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I'm wishing for half stars on this review, so I could give this place a 3.5 (I went up rather than down because I'm feeling friendly today.). I'll go back, but it better impress me more than our first visit, which I would categorize as "not bad", but "forgettable".
It took my husband & I two years living right up the street to bring ourselves to eat here. Why so long??? Because we hate chains... even baby ones. (For those who aren't aware, this restaurant is part of a local San Diego chain of 14 restaurants including multiple Brigantines, Miguels, and Zocalos, plus Azul in La Jolla.) Miguels in Coronado survives only because of it's great patio setting and the hordes of tourists who won't venture out more than a block from the Hotel Del. The Brigantine in La Mesa survives because you can count on one hand the good restaurants in town.
But, we felt open minded last Friday and decided to give it a shot. Both of us really liked the setting...lots of beautiful wood and intimate booths allowing for lots of uninterrupted conversation. I have a very scientific culinary theory that I'm looking to prove...it's all about the bread. If it's average, your meal will be too...if it's unique and outstanding, get ready for an outstanding meal. My theory held here! Of the two breads we were given, one was mediocre and one was pretty good...a perfect parallel to our meal. Our appetizer (Artichoke Fritters) was great. The soup de jour (Manhattan Clam Chowder) was not very clam-ish and lacked personality. I went out of my box and ordered Sand Dabs and my husband ordered what I should have...the Seared Ahi. He is such a great husband...after 18 years, he is quick to notice my subtle facial expressions and stony silence after taking my first bite. He reached over and switched our dishes saving me from some serious Ahi envy. The Dabs were just a bit too fishy and bland for me. The Ahi was good and I was grateful to have it, but it didn't send me anywhere. No complaints about the friendly service.
We plan to go back and give it another chance. I am a bit curious about those oysters...
Great food, reasonable prices, great service.
Make sure you try the fish tacos (fried of course), the brig house salad, New England clam chowder, and the ahi tartar.
There are daily fresh catches, daily specials, and a great happy hour in the bar.
Food is great! Delicious yet the service with Mel was awful! Came only when she took our order, to bring us our food and to give us our check. We had to request more water! But food was awesome!
this place is ok.... The only thing they really have going is that it is on Coronado and thats why they stay busy. The food is ok it seems like most of the food is pre made frozen food that they order, so all they have to do is fry it or throw it on the grill for a min. They do have a great fish taco!!! I would recomend ordering three of them. the service is standered just like any other chain restaurant.
This place was OK, nothing spectacular. It was mostly an elderly crowd and a family at a big table. We went for the early bird Brigantine First Catch special - a 3 course meal for the price of the entree you choose - this is a pretty good deal! Offered Sunday thru Thursday 5-6:30 and All Night Monday. Nothing that we had was really remarkable but it was decent. Good food at a good price (with the deal). As a visitor to San Diego, I probably wouldn't come back here with all the other awesome food places to try in the area, but I didn't have a bad experience at all. If you happen to walk by and be there for an early dinner, I would consider it.
Outstanding service and superb food! I would recommend this place to everyone! I wish we had one close by.
The fish tacos here are delicious! For the price, service, & quality of food, you will not find anywhere else on Coronado Island to eat.
The Brig is a favorite of ours...both locations in Coronado and Point Loma. We recently enjoyed an especially good experience at the Coronado Brig.
We had planned to eat in the bar, but it was Taco Tuesday and the bar was full, so we opted for the dining room. We had an especially good waiter who when he found out we love ahi suggested an especially fabulous ahi appetizer that was only on the bar menu. I can't remember what it was called but it was kind of an ahi and mango poke on fried wontons - super good!
We also had the blackened ahi appetizer which was also yummy. (I can pretty much never get tired of good ahi)
We split the seafood combo entree - fried fish, shrimp and scallops with sides of cole slaw and some different but good bleu cheese potato salad. There is a split charge for splitting entrees but worth it to have everything nicely plated.
A nice crisp Sauvignon Blanc also suggested by our waiter was the perfect finish for the palette.
