- Restaurants |
- Nightlife |
- Shopping |
- Movies |
- All
The Crown Room
Categories: Restaurants Seafood Event Planning & Services Hotels Hotels & Travel Hotels Seafood, Hotels [Edit]
Hotel Del Coronado1500 Orange Ave
Coronado, CA 92118
Neighborhood: Coronado
(619) 522-8490
- Price Range:
-
$$$$
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Private Lot, Valet
- Attire:
- Dressy
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Good for Kids:
- No
- Takes Reservations:
- Yes
- Delivery:
- No
- Take-out:
- No
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- No
- Wi-Fi:
- No
- Good For:
- Brunch
- Alcohol:
- Full Bar
- Noise Level:
- Average
- Ambience:
- Classy
- Has TV:
- No
- Caters:
- No
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
67 reviews for The Crown Room
Review Highlights
"but the kid in me loved the chocolate fountain."
(in 10 reviews)
"Crab legs, jumbo shrimp, mussels - all were phenomenal."
(in 18 reviews)
"For brunch we randomly chose the Del."
(in 46 reviews)
Loading...
67 reviews in English
-
Review from Kaitlin S.
San Diego, CA
1/22/2012
My friend and I went here for the Sunday Brunch. At $75 a person, it's pricey, but we did not regret it at all. This was probably the best meal I've ever had in my entire life.
The whole thing is a buffet, and there's 8 tables or so, including 2 dessert tables. They have carving stations, seafood, pasta, salad, chopped fruit, whole fruit, vegetables, breads, cheeses, cookies, pastries... there's so much food. And it's all really, really delicious. They also have really good coffee-- I usually don't take my coffee black but I enjoyed it here. We had mimosas as well.
Our waitress was super nice and friendly too-- great service! We did not have reservations and we did not have to wait to be seated, though we arrived right when it opened.
If you've got some extra cash and you feel like treating yourself, I'd definitely recommend brunch here! -
Review from Cheri. A G.
Los Angeles, CA
12/7/2011 1 photo
This review is for the Hotel Del Coronado's Crown Room Sunday Brunch.
Every time I go to San Diego I treat myself to their Sunday Brunch. The room is amazing itself but then you have many different tables of foods from omelet stations, carving station, Mexican food, seafood station, a bloody mary bar and champagne. Oh and I forgot they have a chocolate fountain at the dessert station with some amazing creations.
If you are in San Diego on a Sunday it is a MUST DO! -
Review from A E.
San Diego, CA
11/20/2011
I received a $200 gift certificate to this restaurant as a Christmas gift last year. I decided to save it for something special, and since this year Thanksgiving will only be my boyfriend and I, we decided to use it for what I've heard is a great Thanksgiving buffet a the Hotel Del. However, when we called to make a reservation, the staff flatly refused to let us use the gift card.
The card has no stipulation that it cannot be used for certain events - it states only, "redeemable for goods and services." The staff taking reservations stated that the problem was that we are required to pre-pay for Thanksgiving dinner, and they would not let us pre-pay with a gift card.... even though they already have the $200! We even offered to drive over there with the gift card so they could charge it in person, but no dice. It HAS to be a credit card. I offered to give them my credit card info to have on file as long as they would actually charge it to the gift card. No.
Finally the reservations staff got sick of us and transferred us to some other department, who they told us would refund the $200 on the card so we could pay credit for the reservation. This didn't sound right, and it wasn't - the person we were transferred to had no idea what we were talking about and tried to transfer us back to reservations, even though they were the ones who transferred us!
So, no Thanksgiving dinner at the Crown Room for us. At $89 bucks a pop it's not worth it to go if I can't use the gift card. And it makes zero sense that they refuse to honor it.
For the record, I called about using the gift card for dinner at the Hotel Del earlier in the year and had a similarly bad experience with the reservations staff. Rude, unhelpful and clueless. I just kept getting transferred to people who didn't pick up. And that was just to make a simple weekend dinner reservation for two, with no mention of the gift card!
Get it together, Hotel Del, because my $200 gift card and I will make it there eventually... and without even tasting your food you're already starting off at one star. -
Review from John D.
San Diego, CA
11/12/2011
I am a fan of the food selection and quality for their Sunday brunch. This is a place you go at least once.....but you better come hungry...or DO NOT visit this place for a Sunday Brunch. Reservations highly recommended. The seating around the inside peremiter of the restaurant towards the right side is the best. Service is prompt. Very very pricey for Sunday Brunch...around $60 or so dollars per person. TONS of fresh seafood, breads, cakes, meats...etc.
