Damon Gordon's Quarter Kitchen
Category: Restaurants [Edit]
Neighborhood: Gaslamp650 F Street
Ivy Hotel
(between 6th Ave & 7th Ave)
San Diego, CA 92101 (619) 531-7955
- Price Range: $$$
- Accepts Credit Cards: Yes
- Attire: Dressy
- Good for Groups: Yes
- Good for Kids: No
- Takes Reservations: Yes
- Delivers: No
- Take-out: No
- Waiter Service: Yes
- Wheelchair Accessible: Yes
- Outdoor Seating: No
- Alcohol: Full Bar
16 Reviews for Damon Gordon's Quarter Kitchen
Yes, the hostesses are hot. The place is very hip and trendy. They have a very interesting back room that would be perfect for parties, but, unfortunately, the food is mediocre at best. I tried their Kobe Tataki, and yes, it is bland and boring. Who want's "kobe burgers," especially when Neighborhood is just down the street, and who wants "kobe spaghetti and meat balls?" Quarter Kitchen is trying hard, real hard, and they do have the look -- but that's about it. On a positive note, I did have a nice Rioja wine :)
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this is a very beautiful restaurant filled with very beautiful people. the decor and scene is hot hot hot. sexy lighting, low and dim. good times if your on a date.
here is where they lack...the food. the most important part in a restaurant. i guess being located in the ivy hotel in SD is a draw in itself, so they don't really have to try hard on the menu to get the crowds. had the Kobe cook out, which was mini Kobe burgers and hot dogs. dogs were over-seasoned, and i LOOOVE salty food. burger was kinda mushy and uninspired. also had the spinach ravioli, which seemed like they were blanched a while before they were served, concluding in a chewy dry texture. not al-dente chewy, but like OLD chewy. dessert was lovely, but you can't really screw up lava cake a la mode now can ya?
service was spot on, wish the food was on the same level tho.
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Okay - the restaurant is beautiful, but I came to eat not stare at the decor...Quarter Kitchen is everything I loathe about SoCal - all show, no substance--like plastic sushi.
Gawd - how I HATE paying exorbitant prices for mediocre chow. For $34(!!!!) I got an overcooked hamburger on a dried out bun, with a sloppy big slice of tomato, topped off with a tired piece of romaine--and a side of barely warm fries (served in a cutesy wire basket).
Medium rare means pink on the inside, not gray brown through and through...I shoulda sent it back, but I noticed the Chef was busy texting someone (for close to 45 minutes) and it probably woulda come back with some kinda bu-ya in it. Riddle me this - isn't the chef supposed to be watching what leaves his kitchen? What ever the Kelly clan is paying him, it's too much.
The following day for lunch (I was there on the company dime thankfully) my BLT consisted of 3 pieces of overly dry bread (come on guys - where's the mayo?) and bacon just past greasy crisp--and another big sloppy slice of tomato, which slid out of the triple decker after one bite, and alas, more of the tired romaine. And since when is a BLT made with 3 slices? That's a Club sandwich last time I checked (minus turkey).
Come on Damon, we live in SoCal not London - there's no excuse to not have the freshest produce on hand, and, those two sandwiches are nearly fool-proof! There's about a zillion Mexican cooks in the region who could have hooked that shit up right - so step back from the culinary grads and get some real cooks in the kitchen - pronto. And maybe put down your cell phone for a minute during service. Looks bad Big D, real bad.
For the amount of money one plunks down for basics, you could have had a terrific sushi dinner, or an outstanding burger at Neighborhood - with some (fresh) lettuce leftover! Just another overrated restaurant...with a quasi-celeb chef who thinks more like an architect than a cook (we have to be able to eat it, not just look at it...)
For really good fancy food (and worth the price) try Currant or Cafe Chloe.
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Located inside the gorgeous Ivy Hotel, Quarter Kitchen is a very trendy, stylish, and beautifully decorated restaurant, making it a very "cool" place to wine and dine with friends on a weekend night. This restaurant is definitely on the pricier end so be prepared to splurge a little.
I went here for a pharmaceutical dinner about a half a year ago so the menu was set, but overall, I had a good dining experience here. For the appetizer, I had the Grilled Gazpacho Soup, which was probably one of the healthier appetizers on the menu. I had the 16 oz. Prime New York Strip Steak, medium rare as my entree and it was probably one of the best NY Strip steaks I have ever had. The steak was grilled to perfection (it was quite tender for a NY Strip), each bite was bursting with flavor, and I remember not talking much because I was so into enjoying my delicious steak. Unfortunately, I could not finish the entire steak because it was so huge, so I'd probably stick to the 12 oz. steak next time.
