asked them to, which I know can sometimes be a little annoying for some people.
They also brought out this lemon-lime soju thing at the beginning, which was delicious! I don't really know what it was but it was foamy and sweet and excellent.
I want to check out their cooking classes, as well!
When we came, it wasn't at all crowded which was really nice. I would definitely come back but probably not without a groupon because it's a little pricey for someone as cheap as I am. -
Review from Jenni A.
San Diego, CA
8/31/2011
25 Forty Bistro & Bakehouse located in the Old Town area of San Diego has a nice ambience and very charming. We could've sat outside in their patio because the weather was outstanding, but chose to eat insdie. We were there during the middle of the weekday for lunch. There were not too many people so we were served quickly and service was great and friendly.
Their lunch menu was small, but well rounded. I ordered the Eggplant Parmigian Ravioli with a homemade tomato sauce with spinach & bacon which was quite pricey for lunch and the portion was extremely small. I was stunned at the 'portion' size of this meal. I guess I'm comparing the portion size to what I can get at the Olive Garden...I could literally count the amount of 'Ravioli' on my plate and thought it would not fill me up, but it did. My mom ordered their Beef Sandwich w/avocado which included a sweet potato salad. My mom let me taste the sweet potato salad which was very good, but she commented that the 'avocado' was virtually 'non-exsistent in her sandwich. We ordered a Pastry, which was great!
I'm sure that there alot of other great items in their menu served for Brunch and Dinner too. I believe we all have to re-learn what 'portion' size really means and just how much we consume on a daily basis! -
Review from Steve S.
San Diego, CA
2/16/2012 3 Check-ins Here
Best sandwich I've ever had, can't wait to go back for dinner.