P.S. The Crown Room was designed by L. Frank Baum himself....very Royal Decor inside....a MUST GO....but on a very special Sunday. -
Review from Candace B.
Scottsdale, AZ
7/8/2011
We came for brunch on July 3rd, while spending a long weekend in San Diego.
We spent a leisurely two hours enjoying the wonderful food and atmosphere.
The mimosas...outstanding.
We made sure to save room for desert, and of course experience the famous chocolate fountain.-Dip the chocolate chip cookie (yummy) in addition to the large strawberries!
The only reason we are giving 4 stars instead of 5, is because much of our service experience was "void" of attention. We actually found humor in the fact that we were "invisible" to our waiter as he rushed around the room, including the tables around us. He was very nice-and this may have simply been "behind the scenes chaos" that just happens-he was very distracted.
It's all good. We'd come back again. -
Review from Emily M.
San Diego, CA
6/5/2011
My family and I dined at the Crown Room for brunch to celebrate my graduation from grad school. We made reservations a few weeks before, which was helpful since it was packed!
The Crown Room is absolutely beautiful with old wooden beams and gorgeous crown hanging light fixtures. Not to mention an entire room filled with delicious looking food!!
We were originally supposed to be seated in the larger Crown Room where the buffet is, however, our table must have been moved because our server Florence said that it had been there 30 minutes prior to our arrival. We were then seated in the smaller Crown room, which was also beautiful. At first I was a little bit disappointed that our table was moved, but we did have a great table by the window with a nice view.
It is nearly impossible to describe all of the food available at the Brunch. There is a chocolate, pastry, cheese, meat, seafood, salad, breakfast, and southwest station. I am absolutely positive that there were more food stations that I am missing.
I started with breakfast: bacon, waffles, eggs, and a quiche. All were good, but I realized that I was eating what I like to call "filler" food. I could make that stuff at home! So I moved on to my lunch plate, which consisted of prime rib and crab legs. The prime rib was the best I have ever had. There was a delectable rub that was on a side table that made it even better. They also had a wide assortment of rock salts (try the black rock salt it has a nice smokey flavor). I also tried the clam chowder, lobster ravioli, asparagus, salads, etc. It was all DELICIOUS! You really have to pace yourself when you eat here. I also had some desserts, red velvet cupcake and my favorite a chocolate shooter with a strawberry. The chocolate was very rich and was a perfect ending.
Let's talk about the endless cocktails. My favorite part of the buffet was the Bloody Mary station. You could have your server get the drinks for you, but I liked watching how it was made and asking for a little more horseradish to make it a tad spicier. The endless mimosas were also delicious. I had a regular mimosa and then switched to pomegranate mimosas...one word: Yum! Oh and as a lover of coffee I must say it was the best cup of joe I have ever had as well!
Our reservation was at 10:00 and we stayed until 12:30 (Brunch starts at 9 and ends at 1). I think we got our money's worth. The brunch at the Crown Room can be expensive, but it is worth it for a celebration or a nice treat every once in awhile. I can't wait to go back when I have something to celebrate again! -
Review from Donna G.
Chadds Ford, PA
8/31/2011
We went last Sunday during a work convention and it was one of my favorite dining experiences ever! Kathy was an amazing waitress. The busboy told us to keep our forks and knives and Kathy was appalled! "No one keeps their utensils on my watch".
Mimosas flowed, healthy when added pomegranate!
Coffee wonderful, oysters, shrimp,lobster ravioli, cheese, breakfast everything! So elegant, took walks between courses.
So worth it!!! -
Review from Angela A.
Growing up in San Diego the Hotel del Coronado has played a major part in my life. I have magical memories here and as such have come to the Del for many important events. I have even held corporate events here, but the Crowne Room Brunch has gone through some changes and they are not positive ones.
My husband and children surprised me with a Mother's Day Brunch here and I could not contain my excitement. I had not been to brunch there in 3 years. The beautiful stately surroundings are still there, the cathedral like ceilings and crowns are still there. The abundant food stations with so many choices, you know you won't be able to taste everything, are still there. What wasn't there was the well made food they used to be known for. I over heard that the holiday pricing was $100 a person for this special occasion and I can tell you that I have been to a Las Vegas buffet for $25 that had better tasting food. This was a disgrace to the Del.
My eggs benedict were over cooked and the hollandaise sauce was either packaged or had been broken many times and repaired, it tasted like colored thickened water. The bacon was chewy. The king crab legs, over cooked to the point that they were rubbery instead of flaky.
