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Dussini's Loft Bar
Categories: Restaurants Mediterranean Nightlife Bars Lounges Restaurants Tapas Bars Mediterranean, Lounges, Tapas Bars [Edit]
275 5th Ave(between K St & L St)
San Diego, CA 92101
Neighborhoods: Gaslamp, East Village
(619) 233-4323
- Hours:
Mon-Thu, Sun 4:30 pm - 12 am
Fri-Sat 4:30 pm - 1 am
- Delivery:
- No
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Street
- Attire:
- Casual
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Good for Kids:
- No
- Takes Reservations:
- Yes
- Price Range:
-
$$
- Take-out:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- No
- Wi-Fi:
- No
- Good For:
- Late Night, Dinner
- Music:
- Background
- Best Nights:
- Fri, Thu, Sat
- Happy Hour:
- Yes
- Alcohol:
- Full Bar
- Smoking:
- No
- Coat Check:
- No
- Noise Level:
- Average
- Good For Dancing:
- No
- Ambience:
- Romantic, Classy
- Has TV:
- Yes
- Caters:
- No
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
146 reviews for Dussini's Loft Bar
Review Highlights
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"Food was great- especially the lobster mac n' cheese." In 20 reviews -
"...will welcome back with open arms the Old Spaghetti Factory." In 33 reviews -
"I had a Raspberry & Champagne Mojito." In 4 reviews
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146 reviews in English
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Review from Maria L.
Riverside, CA
3/6/2012 1 Check-in Here
I've only been here once, but so far so good. I'm definitely in love with the ambiance. It's really nice and comfy. They've got this nice ice strip around the bar so you can place your drinks in front of you and keep them chill. They've also got some nice comfy chairs and this pretty little fire place which comes in handy on those cold late nights. We ordered their fries and it's definitely different and almost a bit fancy - but they were pretty good! I wouldn't mind coming back here.
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Review from Big B.
San Diego, CA
5/11/2012
Dussini's Loft Bar is a decent place to go and play pool, grab some food, and kick back. I've never seen this place crowded -- most likely due to the fact that you have to walk through Spaghetti Factory to find it and its upstairs. They have a really cool ice strip on their bar to keep your drinks cool so don't forget to check that out. I would recommend this place if you are looking to grab some food and drinks but don't expect to go crazy or stay here too late.
http://Travelimit.com -
Review from David T.
San Diego, CA
1/7/2012 2 Check-ins Here
Only been here once so I can't consider myself a fan of this place...but if I find the right friends to bring here then I will.
I ordered 20oz of the Leine's Sunset Wheat and I found it to be delicious - I personally prefer Hefe's so don't order it expecting it to be the best thing ever created if you don't like wheat beers.
The whole ambiance set here is extremely casual and chill - the comfortable chairs, soft music, and that fireplace - good lord it is relaxing.
You can also check out their menu online so you can decide if you'll like anything before going there. -
Review from Christine R.
8/19/2011 5 photos
This bar is sooo beautiful and intimate yet perfect for large groups. You have to go through the old spaghetti factory to get to it and head up the stairs.
The booths are nice and comfy and the bar is huge. They have a beautiful gas fireplace and a glass wine cellar. The bar is dimly lit with tea candles on the tables it has very laid back yet romantic feel to it.
We arrived really late at night just looking for a nibble. They have a short food menu consisting of apps served tapas style and desserts.
Our server was really helpful and gave us the run down on the menu and helped us decide. We settled on two items the fried zucchini and moroccan chicken brochettes.
The fried zucchini was coated in italian bread crumbs served hot and crispy but not oily at all with a romano cheese and garlic aioli sauce.
The moroccan chicken brochettes with grilled perfectly served with a tangy honey lime vinegarette.
For dessert we got the Mud Pie which is a mocha almond fudge ice cream cake. Sooo yummy a perfect ending our late night meal.
Plus since we came for happy hour 10:30pm - close everything was 50% off! Such a steal!! They also have a happy hour 4:30-6:30pm.
Overall beautiful intimate restaurant with great service! A definite must for their happy hour specials!!Listed in: Places I ate While In San…
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Review from Arlene P.
