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Category: American (New) [Edit]
Neighborhood: Ocean Beach
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This is what living in OB is all about.
I had lunch here for the first time the other day, and met some of the nicest most down to earth people while enjoying a phenomenal soup and sammich. Turns out they were the owners.
That really tells you a lot about a business. When you go in early on a weekday for lunch are the lone customer in the joint, and the only server is one of the proprietors. You can tell they are hands on and cater to locals. That's why lots of their business comes from OBeacians.
The food was excellent. I started with the lobster bisque and it was everything a bisque should be. Creamy, lobstery, warm, and served with toast. I dunked every bit of that blackened bread into the bowl like I was the Shaquille O'neal of soups. He may have scored more points, but I did a heck of a lot more dribbling. (On my shirt)
Next, I moved to the pork sandwich upon the recommendation of the lovely owner. (Brenda I think her name was) This was a great choice. Delicious! After eating the side of potatoes that came with, it was hearty enough to make me box the 2nd half for later. Admittedly not my best performance of taking down food, but I was happy to reacquaint myself with the rest a few hours (ok 1 hour) later.
There are less expensive places to grab a sandwich round these parts, but the extra couple of bucks are worth the taste and the company.
I think this would be a great place to take a 1st date. It's cute, it's cozy, it has a full bar, and its located (in my opinion)in one of the better 1st date neighborhoods in SD. If it doesn't work out you can ditch out the bathroom window half way through and feel assured that the bad date will be in ok hands. Either the extremely nice owners will rescue them for a day or two (they rescue animals) or they'll be in the company of many others sleeping on the beaches of OB.
This place is right down the street from my house, so it's pretty convenient when I'm in the mood for a sandwich. I've been here a couple times, both times I was satisfied.
I would definitely go for the sandwiches. Turkey or chicken ones, those are the best. The tuna wrap was pretty spicy and not the best I've had. Also, I would pass on the chips and salsa, store bought and not worth the price. They do come in a red tortilla wrapped concoction, but still not worth it.
They have a good vibe, a bar, and outdoor seeting. They service has always been great and friendly and you can bring your dog in too!
All in all, not the best food, but not bad if you're looking for someting quick and you're in the ocean beach area.
I am delighted to find such an eclectic yet tasteful and classy spot in such a hippie (i say that lovingly) town!! I came here tonight to meet with my boss and a few of his associates at the tail end of their dinner to discuss some contracts and although I wish I would have been able to experience an entire meal Im STOKED I caught the BEST and my personal favorite part, desert. Apparently the dinner was fantastic but when the owner comped us several deserts I about fell off my chair in excitement. I had been struggling to keep from eating my roommates pint of ben n jerrys the last two hours while writing a proposal and had even text her to come home and save me from a dairy doom. (I'm lactose intolerant and addicted to froyo and good cheeses. Such a curse!) SO when the first mini rum cake and side of vanilla bean ice cream arrived I couldn't help but indulge my little reward sent from heaven for being so good before. I was even more surprised when the next complimentary desert arrived and it was an even more delicious mound of the moisest chocolate cake topped in mousse and gnoche. I'm currently suffering cramps from these fantastic treats but they were so good I'd eat two more if someone brought it in from of my laptop. For some random reason these desserts were presented with a side of ribs that one of my companions quoted as being "better than phil's" I kid you not. They were great.
The patio we sat on was close to magical with a nice lighted ambiance, ivy enclosing the whole patio from the street and a really cool metal work giraffe statue kept catching my eye for its uniqueness. I loved this place from the cute patient waiter, Nathan, who waited at the bar til we finally finished gabbing 3 hours later, to the hearts and flamingo printed cushions.
Good Work O Bistro. Or shall I call you Ohhhhhhh Bistroooo?!?!
We live in Ocean Beach and love this place. Brenda is wonderful. We love the Chinese Chicken Salad. It's awesome.
Everything is fresh. Reasonably priced and just a great place to stop in for quick bites. Oh...and did I say it's pet friendly...well it is!
The food was fantastic, service great, and best of all they allow dogs. Businesses don't know how much money they loose by not accepting dogs in their patio areas. It's stupid, they allow kids to run around and folks to smoke, but won't allow well behaved dogs to lay under the tables while the humans eat? So, we ONLY give our business to dog friendly places.
We had a late breakfast here before heading for home. The place was clean, loads of folks with their dogs. Will go again.
When in OB, I find myself wanting to go here above all others. They have a great patio, good food, and some great drinks. The service is always friendly, and the place is cute. The owner (who hangs around a lot and is very involved in service) is a little quirky...okay, very quirky...but super nice and cares about her customers. Sometimes I just want to go there to see what new crazy decorations she puts around.
check it out next time you're in OB.