I rarely take away one star if the majority of my dining experience is wonderful, but the dessert was so bad that I had to take it away. I'm not sure who ordered donuts to be on the menu, but those donuts were pretty gross. They were tiny, stale, tasteless and definitely one of the worst donuts I have ever tried. I tried a s'more as well but it was pretty mediocre - better than the donuts though. Perhaps I didn't enjoy it as much as I typically would at a bonfire because it was so out of context. I mean, s'mores and steak at a fine dining restaurant? I think not!
The good news is that I took a look at their dessert menu recently, and they have added a lot more variety to their dessert menu - items that were not available months ago. I see that Quarter Kitchen is constantly improving the quality of their food and variety of their menu. I believe that with time, it will be receiving a lot more positive reviews because I see a great potential in this restaurant.
5 stars for the entree + cool ambiance, -1 star for the nasty donuts.
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I've come here twice, and both times were good experiences. The vibe is probably the highlight of the place. It's very swanky, hip and stylish, unlike most other restaurants/bars in San Diego. The first time, I ordered the diver scallops, and they were really not enjoyable at all. I couldn't eat even half my dish. The second time, we ordered the surf and turf and prime steak, and both orders were cooked to perfection. We also really enjoyed the foam soup that was brought out as a starter. I plan to come again.
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I've been to the Quarter Kitchen twice now, and each time, I had a pretty good experience. The first time I went was for Restaurant Week. I was really impressed by the little extras they give you. Before the bread comes out, they start you of with an amusebush. Then when they bring the check they also bring you an assortment of little pastries.
The second visit was really nice as well. Our server was really helpful at answering our questions. He was also really honest which I appreciated. We told him that we were deciding on two appetizers and gave him the three that we were looking at. He said he would definitely not do the Kobe Tataki. He'd rather go down the street to get a hamburger. He also said the cooked and uncooked salad was the worst thing they had. Who says that? We all really thought it was cool of him to warn us.
We started of with the mushroom ravioli and a zucchini something or other. Both had a wonderful flavor and the sauces were amazing. I wanted to dip my bread into it. Then we had the caprese salad. A little different twist on this traditional salad, it had a couple of fried tomatoes and it was topped with a chunky marinara type salsa. I thought it was OK. Nothing to rave about, but different and good. Next, I ordered the blackened hamachi. My friends both ordered the 8oz prime. They raved about the prime, thought it was cooked perfectly. My blackened hamachi was good too. I think it was a bit over cooked, but the fish was really fresh and melted in my mouth.
The service was really good and the atmosphere is very chic and trendy. I would try this place again but only after a really big bonus check. It's a bit pricey.
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Mediocre, over-priced food and terrible service. The decor is chic but the ambiance reeks of a place that is trying to hard to be hip.
The cherry on the top of the meal is when our waiter poured regular tap water in our glasses of $10 sparkling water. When we told him, he never replaced or refilled our glasses.
I ordered a salad which was pretty good, however my Fiance ordered the Kobe Beef Potpie which was swimming in oil (and egregiously over-priced). For dessert, we ordered the donuts which were dry and tasteless (Dunkin' Donuts is better).
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How. How?? HOW?!?! How did Michael Kelly manage to go $50 million over budget building such a glamourous, shamelessly sexy hotel like the Ivy -- and get it all WRONG with Quarter Kitchen??
Here is what I believe: NO business in San Diego -- as long as it's not doing anything criminal or illegal, like knowingly serving chopped up cockroaches and rats, or infecting people with Ebola, or serving as a front for a Tijuana prostitution ring or smuggled baby ring -- deserves one star. (Yes, I love San Diego and the people trying to make a living in it THAT much.) So. If you're doing your thing and people happen to hate it? You still get a minimum of two stars in my book for even trying and putting it out there.
Sadly, Quarter Kitchen has challenged and rattled my star policy, because after FIVE visits (five!!!), I can find very little redeeming about it. The first four visits I wondered if I just wasn't "getting it." But the fifth sent me over the edge.
The vibe of Quarter Kitchen, just like the rest of the hotel, is undeniably sexy, seductive, even erotic. Hell, if I were anyone else and from somewhere else, I'd book a room here for a wild, scandalous weekend fling -- would meet my lover first for a cocktail at Quarter Kitchen. The design and ambiance of the the hotel overall is a solid four stars. And the vibe at Quarter Kitchen is equally provocative -- a low-lit, attractive space with an apparent "you must be attractive" policy to get a reservation, and to work here -- the host and wait staff are pretty much smoking hot, with their low back dresses as uniforms and "I don't have a care in the world" demeanors.