At this point I had put so much awful food in my mouth and spat out that I didn't know what I could eat, so I ordered an omelet. They are made to order and it was perfect. Chef couldn't have been nicer too.
I was really disappointed when I realized they weren't replenishing cheese platters and other things. I love blue cheese and I went by that platter twice they never refilled it, just left it sitting on the station decimated and looking worse for wear. Definitely not Hotel del Coronado standard.
The wait staff was wonderful, attentive and charming as always. These men have been there forever and have that old school charm, loved interacting with them.
This is the Del, my childhood memory saver and a jewel of the west coast, I will be back but not to the Crowne Room Brunch, that door has been closed. -
Review from Kiki H.
San Diego, CA
4/27/2011 1 photo
Booked a reservation for Easter Brunch kind of last minute, but definitely glad we did because this was an excellent brunch! Because it was a special holiday brunch, we actually sat in the Ocean Ballroom (but it served the same buffet food as the crown room). We had a fantastic view of the ocean and we overlooked where the kids did the Easter egg hunt which was really cute!
My favorite parts of the buffet brunch were: eggs benedict--perfectly done; mimosas--freshest orange juice I've had in a long time; cheese fondue; smoked salmon; fresh crab legs; coffee--seriously, this was the most delicious coffee ever! where does it come from? who makes it? i. must. find. out.; dessert room--yes "room." It was a room filled with candy jars, chocolate fountains, cheesecake, mousses, carrot cake, cookies, puddings, adorable Easter themed cupcakes, tiramisu, etc etc etc etc --everything you could want and then some. and being the dessert glutton I am, I tried A LOT and i wasn't disappointed by anything.
http://www.yelp.com/bi...
I also enjoyed the harp player (it was like being greeted at the doorway to Heaven! lol) and the "Easter Bunny" walking around to greet the little kids. I tried to waive to him but apparently I don't look like a little kid anymore since he he didn't respond =(
It was a little pricey....$75 per person, but that included all you could drink champagne. A nice holiday splurge. So if you are into brunches (aka the best meal ever) and have a little extra cash to spare, try checking out one of the Del's many holiday brunches. It is well worth it!!Listed in: Breakfast is the Best Meal
-
Review from Jenny K.
San Marcos, CA
This is the second time I've been to the brunch at the Crown Room inside Hotel Del Coronado. There are some major upsets with this place. First of all is the price. Regular non-Holiday pricing going rate is about $70ish for adults. During holidays, it is close to $80/person. Not matter how grand this buffet is and how much selections you have here, it's nearly impossible to eat everything.
The layout for the buffet spread for Easter seemed a bit hectic. The choices of food was pretty decent. They had the usual seafood, meat & cheese, hot foods, cold appetizers/salads, bread, and dessert stations. I didn't find any dishes that stood out compared to the brunch at Valencia Hotel in La Jolla.
However, the view and the surroundings of this place is why they can charge the amount they do and I believe it is fair. After all, it is a historic hotel and for the older generations it does bring back a sense of nostalga for them.
I would definitely come back if someone paid for my brunch (like for this Easter), but if not, there are definitely other brunches in San Diego that are much cheaper and the quality/taste of food is much better. -
Review from Mike M.
San Diego, CA
10/16/2011
Love the brunch. Great food, all the Hotel Del's history and excellent service.
-
Review from Maria B.
Chino Hills, CA
3/13/2011
My favorite brunch!
Went here today for brunch and we were disappointed that the Crown Room was unavailable (which is the greatest room because the chandeliers are so cool), but the Ocean View room they held it in was really nice for the view.
My husband disagrees with me on this review a little bit because he thinks $75 per person for the brunch they provide is too high, but I feel that the food they provide is fantastic and you are at the beautiful Hotel Del Coronado, which is not somewhere you likely visit on a frequent basis. I love it!
There are various "stations" for the buffet. I sampled breakfast items from the breakfast station (rosemary omelette souffle); crab legs, shrimp cocktail and sushi from the seafood station; and prime rib and lamb bussco from the beef station. I loved all of it. My husband also tried the custom-made omelets and waffles. We didn't even make it to the Italian and Mexican stations because we were so full.
We ended it with the dessert station, which was great (I had the creme brulee cheesecake, flan and berries in sauce). The brunch also comes with mimosas, champagne and bloody marys - along with soft drinks, tea, etc.