Can't remember if they actually have green plastic lawnchairs, but I FEEL like they had green plastic lawnchairs. The ambiance was just not my thing. But friendly service and the first time I had a sushi roll at a non-Japanese place that was edible.
Dog friendly patio.
We came here with our dog after taking him to the dog wash across the street. They are extremely dog friendly and will provide your pup with a water bowl and lots of attention. If you find yourself at the dog beach or just want to enjoy dinner out with your pup, don't hesitate to come here!
My husband and I were going on date night and before we got to the end of street we felt bad for leaving the dogs at home. We turned around and came to Yelp to find a place we could take the dogs to. We ended up going to O'Bistro and it was the best find ever! I started with a FULL wine of glass that was $5, then I ordered Lobster bisque. It was definitely one of the best lobster bisque soups I've ever had. I ordered the carnitas quesadilla and my husband ordered the Cheesesteak salad. Then I ordered creme brulee and he ordered peanut butter bonbon to go. Everything was fresh, not pre-made, original and so delicious and affordable. This is definitely one of our new favorite places. By the way, the dogs even got a free bisquit and the service was awesome.
Really enjoyed my food here! Came for breakfast on Sunday and sat in the patio. Ordered the huevos rancheros, husband ate the California omelet. Both were way above average! Generous with the fresh avocado, fluffy scrambled eggs, yummy biscuits, sweet waitress.
You really have to like dogs if you sit outside. While we were dining, some really smelly, wet dogs showed up (with their owners, of course). The odor was unpleasant, but the patio atmosphere was super chill -it didn't ruin the vibe. Looking forward to my next meal here. Yum!
ps - Full bar is a major plus!!
OK OK OK second chance, third chance, fourth chance? no idea how many times I have been here and after the last time I swore I would never go back... shame on me for making the mistake to return to this place.
The plan was to go have a few drinks with some friends and maybe get a salad, which I thought would be safe. To be honest, the food was good this time... Mahi Tacos were very well received. I have always known the service was bad, but what happened last night was seriously the worst service and most shameful display I have ever seen in a restaurant.
We were all finishing our meal and I had just finished laying out a very generous tip when my friend got a phone call. Well he politely left the table and answered the call then came back to the table with a look on his face like he had just seen a ghost. He asked me, "did you just effing see that?" and I replied, "no". He went on to tell me that when he walked into the restaurant the owner literally pointed at him and yelled "NO.. Get out... are you a Patron?" everyone in the place turned around to stare at him while she continued the harassment by saying, "washrooms are for patrons only!". The poor waitress explained to the owner that he was a patron and my buddy went on to the bathroom. If this happened to me I, would have finished the bathroom trip by leaving a top tanker... hee heee
Anyway the owner came over to our table and offered to buy us a round and went into this explanation that she has to fend off the "bums" that try and use her restroom, and this one time this kid threw up all over the bathroom and another time someone pissed on the walls....blah blah blah... Keep in mind we are in a restaurant and this is the owner talking to us loud enough so the table behind us could hear. She then explained how she was tired and at the gym earlier and it's so hard defending the bathroom from people coming off the beach... this place is like 3 blocks from the beach and I highly doubt there is heavy foot traffic at 10:00Pm from beach goers needing to use O'crapstro's precious bathroom... I had my suspicions that she was either drunk or high by the way she was carrying on and on.
After about 5 minutes of her trying to save face and truly making the situation more uncomfortable then it was, I said..."look we appreciate the apology and if you want to buy us a round that is great, but please spare us any further explanations and realize that we don't want to have a lengthy conversation with you or be your friend." I told her she was making us uncomfortable and to that, she got up and looked at me and called me an asshole.
couldn't believe it.
Don't eat there but for sure use their bathroom :)
I really hate to ding a local Ocean Beach place, but I had a horrible experience here for a few… Read more »
I had a cup of savory lobster bisque with toasted sourdough slices, fresh, homemade potato salad, and a perfect (to me) pressed Cuban sandwich - all DELICIOUS. My boyfriend ordered a half rack of ribs which was plenty and brought some home (unusual for him not to gobble every bit). I couldn't finish, either, so I am downing Part II (I am trying to take it slow but it's soo delish - even as a leftover) for my brunch this morning.