But the aphrodisiac vibe ends once you order. Overpriced just as you'd expect from a hotel restaurant, yes, but the menu is a complete DISASTER: tasteless, either undercooked or overcooked, and just a mess. What is the theme of the menu?? After five visits I am still at a complete loss. Here's why:
1) Popcorn shrimp: Who pays $18 dollars for a popcorn shrimp appetizer??? Oh wait, I did. Crap.
2) Kobe Tataki: Bland, tasteless, gross
3) Blackened Hamachi: Tasted OLD, and for $30 bucks I felt robbed.
4) Elbow Macaroni & Gruyere Cheese: Kraft does it better
5) Grilled Asparagus with Parmesan: Arrived COLD and undercooked
6) This one's the kicker: I order the "Chicken Casserole," which on the menu claims to be made with mashed potatoes. What I get is a bowl of chicken with vegetables -- nothing casserole about it. I ask my waiter: "Is this the casserole? Because it doesn't look like a casserole. And the menu says it's made with mashed potatoes, but there aren't any?" He responds: "No that's how it's supposed to look: deconstructed." I say, "But the menu says it's a casserole made with mashed potatoes. And there aren't any mashed potatoes in what you brought me." He nods, says he'll be right back, and reappears five minutes later with a SIDE ORDER of mashed potatoes. WTF??
Why, Michael Kelly, why!!!!?????!!! Tell me what about any of the above even makes sense on a menu??And now, after five visits, I'm still confused and out a total of more than $1,000 bucks. I want my money back.
However. You still get two stars since I never found a cockroach during any of my five visits. And your hostesses are hot.
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In the early quiet Sunday evening, my man and I were seated at the corner, right by the full view of the opened kitchen, inside the ultra chic restaurant of the Hotel Ivy.
With the place like this I would expect the quality of food at it's best. Well, they didn't prove me wrong.
I'm not a big drinker for the night, so we decided to order wine by the glass which was average, but somehow it went perfect with what we were order for the savory taste to mouth.
The menu?!: If you a sea food lovers? These are what you must order:
*The creamy lobster soup was the first impression. It was light, not too salty and oh man! I thought I could have a whole pot to myself.
*The cook and uncooked, which was the raw and cooked artichokes with Parmesan and truffle.
*Red miso glazed Black Cod (the fish mealed in my mouth like butter)
*Seared Diver Scallops with chorizo, pinto beans and preserved vegetables.
*GRILLED SEA BASS with risotto, mushroom, shellfish foam sauce and shaved white truffle. (MUST MUST HAVE)
I could do without desert and die happy with such great meal.
My common to the Chef: "YOUR FOOD IS TERRIBLE!". He looked at me: "I TRY", said Damon Gordon. ;)
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Well, I see lots of negative reviews for this restaurant, but I liked it.
The decor is seductive chic. The chairs however, annoy me a lot. YOu can not sit confortalby in them, The back is at such an uncomfortable height. Get a booth if you can.
The food I thought was rather good. The popcorn shrimp was very good. Very light and the sauces were super yummy. I like dipping it into the creamy sauce first, then the ponzu sauce. The combo is perfect. My friend had the chicken caserole and he liked it. I had their miso cod, and it was good.
The dessert was not stellar. The donuts was gross. Very dry flavorless blobs of dough. The lava cake was ok, but Ive had much better.
Overall, I liked this place.
Update: I went back and had the Surf n Turf, which was a braised short rib with grilled shrimp...it was delish.
And order the popcorn shrimp...it may be $18, but it is a big order...and the shrimps are large...and its made perfectly. Very light and crisp and the different sauces complement it.
Also, the lobster bisque is quite good. Very rich and creamy, but had strong lobster flavor. They also add a touch of I think curry oil to it, so it gives it a subtle kick in flavor...yummy
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Went here on a Wednesday night with a group of 7. The restaurant was dead. The bar was dead. That said we still had to wait for our table?!?
WHATever. The service was terrific. The food was tasty (I did the blackened hamachi and the table ordered various apps, sides, and desserts and we all shared)! The location (gaslamp district) was fun and after dinner it was easy to walk around to check out clubs/bars. I can't speak to the prices as I was a guest and never even bothered to look at the prices, but I would assume they were high.
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I went here for lunch with my two co-workers. I ordered the lobster club with truffle french fries and my two friends had the lobster caesar salad. The french fries had no hint of truffle or truffle oil and my sandwich was only OK, but can I just say, dude where was the rest of the caesar salad????
The $19 salad seriously had 5 pieces of romaine hearts, olive oil, a quasi-cooked egg anchovies and chunks of lobster meat (essentially, a deconstructed salad). I did not try the salad, but was told that there was absolutely no seasoning, and one co-worker called 20 minutes after lunch and asked if I wanted to go with her to get some real food.