Again, I know that $75 per person is steep for brunch, but I go there once every few years and it's a beautiful place with fantastic food. I say treat yourself to the Del Coronado brunch at least once in this lifetime. -
Review from t c.
Fountain Valley, CA
9/19/2011
My review is for Sunday brunch only. The dining room is gorgeous. Food stations are organized, tastefully and artfully display food, and there is plenty of walking room. Dessert spread is probably the largest I've seen at any brunch spot. Unfortunately, food is only so-so. Service staff (waitstaff and buffet staff) are pleasant and quick. At nearly $75 a person for brunch, this place is definitely not my regular Sunday brunch spot. But, considering that there is a good selection of quality meats, seafood, cheese, dessert, and alcohol, the price doesn't seem as ridiculous. Other important info; beautiful grounds, fancy, beautiful buffet spread, inside Hotel Del.
-
Review from Mindy R.
Chula Vista, CA
9/24/2010
This review was a long time coming...
On Easter, the boyfriend and I decided to have that famous brunch at the Del Hotel. Yes, I know it's expensive but it was an excuse to get dressed up and we don't have any family in town, and I've never thought slaving in a kitchen was a way to spend a holiday.
There was certaintly a nice spread of food...bacon, crab legs, potatoes...but totally not worth the price per head. There were a lot of just boring side dishes and I rethought of all the things I ate as I spent a night throwing up, crapping my heart out, and sleeping on my bathroom floor.
I entirely blame them for the worst food poisoning I have ever had in my life. I was saving room for the giant meal I was prepared to eat beforehand, and I never got to eat after it.
I couldn't really sleep, I couldn't leave the vicinity of the toilet, I crapped and puked at the same time, I crapped until clear liquid came out, I was in a fetal position on the floor from the paralyzing cramps. I was worried because I couldn't keep water down for more than a minute, so I decided that by morning if I couldn't keep fluids down than I had to go to the ER. By noon the next day I managed to eat some crackers and juice, but I felt the repercusions for about a week and a half. Thank God, because I don't think I could have even made the car ride to the hosptial without spewing something.
The boyfriend got food poisoning too, but maybe because he is twice my size he was only half as bad. Still pretty bad, but I was near death.
So there it is. I don't know whether some of the seafood was not prepared right, or whether some grubby kid who didn't wash his hands after the bathroom shoved his paws into something...either way that was a VERY expensive meal to get that close to death for. I was too sick to call and complain, and by the time I was better I thought too much time had passed etc., that and even if they offered me a comped meal I WAS NOT GOING BACK! What's to stop it from happenning again?
They charge enough money to cook it right, or to have more people supervising the guests around food! -
Review from T T.
San Diego, CA
8/26/2011
Unless you've got a few hours to kill & a big empty stomach, i don't think this place is worth your money. I guess we came with high expectation so we were a bit let down. As many viewers have mentioned, $75 before tax & tips is a bit steep for brunch. Granted there are lot of food options, it's too much that you won't even know where to start? Do i go with breakfast items first or should i go straight to the prime rib/dessert? Bottomless mimosas is nice, but still, if you have to intention of getting a hangover by 2:00pm, then you might want to go easy on it. Staff was nice & friendly. I'd recommend that you go, for the experience of eating brunch at a historical & beautiful SD site. I can cross this off my list and prob won't miss it if i don't come back.
-
Review from Lisa Z.
6/22/2011
Sunday Brunch at the Crown Room at the Hotel Del... an experience to be had, and not forgotten. *Memories.. light the corners of my mind...* (cues music)
-What an amazing and leisurely meal. I think our group must have been there at least 2 1/2 hours if anything. Our waitress was superb and kept those mimosas, pomegranate mimosas, and bloody marys flowing. She never missed a beat, and our table was always cleared of discarded plates.
My personal highlights:
-Amazing cheese and charcuterie station. Maytag blue, gorgonzola, figs and proscuitto... OMG. So many cheeses. The brie with strawberries. This station was refilled and fresh every time I went to it.
-Chocolate station and fountain. The stuff chocoholic dreams are made of. Pretzel sticks dipped in chocolate. Chocolate eclairs and ganaches. Molten lava cakes. Godiva white mousse, milk chocolate mousse, and dark chocolate with Grand Marnier mousse. Chocolate shots almost like a drinkable mousse-beverage. Hot chocolate. Chocolates from around the world. More chocolate desserts than you know what to do with, it's unreal. I will think of this fondly and often.
-Seafood station. Yum. Peel and eat shrimp, King Crab legs, sushi, lox and capers, wasabi station, oysters... wow. Quality was there. I wish the King Crab were warm but that's the only thing I'd really change.