OBistro's ambiance is one of my favorites: campy in a good way, low-key, pup-friendly, friendly. Service is always good, too!
well, t-day was third visit fer me & my she-girl been here twice jist her & me & oncet previously w my witch-woman as well
sat down to order & waitress brought icedwater fer "She" -- nice
ordered sausage & egg breakfast
hadta git up & move to another table as woman at next table who was there afore me lit up a smoke [ I'm alergic -- if I had been there first I'd have asked her to put it out ]
waitress bought my food -- w bacon? well, I don't dislike bacon so i'm eatin it, sharin w She when the waitress comes by a while later and asks how is everything? I say "well, this shure tastes like bacon" she gives me a blank look :) then I say "but I ordered sausage"
no offer to bring sausage --
well, jist about then the gals at the table upwind BOTH lite up and the smoke starts acomin my way -- that tears it fer me -- I finish and git up to go git my check not wishin to sit inhalin their smoke while waitin fer it -- I walk inside w my She in tow -- and the owner - I think - tells me "you can't bring the dog in here"
oK -- I'm done goin here -- all three times smoked out - witch-woman don't like smoke either, we'll leave thisun to the smokers
It's nice to have a place you can take your dog, especially when you're vacationing from out of town. But we would not return to O'Bistro simply because of the quality of the food.
The guacamole tasted like it came out of a tub from the supermarket and the tortilla chips the same. In fact, I've had much better supermarker tortilla chips. For San Diego, this is pretty poor. My partner had the beef tacos and got sick that night. I had the lobster tacos, and the lobster tasted more like langostino; ok, but not lobster. The beans and rice that came with it were just so-so, about what you'd expect in a cheap Mexican restaurant, not a nice "Bistro."
After getting the middle finger from Mellow, Mike and I ventured on over to our fallback "nice" restaurant. Little did we know...set menu! Hells yes. I love when they have a set menu, makes us OBecians feel like we're out dining at a fancy restaurant or something! I had the Chicken au Champgne and Mike had the Lamb Shank. Both were outstanding. Mike didn't even have to use a fork because the meat just slid off the bone (that's what she said...wait, gross). The Chicken had so many subtle tastes going on that my mouth had a seizure. The vinaigrette on the salad: I would drink it with a fucking straw. And the creme brulee was perfect, as usual. The wine selection was decent, and not terribly pricey.
But the best part - the service. We sat at the bar, and got to chat with the bartender and chefs and servers through our entire meal, even though they were totally slammed. I totally blew my load at this place on NYE, but it was totally worth it. Thanks guys for turning a potentially ruined dinner excursion (eat a dick, Mellow) into a great evening.
Looking for an alternative to Hodad's Burger? Don't want to stand in a long line to be in a room of loud music and filthy floors? Well check this place out. The other day I had a burger with a pal and it was juicy and dripping with goodness, the patty was not overcooked it was a fair size and it was the best burger I've had in a long, long time.
Yummy choices on the menu (lots for veggies out there).
The prices are a touch high for pizza's but…
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Excellent food and very dog-friendly! The staff always come over to cuddle my little dog. Some of the servers are a little on the slow side, but never really bad. We love the lobster bisque, and we have never had a bad meal there!
Went this morning with the family, and we were all really disappointed with the quality of the food. Example: my eggs benedict and side potatoes were served cold, the english muffin wasn't toasted, etc.
I should note that I am the only one who spoke up and the owner, Brenda, was extremely gracious and took my meal off the tab. Granted that the people are really nice, the atmosphere is great, and the food CAN be good, but it usually just isn't. I want to like this place, but they just can't get it together.
i am between three and four stars on this place. my partner's parents live in OB and really like to… Read more »
Raspberry mimosas. Which are addictive and lead straight to alcoholism. Possibly.
We've always grabbed a table outside. Great neighborhood spot, usually see someone you know eating there - and if they have a dog you just might see them too :)
Never had a bad meal, always had great service. And very inexpensive. Can't complain - c'est non?
Excellent service! Thanks for making us AND our dogs...ALL 3 of them...so welcome. We sat down and were greeted by Dave? i believe. He started by oh, can i bring your dogs some bacon? So we knew we were in a seriously dog friendly environment, the dog bowl of h20 was already in place when we got there.
The food was all solid, my fish was cooked perfectly, no problem with substituting sides etc. Cool, funky, beachy vibe but also kinda upscale feel because the service is so great. They were recommended by the staff at Ocean Villa where we stayed---THANKS all around. I would go back in a heartbeat next time I'm in town with my pups. Thanks for a great experience!
This place is solid. it's not OMGAMAZING, it doesn't suck, it's just consistently pretty darn good.
The spinach-artichoke dip is so yum, as you'd expect (can anyone mess that up?), and they have good drinks. I love a heated patio, myself, and I support anywhere that lets you bring dogs.