8/6/2011
This place was awesome. I haven't been to a bar downtown that fits my personality better. I like novel touches and cushy furniture. The coolst novel touch was the ice bar... keeps drinks cool... and the hottest touch was the modern ireplace. We had about 12-15 people there to celebrate my good friend Lisas bday and it felt like we had the place to ourselves! I could hear everyone and communicated wthout shouting. Unheard of downtown bar quality.
The appetizers were tasty and the drinks were interesting and tasty enough. I tasted truffle fries, lobster mac and cheese and fried ravioli. I shared with friends and stil got full.
I ant to go back :) sooner rather than later -
Review from Jennifer W.
Los Angeles, CA
Not quite a fan yet, but this is a chill place to hang out in the Gas Lamp Quarter in San Diego. Located in the upstairs of Old Spaghetti Factory.
Happy Hour starts at 4:30PM and there's $1 off draft beer and 1/2 off appetizers. Keep an eye out on your tab because they forgot to take $1 off my beer until I mentioned it being happy hour.
The atmosphere is dark, way darker then the Old Spaghetti Factory counterpart. It does make this a good spot for intimate conversation over some drinks though.
Leline's Sunset Wheat - 3/5
- described as a citrus fruitiness with a crisp finish
- you could almost taste blueberries on the first initial sips
- my bartender promised that it would be even better than Blue Moon, it was pretty close!
Italian Soda (Blackberry) - 4/5
- my bartender also promised that it was better than the raspberry, and this time he was right
- for $3.99 you get the soda and a souvenir glass (be sure to ask for a new one to take home so it's not sticky icky :)
Btw - there are also TVs with sports on, but no way you can hear the sound :)Listed in: Good for Groups, Just Alcohol
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Review from Dennis T.
San Diego, CA
7/12/2011 1 Check-in Here
I was telling my buddies about this awesome pool table bar that nobody knew about, so we go last night to play.
I head upstairs, and lo and behold, THE POOL TABLES ARE GONE!
WTF is going on Mr. Dussini? I'm hoping they are doing some kind of remodel or whatever, but now there is no reason to go here. Made me look like a jerk to my coworkers. Had to go to sleezy ass Jolt n' Joes.
I repeat, THERE ARE NO POOL TABLES HERE ANYMORE! Why?! -
Review from Josh C.
San Diego, CA
7/30/2011
Yah, it's really too bad about the pool tables no longer being there (to re-emphasize, the pool tables are completely gone. None. Not even one). Dussini's never been a *fantastic* spot, but it was one of the only places downtown where you could play pool, and still have a nice drink in a casual, yet slightly classy loft. It had a nice vibe and a decent crowd.
Walked up there today to check it out, and the whole section where the pool tables used to be is now closed off with a big ugly wall. It looks like empty overflow for the restaurant below, or maybe for larger groups (at worst, it looks like a storage space). Either way, it makes the loft look small, closed off, and ugly, quite frankly.
Not sure why they got rid of the pool tables. Maybe some d-bags were causing trouble, or who knows. But now that the tables are gone, the place feels closed and dark. Whoever did that kinda blew it.
Maybe I'll go in now and then for a drink, but they need to rethink that spot.
(And there's that weird spaghetti smell from below that can be a little overpowering at first. You easily get over it, but I wonder if they can do something about that. Probably not, but there you have it. I like the fireplace though :) -
Review from Lana R.
6/12/2011 1 Check-in Here
Convenient Gaslamp location. Get there in the evening and sit in one of
those super comfy armchairs by the fireplace!
They do not really have any drink special for Happy hour. But they do have some appetizer items 1/2 off.
Overall,
Good: Ambiance and location
Bad: Food and Drinks -
Review from Chun P.
1/28/2011 1 Check-in Here
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Get here 430-630pm, or after 1030pm, Mondays thru Fridays, or anytime on Sunday...Why?
1) The tasty juicy Burger Sliders(3) are a deal when they're $4 instead of $8...
2) The crispy Calamari are damn good when they're also $4 instead of $8...
3) The yummy fatty Fries are $2.50 instead of $5...SOLD!
4) Draft beers, wines, and cocktails...all are an entire George Washington off regular prices. ($1)
I'm turning 33 this year and I think I'm losing my hearing...I have a hard time enjoying myself in ridiculously loud downtown venues like Sushi Ra and Yardhouse where I have to shout at my friends. Dussini's is an elegant, classy, and quiet(er) downtown lounge bar where you can actually hear and talk with your friends. It wasn't crowded that Thursday evening, but I think its under the radar since its inside the Old Spaghetti Factory.