-Soups were great... pozole... nom nom
-Salad station was fantastic. Tortellini salad with heirloom tomatoes a highlight.
-Carvery with prime rib and horseradish - yes! Gratin of cauliflower- most excellent. Potatoes au gratin - also good but nothing as spectacular as the cauliflower gratin.
We probably got our $75 worth in the bar bill alone, let alone, the amazing food, service and ambience... truly memorable. I left full, but not so uncomfortable that I couldn't move. Although... one could truly gorge here, if so desired.
Not me. I was high on cheese, chocolate and champers. The way life should be lived.
Enjoy! -
Review from Jane X.
Hilo, HI
11/14/2010
Of course I knocked off a star for the price, but this is probably the best brunch buffet I have EVER been to and I have been to many. Nothing I ate was bad. I am a pseudo vegetarian and they have a ton of stuff for people like us. The mimosas and the pomegranate mimosa were divine.
Again I don't know what to say was good, because everything was so good. They validate parking too for 3 hours so you don't have to pay for that which is a plus.
Service was pretty good and no one was snobby or anything. What an elegant room in a beautiful hotel and setting.
If a rich man is reading this, if you take me here regularly and wine and dine me, I will pretty much do anything you want! -
Review from Mary H.
Corona, CA
2/16/2011
We went to the Christmas Day buffet brunch at the Crown Room and enjoyed our first visit. The Crown Room was large and beautifully decorated. A harpist played in the overhead balcony.
The buffet was large and offered traditional Christmas fare--carving stations, side dishes as well as an assortment of seafood. The dessert table also had quite an array with everything from cheesecake to tarts. The food was superb as was the staff.
The only drawback about the Christmas Day buffet brunch is that the hotel lobby and facilities are packed with so many people it was difficult to navigate through the crowds. Inside the dining room however, there wasn't any problem with overcrowding. -
Review from Carlos L.
San Diego, CA
3/7/2011
Went to Hotel Del's bruch expecting to be amazed! Let me preface this with I've had some wonderful brunches across the U.S. and Worldwide, but the service and the restrooms at the Del were really not up to par. Service: Poor. My waitperson disappeared for 40-50 minutes at a streach, and "forgot" to run my card twice.
Food: Great, but aside from their Osso Buco, there was nothing that really stood out.
Facilities: The restroom that guests eating bruch is like 500 meters away from the main dining room, and then the bathroom is dirty, and 3 of 4 urinals are out of order??? Really? At the DEL??? San Diego's PREMIERE Hotel? Needless to say, if I'm going to spend around $200.00 (Bruch, Tip, Parking) I expect to be amazed, and I really was UNDERWHELMED! Save your money, have a drink there, enjoy the ambience, but get your meals elsewhere, and go to breakfast at The Mission. -
Review from Amy C.
San Marcos, CA
6/27/2011
I would love to give this 5 stars, but the service is so bad that even 4 is pushing it. My family went for Sunday brunch on 6/26. The food and selection are absolutely amazing! There is no way you could ever try everything, but there is certainly something for everyone. The problem is, when you're paying almost $80 per person, you expect good, actually great service. This was more along the lines of what you'd get at a ~$20 buffet.
The waiter took our drink order and brought the drinks in a fairly reasonable amount of time, but he just set them all on the table and didn't attempt to distribute. Coffee wasn't brought at that time or offered, so when he returned we asked for coffee. It was cold but he left too fast for us to tell him. He eventually came back and replaced the cold coffee with warm. He disappeared for such long stretches in our 2+ hours there that I eventually started getting up and pouring coffee myself from the waiter stations. I was also never offered more juice beyond my first (very fresh!) glass of grapefruit juice.
You take a new plate each time at the buffet, but nobody was picking up the plates on our table, so they just kept stacking up. I also noticed a few families there that were waving at waiters trying to get their attention, so I don't think it was just our guy.
However, I would return because the food was fantastic. I loved the eggs benedict (although a crab version or non-meat option would be nice), and the egg souffle. The crab, lobster tortellini, apple-sweet potato salad, fresh fruits and cheese plates were also among my favorites. I didn't try it, but my husband said the lamb Osso Bucco was incredible. And you can't say enough about the dessert options - more than anyone person could ever try and all delectable!
They do have a kids room if you have kids with you who start getting bored - we had a 9 and 7 year old with us who spent about an hour in there making crafts.