Ok... The food gets a solid 3 stars but the overall experience moved it to 4 stars.
I have only been in town for two months and our anniversary was on the horizon. I started looking for a seafood restaurant online and this one met my criteria : Mid-price, nice surrounding area, something not over the top but not long john silvers either.
I saw online that they had an email club and put in my address and received an email for a free appetizer. I'm not usually a coupon user but I have been learning from my mother in law to do these things.
The website also had an online reservation maker and I used this to make our res. and at the bottom of the form it asked if we had special instructions. For no real reason I put in that it was our anniversary and we just wanted to enjoy a nice dinner.
Ok.. the night comes and we arrive and are seated. (if you are a people watcher this isn't the place... the booth was very very secluded.)
We had set the coupon on the table and the waiter took it with our drink order. It was a small sampler app. that was pretty good. Ahi, calimari, and a couple other small things.
We ordered the grilled Swordfish and Lobster Fettucine. I'm not a lobster fan but her fettucine was very decent and she really enjoyed the amount of lobster that was in the dish ( abundant was her take) the swordfish although very tasty... for the price (26dollars) was just ok.
(We make swordfish at home quite a bit and for 26 dollars I can buy about 6 swordfish steaks and cook them to the same degree of taste that these were. Don't get me wrong... it was very good but for the money I kind of expected the chef to have a fishing line out the back door of the restaurant if ya know what I mean.)
We had originally planned on stopping by The Cheesecake Factory for dessert to take home but when we were waiting for our check to come the waiter brought out a huge slice of a mocha espresso ice cream pie and wished us Happy Anniversary... I thought that was very nice of them and it showed that they were very interested in their customers.
I will definitely be going back... but in the future it will be during their advertised special times and for happy hours. I thank "The Brig" allowing us to have a very nice , complication free dinner on a special night for us.
Went to this place for the first time tonight and thoroughly enjoyed myself! My date and I first tried Chez Loma, but it was too hot to eat/breathe/think in there, so we just had to leave before they even put the water down.
In any case, back to the Brig. It was delicious! We shared a dozen Blue Point oysters (fantastic!), the blackened ahi sashimi (so yummy), and the mahi mahi, which had a lovely macadamia nut crust and mashed potatoes.
Our server was attentive, and the experience was just what we were looking for: casual atmosphere with quality food and plenty of variety.
Hooray happy hour! the $2.75 fish tacos are fabulous; crispy without being heavy. somehow, grated cheddar improves the taste instead of clashing with it. the happy hour menu is fantastic. you can easily make a meal out of it and go home completely satisfied. great prices, too.
the oyster bar has a good menu, too. i ordered cajun rock shrimp that was supposed to come with a chipotle aioli, but instead came with a ginger pineapple dipping sauce. poop! i could have asked our very nice waitress to make the switch, but we were at the end of our meal anyway. no bother.
we'll be back often, now that steven the east coast seafoodie has given his stamp of approval to the place.
OH MY GOD! Brigantine is THE ticket to Seafood Heaven. My date and I were sent up and above the sky on Saturday night . . .
We had . . .
Blacken Ahi Sashimi (3/5),
Blue Point Oyster (4/5 - too small),
Fire Prawn (3/5), and
Lobster Fettuccine (5/5)
Let me tell you, we are still floating in the creamy, cheese, lobster-y fettuccine. The lobster was was huge, crispy, and wonderfully done!
Our taste pallets have been spoiled, this week is going to be food-hell. Nothing will compare to the crispy, huge, awesome, creamy, luscious ... this lobster fettuccine.
All day happy hour on Sundays.
Do you need more?
OK, the fish tacos are tasty. I usually get the fried ones, but if you are watching your waist they do have grilled style which are also nice.
Good draft beer selection, tasty margaritas.
They have outdoor seating with a view of Orange Avenue and the Del which is the spot in the Summer.
Is it Summer yet?
Took a friend visiting from out of town here for the Sunday happy hour. We wanted to sit on the patio but were told that the area was closed, which was a bit disappointing. We had to sit at the bar but we did end up getting great service from the waitstaff there.