I would even use the word "romantic" as this might be a nice spot for that http://eHarmony.com or http://Match.com date you're meeting in the flesh for the first time. But if things go well and turn into dinner take him or her some place nicer than the Old Spaghetti Factory, especially if he/she is paying anyway. (Sorry girls, and boys, this Yelper is married and not on any dating website! ;-) )
Some couple brought their kids up here. Parents: please keep your kids downstairs where they have value priced kids menu and the "Please shut the fuck up" crayons and coloring sheet. Yall are ruining the vibe, and maybe even someone's date! -
Review from Russell Z.
Del Mar, CA
6/14/2011
Been here quite a few times with friends+dates. Good drink mixes and a cool yet warm atmosphere. There's a fireplace here with sofas!-- If you're here on a date, make sure you get the sofas by the fire, but any seat at Dussini's works as the place is overall rather intimate.
Drinks are on the pricier side but that's the nature of elegance.
No spoilers, but let me just say there is a "cool" way of keeping your drink cold at the bar here. Go find out yourself ;) -
Review from Ana G.
9/20/2010
Well-kept little secret, or at least that's the way *I* feel everytime I am here. Dark, loungy, comfy. Great place to go if you actually want to talk with your friends and not yell over people.
There is a fireplace! And pool tables that were actually available and you didn't have to wait 2 hours for, plenty of room everywhere and seats at the AWESOME u-shaped bar with the signature ice strip keeping your drinks cold.
The alcohol collection is arranged in a very aesthetically pleasing way with lights that make it look like a little rainbow. It was all very..... aaaahhhhhh.... :)
Not your typical gaslamp spot, and one of my favorites.Listed in: The Places I Go Out
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Review from Sara Z.
Santee, CA
2/27/2011
San Diego's best kept date night secret.
High back leather chairs. A giant fireplace. Yummy food. Happy hour specials that are so worth it. We had 2 plates of sliders, the chicken, the fries, the calamari, 4 sodas, and a mud pie for $35. The only thing that sucks is the coffee tastes like foldgers, I wish they did espresso or at the very least a Keriug, there is not excuse for bad coffee. I have been here several times and it's rarely crowded and always romantic. -
Review from Shanah C.
3/13/2011
This is upstairs in the Old spaghetti factory, so I didn't expect it to be much... but if I wasn't with a girlfriend, I'm sure this would be a nice place to take a date and sit by the fireplace and have a drink. The happy hour food was half price (not everything on the menu, but most items) and the food was GREAT!! Had the salad, chicken skewers and spinich/artichoke dip!!
They messed up our bill (overcharged us) and as soon as I brought it to their attention, they gave us the choice of the money back or another glass of wine... so I was satisfied with the resolution. -
Review from Heather H.
Carlsbad, CA
12/29/2010
Dussini's is my "other" favorite bar in San Diego. to find it, go inside of Old Spaghetti Factory (strange, right?) and head straight up the stairs. Up there you will find a beautiful, mellow lounge and bar. There are pool tables for those who like playing pool, but my friends and I usually head straight for the fireplace...especially on colder nights. It's great to mellow out next to the fireplace with a few drinks and just hang out. It's never so loud or crowded here that we can't find a place to sit down and talk with our friends and actually HEAR them. I love it!
They have some food you can order at the bar too. I don't usually eat french fries but the ones here are really good.Listed in: Best Bars in San Diego
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Review from Mike C.
8/1/2010 1 Check-in Here
If I had a wife and/or girlfriend...I would re-name her to Dussini's Loft Bar....
Sorry future wife/girlfriend...rules are rules..
If I had a daughter...I would name her Ma. Dussini C.
Dark..bar..lounge...pool tables...flat screen tables...and spaghetti downstairs. Being a single dude in SD...this is all you need!!!
Reasonably priced drinks...service is great, they make sure that you are well taken care of...
It's a bar/lounge with really cool chairs, and very soothing music. The fireplace helps with the mood too.
If you sit at the bar, the bar itself has this self generating ice thingee that keeps your drink cold...super plus.