Overall, highly recommended - but I hope someone from the Hotel Del reads these comments because I'm certainly not the first to comment on the poor service! -
Review from L J.
San Jose, CA
8/8/2011
Five stars well earned for the most AMAZING champagne brunch ever!! My friend and I spent a good 3 hours eating in a huge room with wooden beams and a beautiful chandelier. They have everything you can imagine for breakfast, from omelettes to pancakes and waffles, seafood, international food, and an out of this world dessert station.
You will pay a hefty price for it though, both on the waistline and on the credit card bill !! Well worth it though, and I had a wonderful brunch with great memories! ;) -
Review from Josh M.
4/25/2010
This one's been on my to-do list for a long time.
The setting is quite spectacular, right off the lobby of the hotel. The Crown Room conveys its age and luxury with thick carpet and dark wood. The north wall is all window; It's especially fine if you can get in early enough to have window seating. As the marine layer burned off into a clear day, it was one of the top view meals in town.
If you're not a guest of the hotel, you will get parking free for your brunch (presuming you eat in less than 3 hours). 33% discount right there!
Service is very attentive at first, and kind of slacks off as business picks up and you begin to fill. Our first round of drinks were delivered quickly; later rounds took minutes just for water. Their champagne was ok, the bloody mary was better -- for a hotel version, it was sufficiently full-bodied.
Like most buffets it has its strong and weak links. I tried about sixty percent of the dishes. By station:
Cafe American: Except dessert, this is where it seemed most of the crowd wanted to be. I almost completely avoided it; I don't understand the need to pay $74.50 and then settle for an omelet or even scrambled eggs from a chafing dish, but they'll feed you if you want them. I did snag an egg benedict, and was happy to see the egg poached well: the yolk thick but not solid. The english muffin bore the brunt of the sterno heat: it was almost too tough to cut with a knife.
Farm to Table: overall, the strongest performer. The heirloom tomatoes (big, hefty wedges of three kinds) and mozzarella (much less) salad was delicious (it's sad that I am forced to qualify heirloom tomatoes as being "good" or not, but that's the SD restaurant scene for you). There was also a tortellini and dried tomato salad that I liked. The wild mushroom salad came in neutral -- if you like overpowering mushroom flavor, this is for you. The sliced fruit was buffet par, but the "pressed fruit shots" were the big pleasant surprise of the meal, and I ended up with several.
Crown International: The chile relleno bar offers the dish with three sauces; I had the corn and liked it. The rellenos were quite fresh and are big enough to encourage sharing. The CI station rotates various truffled-comfort-foods, our choice was turkey pot pie with puff-pastry crust. The filling was chiefly turkey chunks and onions, with a background of truffle oil making it all taste better, truly it's the rich man's MSG.
Southland Coastal Cuisine: The expected shellfish, mollusks, and sushi. The shrimp and king crab always had a group picking through them, though I landed a few cocktail shrimp. Large, but only typical. I skipped the sushi to avoid filling up on rice, but tried the smoked salmon (always a great delivery device for capers; the salmon was good and the capers were choice) and then the seared ahi, which was the biggest disappointment of the meal: even with the preparation and spices you can detect the tuna is not as fresh as it should be, given the price.
The Classics: I'm not the target market of the carving station anymore, but I liked the sides of cream of broccoli soup (well balanced) and the gouda scalloped potatoes (thiiin sliced, pleasantly rich). There was also a savory sourdough, cheese, onion bread pudding I liked, but ate only a little of.
ENO: Another pleasant surprise: pressed nutella and jelly panini. I've never particularly thought nutella needed something paired with it, but golly, this worked. The cheese assortment was a bit anemic today; the brie was by far the best of six, a decently strong but not challenging bleu came second; the others were all pale yellow cubes that claimed various exotic origins but tasted to be within a degree or two of each other. Either of the two pestos with bread were improvements.
Desserts: there are two dessert stations, one that's all chocolate, the other for everything else. My favorites were the marzipan-heavy macaroons and madeleines, and the heavy whipped cream with your choice of booze-infused fruit (chambord blackberries, and limoncello blueberries were mine; there were three others). Their flan was good, not great, the trio of mousses (milk, dark, and bailey's) were similar in quality. Others sampled from the chocolate side: the warm Ibarra soup was surprisingly tasty, but I found its side dish of out-of-bag marshmallows a letdown. The flourless cake dense and rich, and one that would be at home on a steakhouse's dessert tray. By contrast, the tiramisu was creamy, but light and refreshingly the least sweet of the dessert stations.