I read about the delicious margaritas and had to try one. It was one of the best margaritas I've ever had a restaurant. Strong, while still being pleasurable to drink, with a nice kick from the fresh juices. The margaritas are a bit pricey for happy hour at $7.50. However, considering the size and strength I think they're worth it.
My friend had the happy hour Merlot and said it was good. I think it was $5.50 or $5.75 for a glass that came with a small decanter.
By the time we finished our drinks they had stopped serving food, so I'll have to wait until next time to try the fish tacos. I'll definitely add this place to my list of delicious happy hour options.
My boyfriend and I are both grad students with not a whole lotta money... We decided Happy Hour at the Brigantine would be a nice way to get out of the house and try a new place in a beautiful location for Valentine's Day. (Don't worry, we cooked filet mignon together for dinner... we're not THAT lame.)
AMBIANCE: A neat combination of dark wood floors and furniture with bright sun and blue skies visible through the many windows. Unfortunately, since we were sitting at the bar, we didn't really get a glorious view.
SERVICE: Pretty good - the bartender was really nice and gave us suggestions when we had trouble deciding what to order (the happy hour menu is pretty broad, and many things looked good!). There was one point when we wanted his attention for something and it took a while, but it happens.
FOOD: Sliders were well-cooked and very yummy! The clam chowder was the BEST I have ever had. Will be going back just for more of that! Had some good wine and beer too, though I can't remember what exactly we had. I was really pleased with the variety of food and drink that appeared on their happy hour menu - quite a good deal!
I enjoyed my experience here and will definitely go back at some point... but there are many other restaurants in San Diego that I want to explore as well!
Right off the bat, I'll let you know that I give a star to any place that will promptly serve alcohol to me after the treacherous ride over the Coronado bridge. I need it faster than Dallas' Debbie drops her pants and if the place does me right, they'll get in my good graces.
They have a great early bird deal (between 5-630pm Tuesday-Thursday, I think) three course meal for the price of whatever entree you select (ranging from $19-$30) which includes your choice of soup, salad or a listed app; the entree; and the choice of a miniature version of a dessert. Sweet. I didn't opt for this deal as I'm trying to cut back on the size of my thighs, but my Dad didn't have any complaints about it.
I had blackened sea bass - and wow the spice was just right! I was expecting it to be more bland, it's the Brig in Coronado and the majority of their clientle is either tourist or old. I wasn't a fan of the lemon rice, but a piece of the stale bread (yeah, half was stale, half wasn't - not usually like that, but I think the weather caused an off night) was plenty of starch for me. The house chardonnay was decent, and a perfectly fine pairing with the fish.
Overall, it's a nice stop in Coronado, is it the best place ever? No, but it's decent, the quality doesn't change much from visit to visit and they are very quick to make things right if something happens to be wrong. Plus, they're quick with the drinks. Bonus!
We went here last night for dinner. Usually, we go to the one in La Mesa, but we don't live near there anymore--this is our new location.
We never used to eat in the restaurant--we'd just sit in the bar and order bar food or go during happy hour. The food is good and well priced and we like the atmosphere.
Last night though, the bar was full so we decided to try the restaurant. It was a Friday night at 7 pm and we got a table for 2 immediately. To start we had the crab & shrimp fondue, which comes with garlic toasts. It was awesome but very rich. I ordered the burger off the bar menu, and my husband had a seafood sampler consisting of different types of fried fish, scallops, etc. served with vegetables and french fries. They were both okay--not amazing, but decent. My husband said his fish wasn't that great.
The service, however, was really good and the atmosphere is nice. Parking is a bit of an issue--we parked a few blocks away. No big deal really.
My recommendation is to try this place at happy hour--love it! Or just sit at the bar for a well-priced and good meal in a nice place.
I'm not sure when we'll go back to the main restaurant--maybe if we have visitors in town or something, but we'd probably try somewhere we haven't already been, to be honest, like Peohe's or the Boat House.
I took one star away because it was difficult to find a parking space.
We had reservations, & we were given a table right away. And it was a Friday night.