I would probably celebrate my b-day in this place....definitely coming back for more. -
Review from Baby Mr. T.
San Diego, CA
1/23/2008 ROTD 2/24/2008
Leinenkugel. Not a maneuver, a beer. I tried it for the first time at Dussini's last week and it almost got the review up to five stars.
I haven't been to the building since it was the Old Spaghetti Factory and I was thrilled to see the old staircase still standing. They did a good job renovating. It's pretty inside. When I arrived at 5pm, only two tables had any diners. I went straight upstairs to meet friends at the bar... and ended up making a few new friends....
This bar is tourist central. I don't know why it gets so many people from North Carolina/Tennessee/Wisconsin. Must be in a guidebook. Everyone at the bar, with the exception of my group, was from out of town. Dussini's has a bartender's bartender serving drinks... gave me samples of the aforementioned Leinenkugel and sold me a good flight of wine for a great price.
If I had more friends living downtown, I'd probably drag them to Dussini's for mid-week games of pool and beer. Low-brow thrills, cushy atmosphere. -
Review from Jamal G.
San Francisco, CA
6/6/2007
Very Nice, very Nice! How much?
Ok, so by the time we arrived it was 1am and we were twwwiiissstteedd!!! However, I do remember looking around like "whhoooaaa this place is niiiccceeee." So fresh and so clean clean.
We didn't eat here... we drank while waiting for a pool table, which never opened up... well some waited for the pool table and others waited for the ladies. Nice place, nice drinks, nice hostess from North Beach, nice pool tables, nice ladies.. how much?
ALL I KNOW IS THAT I HATE YELP!!! It's like getting into advertisement and not being able to look at an ad the same...
Same goes for visiting new places.. all you think about is, "hmm what to use in my review?" I was like hmmm... great spot to bring a lady friend and chill by the fireplace while enjoying a nice glass of wine. Though there is a secret I can not reveal. All I know is that it is true.
Anyways, Dussini..... I like I like... sexy time! -
Review from Sean C.
San Diego, CA
8/23/2007
Ok... spread your legs and insert this bottle of water and vinager gently cause here's my review of Douche-ini ...
First of all it's owned by the same lame ass parent company that owns the internationally renowned and critically mocked chain of horribly medicore and sub-standard italian eateries know as The Old Spagehetti Factory! Uuughhhh.. despite the fairly nice 3 million dollar renovation to the OLD Shit Factory building... this place never really stood chance with me to be honest.
First impression is "ok..not bad .. this place is nice". Second impression is "fuck... this is like going out to eat in a museum" It's waaaay tooo fucking big. The upstairs has a great looking bar with tv's soo small you would need a girafee neck and owl vision just to catch the score of the game.
I came in with a crew of co-workers last time i was here and it was right after we had already threw down some drinks and apps for happy hour at Red Pearl Kitchen. Sooo .. we were buzzin.. havin some fun... and decided we should order a round of shots. That's when i looked around and realized we were the only group in the place actually having a good time. It was like there was a fucking chess tourament going on in there or something! This must have sounded the alarms cause the zero personality, robot bartender at Douche-ini cut us off right there. I was floooored... and it wasn't from the booze.
In the meantime.. my other buddy had already ordered sliders, so the rest of us grabbed a glass of the world famous Spaghetti Factory H2O.. and waited anxiously to see how those would turn out. He took two bites ..then turned to us .. with most of the slider still in his mouth and said... "Whuuut..grrggrrg...juhhsusshh....this place is fuuuucking banned"
Game Over Spaghetti Factory.. you can hide out under a differnt name... like Dussini.. but it won't matter.. cause at the end of the day your still just a douche. -
Review from Deborah K.
Los Angeles, CA
7/30/2007
Keep in mind...I wasn't famished when I GOT to this place. But I was by the time I left. Already not such a ringing endorsement for an eatery.
I get in and walk up to the bar. I had no idea they had some weird skating rink thing going on with their bar setup. I just know that there was nowhere to sit that didn't have an icy puddle of water. I mopped up a spot with a cocktail napkin and sat down.
After a quick glance through was was a really unimpressive and disappointing menu I opted to stay because it was hot as hell outside, I was starting to get really hungry, and I was sick of looking for somewhere to eat. I order a seafood salad.
No lie. 40 minutes passed. For a salad. At lunch. And it wasn't crowded. Not even a little crowded.