The one thing I didn't like was the lobster bisque I tried during the restaurant walk. It was so rich and salty! It was tasty, but I literally dipped a corner of bread into it, took a bite of the bread, and that was more than enough for me.
Less than a block from my home this little bistro is a fave of my boyfriend and I. There is a small area inside to eat that is quaint and romantic, or a large patio outside. They have a set menu sometimes and great dinner specials. It's a little pricey for an every-day dining spot, but when my man and I need a little romantic solice close to home we don't hesitate to stroll on down to the O Bistro.
I love that when said aloud, this restaurant's name includes the word 'obese" That seems like such a hilarious oversight on the part of the owner.
It's been a long time since I last dropped in. I wouldn't say it's a bistro, it's really a pretty regular restaurant. The food was yummy when we came here but the waitress left us out on the patio & never came back to check on us again.
Holy, holy heaven, that lobster bisque (thanks for the recommendation, Jana!) was amazing. I'm a sucker for a good bisque, and O'Bistro's is a star. They've also got nice outdoor seating, and the environment/decor is very pleasant.
My other plate, the Chicken Cobb salad (minus the bacon) was good, but nothing extraordinary. Jeff's burger, according to him, rated similarly; nothing to complain about, nothing to rave about.
But that bisque! Worth a return trip, absolutely.
This place is dog-friendly. The outdoor patio is great for people watching and there are heat lamps for cooler evenings. We went there last night for Valentine's Day. The owner Brenda is a hoot!
The ahi tataki was delicious, the mahi tacos are okay and the pitchers of beer are overpriced. But overall, it is a cool place.
The O'Bistro has several fantastic things going for it:
$20-25 menu items for $10-$15 prices
Excellent food of all types, mostly bistro style, with a great variety of options (even for you vegetarians!)
A great breakfast/brunch menu
Raspberry mimosas
Well made drinks
Laid back beach ambiance with a touch of class
Great outdoor seating
Fabulous service
Things that keep it from 5 stars?
Well, one - I'm pretty stringent with the 5 stars, but two....
Word is starting to get out about how great it is. Good for them, bad for locals who can no longer just swing by.
They say over the phone they don't take reservations, but when you get to the door, there's a wait if you don't have one...wtf? Clarify this for yourself. At least they have carry out.
My recommendation? Go. It's low maintenance good. It's not super posh, but nice enough when you want to escape the sandy foot feel of Newport Avenue without paying too much, or leaving OB.
Ahhhh, the lobster bisque. I have had dreams about that bisque. When I found out that this place opened I was overjoyed with relief that the bisque was back. The managers/owners, executive chef and bartender are all from what used to be the heart of Qwiggs, a former fine dining restaurant in OB. I miss Qwiggs -- it was one of the first places I went with my husband when we started dating and where one of his best friends met his girlfriend, of the past 8 or so years. You get the idea.
Anyway, back to O'Bistro Cafe....the food is still just as good as it ever was at Qwiggs and I love the new restaurant. The outside patio is cute with the fountain and flowers and it has heaters if you need them. Everything on the menu is great but the Lobster Bisque is insane. It's very rich so it is really a meal in itself. The mahi tacos, lobster tacos, prime rib, original house salad, steamed clams, and the list goes on, is all worth going back for again and again. We have been here in a large group and as just the family and each time we were well taken care of.
The word is getting out so go now before it becomes impossible to get in. Order the lobster bisque!
Just a few storefronts away from Lucy's, the O'Bistro is a great to have dinner on a Saturday night in OB.
Plenty of outdoor heated seating and 4-5 tables inside with a bar. One of the owners, Nancy (?), was welcoming and I think her husband was there too. Very personable.
Food was great, I shared the Gorgonzola flat bread (like a mini-pizza) and had the shrimp pasta. My boyfriend had the penne pesto that came with chicken. The menu has a selection of pastas, sandwiches, and meat centered entrees. The cocktails are good too. I asked and they have happy hour from 4-6 M-F.
I'd go back again just to have a leisurely dinner.
We live up the street and love to go to this place, especially with friends.
We have always had exceptional service, the owners are always around to make sure the customers are happy.
The food is good, regular bistro cuisine.
they will also accomidate most requests - as long as it's in their menu.
The seating is mostly on their outdoor patio, with cushioned chairs (they also just added back pillows)
There's a full bar, and nightly specials.