Excellent seafood, I had the seabass, & it was one of the best meals I had ever ingested.
The service was outstanding.
I will be coming back.
The Brig has awesome grilled swordfish taco's. They are even more awesome during happy hour (3pm til 6pm and all day Sunday) when paired with a house shaken margarita.
Hooray for the Brigantines clam chowder!
Thumbs up for artichoke fritters....yummmmmm.
And that's just the lounge food. Sitting down in the main dining room is just as delicious, and a lot more pricey.
The boy and I decided to come here the other day since we were in Coronado. Everything was fine except the service.the litlle brunette server was the most unenthusiastic server I have ever seen. I think she would have rather been getting a bikini wax than working that evening, she didnt even make eye contact with us one time! I think in these economic times customer service needs to be top notch to keep customers coming back. I know next time I am in Coronado I will find somewhere else to go where the server is glad to be working and deserves my tip.
Nice atmosphere with the semi-private booths in the restaurant. Food is cafeteria quality. I LOVE the La Mesa Brigantine. They must not have the same owner.
What I liked most about the Brigantine was the half priced appetizers during Happy Hour on Fridays. Man did I pig out!
I Love their clam chowder, it is excellent and the oysters Rockefeller... Rock! The shrimp scampi is different and it is a nice change of pace. Crab cakes were always a good choice, although you can not pass up the artichoke fritters.
When it is not Happy Hour have the fish and chips, the crab and shrimp louie salad or the lobster, crab and avocado salad. Hubby loved their roast beef sandwich on a french baguette with horseradish sauce and house made potato chips!
Service is friendly, atmosphere is terrific and the food brings you back. It was one of our favorite places to go and when I return to Coronado I always revisit them!.
My husband and I decided to come here with our guests (5 of us total) after we were married on the beach in front of the Hotel del Coronado. The food was not that great and the service was unspectacular as well. The atmosphere was nice, but I wouldn't really recommend this place. They offered us a free dessert, which was very nice, but it didn't make up for the subpar food.
After getting into Coronado and meeting up with friends, we chose to eat at the brig... Didn't disappoint at all, service was great, drinks were mixed right, the swordfish was phenomenal, and the coffee ice cream dessert was divine.. This is how seafood should be cooked and served!
My friends and I were hungry and wanted some seafood, any kind when we were visiting Coronado...
Honestly this joint is overpriced, and the food wasn't that great. I ordered a fish of the day sandwich - which happened to be swordfish - and it was grilled without seasoning? Bland, and lacking some sort of sauce on the sandwich.. tartar? ranch? lemon juice? I was disappointed. Maybe my experience would have been different if I had ordered the fish tacos, although I would have it breaded not grilled.
The environment was nice, we sat outside on the patio, other than that I expected better food.
Great seafood, even better drinks! Started the night off right with a Raspberry Mojito, freaking delicious.
The Crab and Shrimp Fondue appetizer was great, very cheesy. I was literally using my finger to get every last shred of cheesy goodness out of the bowl.
I stole a few bites of my sisters Cesar salad and it was really good, especially the croutons.
I had the Halibut (for the halibut) and it was great. It came served with some creamy, garlic sauce which was killer. Others got the sea bass (good), macadamia ahi (better), and ribs (I had to tease her for that one, this is a seafood place, but they were still really good).
They got the brownie sundae for dessert and said it was delicious but I had to save myself for Mootime.
A little pricey but well worth it. Hint: get a reservation, this place can have a long wait with all of the tourists.
I stopped by here on a search for fish tacos, at the recommendation of the hotel concierge. Apparently they weren't prepared for the Labor Day weekend because there weren't enough waiters to cover all the tables and not enough cooks to prepare the food fast enough. On top of this, the waiter we had just started earlier in the week. The GF and I both ordered the fish tacos, but were both underwhelmed by it - partially because of the fact that it was deep-fried, not grilled. Also because by the time the food finally did arrive it wasn't very warm. Our waiter tried his best, but also neglected to bring us the bread we requested, until we reminded him the 3rd time.