Finally the bartender comes up to me with a ceaser salad. That's not what I ordered. (BTW, 40 minutes for a CEASER salad?! Really? Shit, the salad I ordered had some cooked seafood in it. But ceasar salad should take, like, 5 minutes to prep. It had lettuce, dressing, shredded cheese and croutons. It's not a complicated set-up)
She takes the salad away. I expect that because she put in the wrong order my salad will be expedited.
People all around me get their food. Other people get salads. People who came in LONG after I did are now halfway through their meals.
Again: I ordered a salad. Now I'm REALLY hungry. And when I'm hungry I'm crabby. It had already been a long and hot day.
I call my friend to complain. "How long has it been?" he asked. I check my phone. Well over an hour.
I flag down another waitress and ask her what the deal is "Oh, yeah, we put your salad in. It should be out soon."
Yeah, but no.
So I left. An hour and twenty minutes after I had entered. An hour and 15 minutes after I ordered a freakin' salad, and 35 minutes after I RE-ordered the same salad.
NOT acceptable. Not one little bit. -
Review from laurie c.
San Diego, CA
5/17/2008
Yep, hmmm, hmm, you read that right, it says 3 STARS. Does it deserve 5? Yeah. Maybe. Probably. It was pretty amazing the first 6 times I went in (great bar, great pool, awesome fireplace). But then a cousin of mine (who happens to visit SD all the time because he is a pilot, and just happens to bring tons of other airline colleagues to wherever he and I visit) was in town and I talked this place up and down and dragged him and his friends on over.
Did it measure up? That night, of course not. I ordered the champagne mojito and never got it... asked the waitress why, she didn't know... cousin and his friends got their SECOND ROUND, and I still never got my mojito. Went up to the bar my damn self to ask the azzhole bartender what the problem was... very nicely, of course :)
He literally informed me that he had deemed my mojito TOO HARD TO MAKE (note to bartender- it's on the f'ing menu) and therefore had completely passed on making me any drink at all. Period.
And he's telling this to someone who would have been happy to get a plain champagne!
My very frank cousin joined me at the bar and told the guy he should be nice to people who live one block away since they will most likely be the ones frequenting the bar often and will also be the ones bringing other customers in. (Sidenote: He lives in Chicago and was laughing at the idiocy of someone who did not cultivate a neighbor in what is a very competitive market... after all, HE understands that when you live in a big city, it's not like there's not a million other places to go). Our bartender (who seemed to be on drugs, he was extremely jittery and high strung) just laughed manically and shrugged us off. Oh yeah, and HE NEVER MADE ME MY DRINK!!!!!!
Ugh, after writing this review, I've decided to give this dump a 2 star rating. You can screw up in front of me, but screw up in front of me after I find about 2,084,023,984,928,743,298 better places to have a cocktail, and after recommending you to out-of-towners? Not so much. -
Review from Viola P.
San Francisco, CA
5/3/2008
Now, I've been here a few times, but only to the upstairs bar loft/pool room. So, I'm reserving a star till I try the place for a full dinner.
But, the bar loft is terrific. Really nice ambience, great lighting, a cool fireplace. The cocktails are strong, tasty, large, and reasonably priced for the Gaslamp - under $10. The bar menu is delish - you need to try the bacon wrapped dates. It may look like a small portion as there are only four served, but they're so rich that four of these dates for two people is perfect.
And I get a kick out of the ice bar! Definitely recommend this place -
Review from Vin F.
San Diego, CA
12/5/2007
There's no question that Dussini's refurbishing of the Old Spaghetti Factory is beautiful, as it needed to be to make you erase any trace of that shithole from your mind while you're eating. (The Old Spaghetti Factory was so bad it almost makes me wish it were still around now that I'm on Yelp). So the question was: Is this just another Downtown pretty face, or does it have some substance?
Well, we went with 10 people and every appetizer, main dish, and bottle of wine was outstanding. I had the risotto special, which had gorgonzola and mushrooms and was topped with a healthy portion of duck. It was awesome. Two of our crowd had the Lobster Mac and Cheese, which was also fantastic and imaginative. The desserts were also outstanding and I wish I could describe them but I'm really too drunk and too full now to do so.