Oh yeah, and - it's dog and Kid friendly.
the patio is so so so wonderful and cute and quaint..it's lit perfectly and there's a nice view of palm trees.
their pizza was some of the best i've had, and we also had some good korean tofu. yum.
the wait staff is laid back but super attentive. a woman who appeared to be the owner kept checking on us in a way that was super genuine and kind. another cool thing was that my dining partner got a free glass of wine because the bartender poured it by mistake and it was the same kind she was already drinking. the waitress just came over and was like sorry this was a mistake, you can have it on the house. super cool.
this place is a cute, clean and chill place for a nice dinner...i'd even venture to call it upscale in ocean beach terms...but of course everyone was still wearing shorts and flip flops.
Loved the ambiance!! Very nice place to sit back and relax. Loved the Lobster Bisque. I have been there enough times to call O' Bistro a perfect 10!! Service always amazing and very wonderful selection of wine.
I think this place is great! They have very creative dishes that taste great. It is so nice to go to a place that is dog friendly. I don't have a dog right now but really enjoy going there and seeing the variety of dogs their customers bring. I am a big fan of the afternoon delight vegetarian sandwich, it is a best of its kind. The only reason why this place doesn't get its 5th star is because they used to make the afternoon delight with calamatta olive bread, which I ranted and raved to everyone. Now everytime I have ordered it they don't use that bread and often change the bread to different kinds of bread. Sorry but thats kinda a big deal to me, plus my friends thought I was full of it. But get past my issue. Get down there for great outdoor eating, rain or shine, hot or cold. They have shelter and heatlamps. I also think they have a mister system. Yay O bistro!
super yummy! there were 6 of us who went so i got to try every ones food plus we had ordered some appetizers. everything was great! Brenda, the owner, is so sweet which makes it an even nicer place to visit.
i love how i was able to bring my dogs and had no problem. we sat on the patio and stayed for about 2 hours! i know, for servers, this sucks! but our waiter was so nice and helpful the entire time.
i will surely be back soon!
Always delicious and enjoyable! Consistent good service. The owner, Brenda, is a delight. She is so friendly and welcoming, you feel like you've known her for years. The menu is creative and heavenly! The sashimi salad is my all time favorite. I've had probably everything on the menu- that is how often I visit this place! The patio is so charming and relaxing... I could spend hours upon hours sipping wine and chatting with the very friendly staff and crowd! The bartenders are rad. I love it here! Will go back again and again!
Oooh, go to the O'Bistro. The name is cute (they call Ocean Beach OB, get it. . . the O'Bistro?). Eat the Afternoon Delight. Order the Lobster Bisque. Have a Bloody Mary or a beer. . . if only they had Stella Artois on tap, but what they do have is good. What else. . . the Cuban Pork Sandwich is good, and when they ask what side you want, order the potato salad (although the green salad is nice). The service is pleasant, as is the atmosphere.
i used to go a lot as i worked close by...the shrimp tacos were delicious...but the service was consistantly awful - i ordered an iced tea - waiter comes by, didn't even ask if i wanted a refill but just came by with a pitcher and filled up my 1/2 full glass. "whoa, how nice!" i thought...only to find out that i had been charged for 3 iced teas, only one of which i asked for.
overall, pleasant atmosphere. the patio dining is always nice.
My dog loves this place and so do we. This place is amazingly dog friendly! They bring your dog water, a biscuit and you can even order a doggie burger for your dog. The people food is wonderful too. Big selection for whatever you are in the mood before, including sushi rolls. Great breakfasts, love the spicy bloody marys. The staff is super friendly and the place has a great ambiance. Great outdoor patio.
while visting san diego we randomly stopped by this little bistro by the ocean and were pleasantly surprised by the amazing food. i started off with a raspberry mimosa, followed by a rich lobster bisque, and then had a turkey and brie sandwhich on a french roll. The whole meal was delicious and I would definitely make another trip to san diego just to go back!
As everyone else has said go there for the lobster bisque!!! It's very rich. I got a cup and still split it with my husband. I also had the chicken cobb salad which was good but not excellent. They do it a little different from ways I've had it in the past at other restaraunts. The chicken (which looked to me as if it might have come from a pre-packaged type thing),bacon and blue cheese were already mixed into the salad as was the french vinagrette dressing. So if you want to measure out your own dressing order the dressing on the side. My husband had a smoked turkey sandwich with peppercini's, brie and spinach. Again good but not great. He chose the oven roasted potatoes which were kinda of limp, shrunken and luke warm. We also each had a raspberry mimosa, don't know what the "raspberry" part was other than the color. Didn't taste any different than cheap tarty champagne. Nice patio dining atmosphere, service ok but not extremely friendly. All in all I might go back for the bisque and because I think it's nice to have a place to dine where you can take your dog. Double kudos just for that, actually that just rated another star!
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