As a meal, sticking to the good stuff, it's around the 4-star level. You get tempted to judge more harshly given the expense; counting the misfires it'd be a little over 3-and-a-half. As an experience, it's certainly worthwhile; four stars.
Would I go back? Probably; but not soon. -
Review from Kristen J.
Naperville, IL
1/8/2011
We went to Hotel Del Coronado for Xmas Day buffet that was the best buffet we've ever seen. Dozens of tables of delicious food including carving stations, cracked open crab legs, and a ton of entrees and delectable sides. They also literally have a dessert room...which was to die for. We probably gained 5-10 lbs that meal.
My only complaint, (which is only because I like my personal space and sanity), is that the hotel is so freaking busy because its awesome, that once you are done eating its hard to even get through the lobby. I did not have time or patience to actually look closer at all of the old millwork and neat old parts of this Historic Landmark. Which was a bit of a bummer. -
Review from Nancy T.
11/5/2010
Best buffet I've EVER been to. Super extravagant food and an incredibly lush setting. Prepare to be dazzled. This is definitely not your typical cheapy buffet. They have mimosas, a chocolate fountain, freshly carved prime rib with au jus, eggs benedict, and all kinds of extraordinarily delicious indulgences.
Make sure you come here on an empty stomach because trust me, you will want to literally eat EVERYTHING here. I felt so outrageously gluttonous afterwards that I couldn't even eat the next two meals. It's insanely pricey, but WORTH IT. -
Review from Anton T.
San Diego, CA
12/30/2009
Christmas brunch.
Was informed that cost would be approximately $100/person. Fortunately, those who invited us would treat us to the brunch on this festive occasion.
Presumed at such alleged costs, such a fine establishment, and on the most joyous of non-secular US holidays, champagne would also be included. Unfortunately, this holiday wish was unable to be granted.
However, wine and sparkling wine were available - at additional cost. We ordered a couple bottles of the house sparkling wine and a Chardonnay from Newton for the table. Both were enjoyable.
Despite my unwarranted assumption that champagne would be included with the brunch, the food was, of course, wonderful.
In addition, the presentation and service was beautifully executed.
Crab legs, jumbo shrimp, mussels - all were phenomenal. Also, the pasta with chorizo and calamari was particularly delicious.
For the second plate, I had a serving of shredded roast duck with the optional purple cabbage as well as the optional orange sauce. This, too, was quite a lovely dish.
By this point, I was unable to consume any desert; despite all of them looking aesthetically pleasing and quite appetizing.
Liberally estimating, I was only able to east approximately $30 - $40 worth of food. Perhaps, I should have eaten more given the cost of the brunch.
Ambiance is a bit antiquated for my taste. Although I fully understand that the Hotel Del is a historic landmark, the excessive wood, lady playing a harp on the upper patio for the entire ballroom, etc... seemed to fill the room with an aristocratic aura. I was unable to help but think that the environment resembled a ballroom from the Titanic, as depicted by the film. -
Review from Dj M.
Feasterville-Trevose, PA
5/1/2008 7 photos
If one is fortunate enough to own one of the most exquisite properties, in one of the most desirable locations and you have earned 4-5 stars for being known to have the very best to offer, then you can charge accordingly.
Keeping all of this in mind, the Hotel Del Coronado has many offerings for dining at different price levels. Yes, they all charge top dollar, but you are getting what you are paying for. Don't forget it is also a resort and some of the dining options, inside and out are much more casual than the Crown Room.
The entire hotel, inside and out, ghosts or not, is breath taking. Service is impeccable. Detail is their middle name. Several movies have been filmed here. This is a very old hotel that is in mint condition and with a whole lot of history. The food, service and prices are what one would expect. They have a super reputation and they fine tuned it in every sense of the word.
It is worth every penny spent and will become a lasting memory! Think about the Sunday brunch, for instance, which is $72.50 per adult. If you were to go elsewhere and order drinks, appetizers, soup, salads, imported cheese, prime rib, a variety of seafood, such as shrimp cocktail, king crab legs, sushi, plus succulent lobster bisque and desserts made by their pastry chef, what would you pay?
http://www.hoteldel.co...
I have been all over the world and one of the best sights I have ever seen is driving over the Coronado Bay Bridge and viewing the boat filled bay, while at the same time viewing the ocean, the "Silver Strand", Point Loma and on a very clear day, the Coronado Islands and the Hotel Del Coronado, with that distinct, domed red roof.
For over a century they have made serving guests their only priority. If ever in San Diego, take the drive over the bridge and explore the Hotel Del Coronado!