The evening was also made particularly nice by our waitress, who was genuinely sweet and accommodating, and made sure we were taken care of throughout the evening.
We had planned to go to the bar upstairs, which looked really cool, but we had all consumed so much, and had such a great time downstairs that we never made it that far.....
But trust me, we will ... -
Review from Tyler W.
San Francisco, CA
4/30/2007 ROTD 5/10/2007
Impressive layout. I'm surprised not to be able to find better pictures of the decor and design online, it's well done. There were 3 bars and hosts of extremely boring and standard self-proclaimed stars, along with a few really nice people. The design is really the reason to come see this place, the revolving dividers allow the bar to set different layouts.
The beer selection is pretty good, and it's a nice place to kick back with a group of friends, while it seems a bit like "a place to be seen" I wouldn't pick this as a singles destination.
Worth the visit. -1 star for last call at 1:15am. 1:15???? seriously? -
Review from Lisa L.
Oakland, CA
11/10/2007
So many of the newer restaurants and bars in the Gaslamp have this modern, big, American look. It's like "mall elegance". I don't know exactly how to explain it, but if you've spent any time there you'll know what I'm talking about.
Dussini's is definitely this kind of place - just huge. There's a restaurant downstairs with lots of big booths and an upstairs bar with pool tables and some seating. Their website claims that they won a number of awards, including best romantic restaurant. Quite honestly, I don't know what they're talking about - this place was far from romantic.
What it has - good downtown location, relatively reasonably-priced parking garage nearby. Pretty good, strong cocktails, lots of beer and your standard slightly upscale bar food. -
Review from Sarah H.
12/13/2010
Dussini's is a cool, mellow little spot perfect for pre-dinner drinks with friends. There's tons of comfy seats grouped around low tables, and the "fire wall" is pretty awesome. The whole place is dark and intimate, but in a cool modern way.
The bartender was fantastic: friendly and fast. Our drinks were great. There's a great appetizer menu: the Mediterranean chicken brochettes are juicy and delicious.
Best part: Dussini's has a fantastic happy hour...drinks and snacks for two for $20, including a 30% tip? I'm sold. -
Review from D G.
San Diego, CA
5/14/2008
Lunch! Do you hear me? I said lunch! Go get the hamburger. Really. And the fries. Or get some great dish that is a 1/2 and 1/2 special. I have had great dinners here but the lunches are a well kept secret and well worth going to. They are not slow and the food is fantastic! Go for lunch and let me know what you think.
EDIT: WE JUST WENT FOR DINNER ON 6/3/08 AND DISCOVERED THEY ARE NOT OPEN FOR LUNCH ANY LONGER.....BUT DINNER WAS STILL GREAT. -
Review from Bill P.
7/14/2008
Dussini's
This place is way upscale and very nice. The décor is cool and I really liked the atmosphere. The upstairs bar and pool lounge is a nice touch and the main dining room is downstairs. I stayed upstairs where it was comfortable. The bar had a real nice touch it had a like a mini ice rink that went all the way around the bar. It was about 6 inches wide and perfect for setting your drink on it and keeping it ice cold. I did not want a full on dinner but I was hungry. I went with the highly recommended lobster macaroni and cheese, (not on the menu) it was delicious! It was like a brick and nice and dry just the way I like it. I highly recommend this place. Expect to drop a few coins at this place because it is not cheap but you get what you pay for and in this case it was worth every penny. -
Review from JENNA B.
San Diego, CA
12/9/2008
4 words- Lobster Mac and Cheese. It was amazing! That is definitely their signature, must-try dish!
My friend had the scallops and they were great too, so overall I would definitely come back. -
Review from Shanna K.
10/9/2007
Lousy bar service, but the restaurant itself made up for it.
We happened to be in town over the weekend so we went on Saturday night and after a long wait in the bar where we were repeatedly ignored and ultimately never served.... we finally got seated. Perhaps the bar itself is good but the table service in the bar was awful. Never again.
That being said, once we got seated we were well taken care of. They were very helpful on all accounts... from our request for a quieter table to my friends numerous and detailed food allergy accomodations to help with driving directions...