On the plus side, the margarita was good.
I love The Brig. Love it. The only bad thing is parking sometimes...but hey, that's not really their fault. The bar area is so fun. You can order and eat there and hang out as long as you want. The servers are personal and efficient. I love everything I have there so I don't really have a favorite. You can't go wrong really.
I have never had calamari that even compares to the Brigantine's,
IT'S AMAZING.
Plus, it's always fun eating in Coronado.
this was our last stop in Coronado.
was just okay.
I don't really like sea food...
so kept it safe with good old choice of fish and chips the B.F. had Prime Rib.
Fish and Chips:
could have been seasoned a bit more also the portion size was a bit small.
Prime Rib:
okay! no complaints but no compliments either.
The appetizers:
calamari and garlic toast.
Calamari was okay, wasn't the wimpy little kind like usual places... this place had meaty peaces.
The garlic toast was amazing but then again i love garlic anything!
The service:
the usual great. seat. serve. and smile...
the service of the food was longer then the norm... I'd say we waited a good 30min.
and they were not a full house!
NO sadface but just OK for this one.
~christina
This place never does me wrong. I love it. Try the blue cheese nachos there sooo good!!!!! yeah for the brig
A++ This is my favorite place to eat and drink. Its only a bike ride away and Im in love. Ok the… Read more »
Located across from the Hotel Del Coronado, the Brigantine (or the "Brig" for short) is a "surf n' turf" restaurant owned by the same company that owns the outstanding Miguel's Mexican Cocina next door.
Other reviews have done an excellent job of explaining the restaurant in general...I'd like to comment on its amazing happy hour.
Happy hour at the Brig is the best on Coronado. From 3-6 you can get the Brig's great, but expensive food at bargain prices.
For drinks, the Brig Margarita is a must have. I think its like $9 the rest of the day. During happy hour its $5.50. A generous amount of Cuervo Tequila, Cointreau, and fresh juices...indeed enough for about two and a half drinks served in a shaker with a salt rimmed glass. This alone is enough of a reason to come to the Brig for happy hour.
Then there's the food. The fish taco for $2.50 is large and awesome as a bar snack...two of them are a meal. I also had a large bowl of clam chowder for $3 which I also recommend. In addition, the menu boasts chicken and steak tacos, shrimp cocktails, fried clams and calamari and a host of other things that I have not yet tried. Everything is served with warm bread and butter.
During the summer, you have to sit outside to enjoy the late afternoon sun on their flower lined patio. Its great for people watching in the bustling heart of touristy Coronado.
Very satisfied with our dinner. I made a reservation here for my boyfriend's birthday, and they surprised us with a complimentary mud pie.
I always hesitate to order seafood pasta, because the seafood is usually skimpy. Not here; there was tons of fish and shrimp and shellfish in my fettucine, which I believe was homemade, big soft noodles. My date's food and even the bread basket were delicious too.
The waiter recommended a great wine, and the atmosphere inside is dark and cozy.
We got a bunch of oysters on the half-shell. Of the two kinds, one was phenomenal (the Blue Point I think) and the other was mediocre.
I love this place. First of all let me tell you that I have never eaten in the rest. I have only had food & drinks in the bar. SURPRISE! The happy hour prices are really cheap! The food is really ygood. You can get a light bite to eat or totally fill your belly! I love the margaritas, but be careful the tops come off. Even after 100 warnings I still have had a mishap or 2. I just love Coronado.
after strolling up and down the beach and the village in coronado, hunger strikes and michigan doc decided having a somewhat early dinner at brigantine. we walked in and got seated within a few minutes. good hang out at the bar with a little separation to the dining room. dark wood, dim lights, perfect ambience. then our tummies remind us we need to eat. stat!