I found the restaurant to be pretentious and overpriced.
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There's really nothing bad about this restaurant, but there's also nothing spectacular. Given the prices, they definitely needed a home-run. No particularly creative cocktails, limited wines by the glass list and VERY price ($29/glass). The seafood dishes we ordered, including the red miso glazed cod were very salty and fishy. The crab ravioli was nice. For these kinds of prices, we expected San Francisco quality fare.
Better bets are Starlite or Modus Supper Club or even Parallel 33 in Hillcrest.
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Entertaining and subtly seductive decor. The cuisine tastes like something delicious you have never quite experienced before.This is the perfect place to drink, dine and recline or a precursor to a night of galavanting at Club Envy.
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I was really debating whether I should go here after all the reviews I read, but now I am very glad I tried it.
I won't say it was the best meal ever (see Nine Ten for that!) but I really enjoyed it.
Service: great, attentive, and on top of things. We were again arguing on what kind of wine to get, and the price range here is ridiculous but they were very helpful picking out a nice and not crazy expensive bottle.
Food: the amusebush was (argh) not so good, I'll be honest, what is up with cold pea soup that has too much butter in it and tastes like you are eating a stick of pea flavored butter? But quickly we moved onto mushroom raviolis with a very gentle, light cream sauce. The calamari risotto (I know it is the 3rd time this week) which was super flavorful with its flava beans and peas. My friend's lamb was so flavorful I almost did her the favor of eating it all myself. The dessert was ok, some fresh berries and panacotta. When they bring your check they served us some pastries which were quite a treat.
Drinks: since the sommelier picked out the wine, it was a very nice sauvignon blanc from Paso Robles, I'm not sure of the name now. But before the mean we had some cocktails at the bar and they were fantastic, try the Monarch, pomegranate martini. The caipirinha they had had basil in it, which was very odd, but it tasted ok.
Ambiance: perfect place for after work. The hotel set up is really cool, hip, and full of sharp corners... nice outside area too if you want to enjoy a cocktail and have a smoke. I really enjoyed it.
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As a self-proclaimed tourist in my own town, I find Restaurant Week pure genius - an entire week geared towards the average foodie to nibble and tickle our palettes in multiple, participating (mostly) pretentious restaurants we think twice before ever booking a reso.
So we fancied our way to Quarter Kitchen for the $40 pre-fixed meal. Awesome deal when a typical dinner entree averages 30 bucks. We were greeted by stunning hostesses - which my big bros practically, and disgustingly drooled over. (*rolling eyes) The hostesses were friendly and accommodating enough to direct us over to the bar while our table was being prepared.
Once we were seated, we felt (as the previous yelp reviewer, Brittney mentioned) seduced by the decor. I was easily amused with the silverware and modernistic pieces, architecture and lighting. Our waiter and runners were easy on the eyes (*wink wink), and their charisma held a certain charm. Then again, I AM a sucker for any man that seduces my palette with a detailed description of any given entree...(words such as succulent, juicy, marinated...shoooot...even slow cooked rock my world. not too mention when they include hand gestures such as rubbing fingers together to describe a "crumbled feta" - uuuuuh HelloOoooOO!) Also, any man that gracefully and politely reaches over to clean after me while making sure I'm wet, whoops, I mean fully hydrated, with a full glass of water every five or so minutes. Talk about diligence! (Forgive me, I'm a 26 yr old cougar creep in training.) So basically, the service was...good ;)
The items on the pre-fixed menu certainly caught my eye and was well decadently described by our waiter. First course appetizer: Tuna Tartare paired with avocado and (was it ponzu) sauce? This was simply fabulous. It was light, refreshing, and the flavors blended so well together. YUMMM! But sadly I must say, that was the only highlight in regards to food, not service. Period. For the second course, I ordered a Chicken Casserole which reminded me of a filipino adobo dish. wtf. It was yummy, but not memorable. Last course: chocolate molten cake with hazelnut ice cream. It was decadent, not too sweet, yum as well, but not exactly memorable either.
Why do I say this? I'm not a cheapskate, but for a total of $65 (add'l $25 for a must-have glass of vino, tax and tip) for just me and me alone, there was no bang for the buck. Nothing stood out. I could have enjoyed myself else where, but I'm glad to have added Quarter Kitchen to my colorful foodie arsenal. So would I eat there again? Absolutely. It's still new, and I simply tried smaller portioned, (most likely) mass made pre-fixed entrees. Conclusively, for what it was, on that night, I can only give it 3 stars until I come again...and that's IF I'm ever inclined to...which would probably only happen under someone else's clock and pocket, and not my recommend or choice.
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