I had the bouillabaise, which is one of my favorite dishes and therefore I am very picky about it. This was chock full of fresh, delicious seafood and I couldn't be happier. The broth was minimal, which was unfortunate because it was delicious, but it didn't take away from the dish. It was very hearty. I also had the grilled farmers market vegetables and they were simple, fresh and wonderful. Squash, yellow wax beans, green beans, onions, etc.. fantastic.
My friend had the NY Steak which wasn't as flavorful as some that we have had, but it was certainly not terrible... the herb french fries were very good, though.
Also the J Brut Sparkling is one of the best deals on the menu at $53. They have a couple of Seasmoke Pinots that area also delicious.. and plenty of other goodies. Albeit a bit overpriced.
I would not hesitate to go here again.. it was great on all accounts. -
Review from Emily R.
La Mesa, CA
2/27/2011 1 Check-in Here
Very nice, classy vibe. I love the large fireplace off to one side, and the "ice ring" around the bar to keep your drinks cold. The service was attentive, but not intrusive. The bartender did not know how to make a Mint Julep, but he did make an effort to look it up, and when it arrived, it was delicious.
The music was house, and was at the perfect level. I could talk and canoodle with my boyfriend without shouting and without worrying that anyone else could hear us.
The banquettes, tables, chairs, and lighting have a luxe feel. Even the pool tables are a step up from most places. Thinking about celebrating my birthday here. -
Review from Michelle A.
San Diego, CA
11/4/2007
I LOATHE going downtown but my cousin was celebrating his birthday here so...Dussini's it is! I read the reviews on here before going and they are pretty mixed. My opinion: this place ain't half bad. It is super huge which is good for crowds. It is not cheap, especially for a girl like me who digs dive bars but the bar is fully stocked and I found the bartenders to be pretty attentive and nice. I did not try the food but heard it was not that good and definitely not worth what they are charging. I think the size and atmosphere also lends to a pretty eclectic mix of people (as eclectic as you can get downtown) which is nice to see. So, I had fun. I would go again. I wasn't my usual downtown-uncomfortable.
Other notes: about 5-6 pool tables I think, not to hard to find a seat, place is right next to two main parking garages although it's far down enough on 5th that I actually found street parking (don't get your hopes up) and they really need to get rid of that f-ing tree on the stairwell. I was drunk enough that once I swiveled around that bend of the stairs I got confused and thought I had reached a dead end. What is that doing there! -
Review from Rachel P.
San Diego, CA
8/14/2011
I'm not a fan of downtown but this place I like. It's like a little hidden jem. Nice large bar and lots of comfortable chairs. I like the ice ring around the bar too, kind of unique. If I worked downtown this would definitely be a cool place to have some after work drinks with work buddies.
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Review from Daniel H.
San Diego, CA
6/5/2009
"There's a BABY in the bar", I screamed with glee!
I have only seen this once in Texas, in a very rural bar, but that is another story. How cute it is when you are waiting for your drink only to feel a toddler tugging at your pant leg? Super cute! I almost kicked it then I realized it was a baby and not a little person.
I have a question for the owner or whomever runs this bar. There is a wine rack that goes from the bottom of the restaurant to the top of the bar however the wine menu seems really small are these just stock of the same types of wine or is there a secret wine menu?
The beer on tap is OK. There are about twelve on tap but nothing very interesting stands out. The bartenders are nice enough but they don't go out of their way to make conversation with the patrons. That's cool though they are usually pretty busy. I like the "ice bar" thing that goes around the bar, to keep your drink cold. For those of us with OCD it's fun to scrape the ice off of it.
Oh and there are pool tables here which I didn't get a chance to check out but what a great idea!
I think if they became a little more adventurous with the beer selection, put out a larger wine menu, and stopped children from running around the bar I could see this being a guilty pleasure (almost like a hotel bar).Listed in: Hearting your mother
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Review from krista L.
Encinitas, CA
11/4/2008 1 Check-in Here
After living downtown for almost a year and looking at the coupon for Dussini's in the Community Magazine for that same period of time, my husband and I finally decided to give it a go.
We were doing our farewell downtown happy hour, hitting up all our favorite spots, Donovan's, J-Six, Currant so we slipped into Dussini's for a quick drink and app. Their happy hour goes on from 4-6:30 which is a plus because most others are over at 6. When we first walked in, we didn't know where to go, it looked like they were just opening up. Someone pointed us up the stairs, so we went. Upstairs there's a ton of pool tables, a wine storage area and a large U-shaped bar. The ambiance is nice and cozy, dim lit, with some cool tunes on.