we started off with fresh blue point oysters as suggested by michigan doc! soo freshly shucked and the cocktail sauce was a perfect compliment! i usually add tabasco but this time i didn't need it.. well, ok, just a dash, can't resist.. desert teach wants some clam chowder to warm up a little. got to try that too and it was ok. it was a bit soupy, not like the usual thick consistency of chowders i've had. so our meals came soon right after and it was puh-len-ti-ful! desert teach got the seafood combo of fried scallops, shrimp, fish with a side of salad. michigan doc got ny steak and fries while i got the wok charred ahi with rice and wonton strips! we shared our food and we still couldn't finish our meals! mine alone had a good amount of ahi and it was simply sumptuous! to quench down our thirst, desert teach ordered the non-alcoholic mangarita and michigan doc ordered the brigantine margarita! as for me, the dd of this trip, i was content with my iced tea.. and occasionally sip on the other margaritas.. to taste.. dude coz they know i'm a yelper! haha.. we were soo full we didn't have room for dessert!
as far as service goes for this place, they did an excellent job. drinks were filled each time and the food came in a timely manner. our server checked in but not too much to be bothersome. my friends and i have a lot to catch up since we haven't seen each other in a long time and we didn't feel rushed or pressured to leave and they were getting busier too. you can tell everyone from the host to the bartenders to the servers were very welcoming and were well trained with customer service.
This is one of my favorite restaurants! On top of that, it has a full bar inside as well. Its to me the best of both worlds. Its its its.... amazing to me. There is an awesome bar menu for the $$ range and if you feel like having an intimate dinning experience there is the $$$-$$$$ area. There are private booths if you would like or general seating. A perfect place for the first dinner date or for a great meal. If you sit at the bar they have the BEST swordfish tacos and their fish tacos are great too. When ever my dad comes down to visit we go their for his incredible urge for their fish tacos. :) I have had a lot of good experiences here. Although when it gets busy on the weekend it is hard to find seating at the bar, which to me is one of the only negatives. I still have to get it 5 stars because I think it deserves it.
I take one of my Alzheimer's patients to the Brig every week and other than the fact that they're closed for remodeling, they're always reliable in the sense that they are super friendly and have excellent food. The servers are more than acommodating for me and my old lady.
Very good food, I love the tacos and think they do a better job then their sister restaurant Miguels. Margaritas are probably the best I have had in town also.
A great place for lunch, less so for dinner. The fish tacos are great and the Caesar salad with anchovies (if you so desire) is wonderful, as is the service. Unfortunately, both times I have dined there for dinner have shown slow service and the king-crab-legs special was quite salty. This is the older-style dark-booth seafood destination of the later 60s - which is when the first one on Shelter Island was built. The owner said they were going to start some taco-tuesday or happy-hour specials on food but I have yet to see it happen (possibly look for it soon?)
Ok, I'll keep this short, sweet and simple. The Brig is an awesome little (expensive) joint that has amazing good food that is worth every penny. Go here and definitely not regret your stay. The best part is a decent happy hour, not cheap, but decent. Recommendation: GRILLED SWORD FISH TACOS! asked to be "Double Wrapped" (that's ask for two tortillas please) you get a good chunk of fish with a lot of toppings, it'll be like two tacos anyway, you'll feel like you got 2-4-1 wink wink. Stick to the house Margarita, don't waste your cash on the millionaire, billionaire the Zocalo or whatever the house marg is GOOD ENOUGH! and what EVER you do TIP THAT WAITRESS 20 per cent, don't get all Steve Buscemi on them (p.s. I used to work for the Brig Family Restaurants) and like I mentioned before, pretend its your birthday and you get a free dessert (creme brulee...mmmmm) - OOOHHH I almost forgot, when they bring you bread ASK for Jalapeno Cream Sauce, its only like 45,000 calories, but oh my god, its so FU*KING DELICIOUS, you'll want to put it on EVERYTHING. Go on "WINE WEDNESDAY" half price bottles of selected wines, cant go wrong! GET CRUNK!
Lunch Specials
Neighborhood: Chula Vista
Thanksgiving Day Buffet!
San Diego, CA
Neighborhood: Coronado
Category: Seafood
Neighborhood: Point Loma
Category: Seafood
Neighborhood: Coronado
Category: Italian
Neighborhood: Coronado
Category: French
Neighborhood: Coronado
Category: Italian
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