We ordered some beers and checked out the bar menu. The items with the * are 50% off. We decided on the calamari. It's a pretty decent size portion they give you for a happy hour item at a reduced cost. The calamari comes with rings and tentacles (which I love) and 3 dipping sauces. The sauces were the best part!!! I couldn't decide which one I liked most and in retrospect, I still can't decide.
It sucks that we just discovered Dussini's on our last weekend downtown, but it's definitely a destination restaurant that I look forward to going to.Listed in: My Happy Hour Haunts
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Review from Mario S.
Carlsbad, CA
6/13/2008
note: I only ate upstairs, no 3 course meal for me
First of all, I love the way this place looks. The downstairs is industrial looking in a way with exposed beams and metal everywhere, yet it still feels cozy. Very cool.
The bar upstairs feels more like a lounge. With pool tables and flat screens on the wall it was not a bad place to drink and eat with some friends. Happy hour has 3 burger sliders that were very good. Good chuck of meat with onions inside with a slight spicy kick. Great shoestring fries too.
Our waitress was a bit slow but it was busy inside so I'm going to give them the benefit of the doubt. I would go here again. -
Review from benito d.
Los Angeles, CA
7/29/2008
Really good Calamari: nicely breaded, tentacles and tasty, +1.
My 65 year old dad enjoyed going out and said his Paella was like some he had in Spain, +1.
Nice looking place in a good location, +1.
Having an overall pleasant experience with the fam and SO, +1. -
Review from Elle W.
San Diego, CA
11/1/2008
Four stars for the sangria blanca.
They have pool tables on the top floor. Awesome! -
Review from Leah S.
Carlsbad, CA
9/12/2007
Ok here's the deal... I was supposed to meet my girlfriends at Martini Ranch and I was completely lost. After walking endlessly up and down 5th avenue on the HOTTEST summer Saturday night ever (Sep.1), I ended up at Dussini's Mediterranean Bistro (http://www.dussini.com/). Looking to quench my appetite for my usual "going out" apple-tini, I found myself admiring the new-look that now stands over the "Old Spaghetti Factory". Thinking I was in another "foo-foo & snotty upper class" restaurant, I was greeted at the door by a nice hostess who informed me of the upstairs bar.
Walking up the stairs I was amazed at the contemporary flame decor, the wine gallery, and the overall elegant makeover. Realizing that I was perspiring more than I should have, the cool AC was more than welcome at first, however after cooling down I could feel myself begin to feel a bit "nipply". The outside temperature definitely warranted the restaraunts action to crank up the AC.
Any how, as I ordered my apple-tini at the U-shaped bar (which was well-stocked), the sounds of pool sticks striking cue balls caught my attention to a decent size open billards room that held the numerous pool tables. Several plasma televisions decorated the walls showing different college football games and of course the Padres game. After admiring the place for a few minutes I realized this was definitely a place I can hang out at with the girls because the sports enthusiast in me was definitely enjoying the amenities.
Typical sports bars wreak of beer, deep fried foods, and touchy-feely guys who always do more than they should to spark a friendly conversation with a female sports fan. However, Dussini's definitely provides a much classier sports fan atmosphere that suited my taste.
The appetizer menu looked so-so however I did notice some sliders that looked tempting, but other than that... feeling the mood, I changed my apple-tini to a ice cold pint of Guiness (Hey it was on the house thanks to the friendly gentleman next to me...and yes Irish girls have their preferences in a good dark beer).
As a USC alumni, I can hold my ground as a TRUE DIE-HARD Trojan football fan. I recommend Dussini's as a nice hangout bar with friends for a night of drinks before you hit the clubs. That particular evening Dussini definitely won me over and thanks to the "heat", I now have found my new all-day Saturday college football lounge. So, if you ever see a blonde bombshell donning a USC Trojans jersey; come by & say hi and you can either root with me or stay out of my way... because I will be supporting the mighty men of Troy to another CHAMPIONSHIP!
I just realized this really was more of a story-telling event rather than a review but oh well, no one will read this anyway. Except you.... Hahaha. -
Review from Eddie P.
San Diego, CA
7/23/2008
Agreed.
Overpriced.
Move along.