The Hotel Del and the Crown room are wheelchair accessible, a ramp takes you right into the lobby and the Crown room is off from this. -
Review from Ruben L.
9/2/2008
I would go higher than a 4, but our server kinda sucked. I wasn't going to let him ruin this last meal though.
Came here last Sunday with my wife and family, for our last hurrah in San Diego. I have been wanting to come here for a while, but the occasion never presented itself.
Ambience- the place is gorgeous. The room is open and the buffet is spread out which is nice, because you don't get that "herded cattle" feeling as you're going about.
Food- Dizzzam! With the exception of the ethnic foods (bless their hearts for trying) everything was of a very high quality. The prime rib melted in my mouth, and the short ribs fell right off the bone (Those were my top two). The menu they show online is somewhat misleading, as they do not have everything listed (most of it though). I tried to stay away from the breakfast items, and tried to get my moneys worth in the seafood and meat:-P
The buffet had different sections (old favorites, salads, cheeses, etc...). Two areas you cannot skip are the dessert station, and the "just chocolate" station (I know what you're thinking, isn't chocolate a dessert? well friend, it has it's own station in this buffet).
I could trail on and on about the food, but you get the idea.
Service- as I alluded to before, our server was less than attentive. Thank goodness for the other servers/helpers, as they saw our need for help, and came to our rescue. I hope they split tips, because our server didn't earn that on his own.
Overall- pretty pricey, but it's one of those once in a lifetime kind a things you ought to try.
Chuck Norris Rating- pimp slap... to the face! -
Review from Rosie C.
Los Angeles, CA
9/4/2007
Yeah, it's pricey, but man, they had (freakishly enormous) crab legs , prime rib, oysters, yummy baked goat cheese, omelet and pasta stations, and a chocolate fountain, which looked very inviting, but I refused to partake in its goodness. While dining at the Crown, I couldn't help but draw a comparison to the buffet at the Universal City Hilton, at about $20 less! And the Hilton has LOBSTER!
A bit of advice to the staff, be ready to answer questions regarding the ghost of Kate Morgan. Our server fabricated some of the details of her suicide: she referred to it as a murder, where she was found, and called her "Anne" Morgan instead. Luckily, the gift shop had a book with all the deets.
Next time I'm in Coronado, I'll skip out on the brunch buffet and hold a seance in room 3327 instead -
Review from Bruce A.
La Jolla, CA
12/25/2008
THIS REVIEW IS FOR CHRISTMAS DINNER BUFFET IN THE CROWN ROOM
The Hotel Del is arguably the most magical place in San Diego during the holidays. Unfortunately, the buffet dinner is not.
For $98.50 a person (just charge us $100 already) I expected more. The service was polite and tried hard, but they were under staffed. The food was just OK. I will note that whenever one eats out on a holiday, you should lower your expectations, but when paying $100 (I mean $98.50) I expect some creativity in the food... even a buffet. The desserts were nothing like what they are for the brunch.
What REALLY got my goat was that SELF parking was $23.00 for TWO hours. WHAT?!?! Are you kidding me???? There is no validation. That is just ridiculous.
Do go see the Hotel dressed up for the Holidays. Do find street parking nearby and walk to the hotel when you go. Do eat somewhere else for dinner. -
Review from Tanya S.
San Diego, CA
2/28/2008
I am one of a few lucky people who have been to the Hotel Del Coronado for a wedding. Top notch. WAY OVER THE TOP. The kind of wedding you see in movies I kid you not.
The ceremony started in the garden patio. Never in all the 30+ weddings I've attended did anybody actually walk down the aisle to Ave Maria--with a professional opera singer! I thought I was watching Muriel's Wedding! Note to self: walk down the aisle to Ave Maria.....
The reception soon followed also in the garden patio with light appetizers and LOTS of booze and champagne flowing. We were all then ushered into the Crown Room for more elegant food consisting of a sit down meal with filet mignon and lobster. This was a five course meal NOT including the wedding cake. Good thing, because I was throwing back bottomless cocktails and expensive champagne. Just wish I didn't eat so many damn appetizers.
GORGEOUS wedding. If you are a baller and drop that kind of cash. I heard rumors what it cost and i'll give you a hint-you could buy a small condo for the same price. Ironic how I don't think the couple is still together....Listed in: Another one bites the dust.
-
Review from Mikey H.
11/28/2008
We had planned on having Thanksgiving at The Grant Hotel, but when we walked in, because we were early, it didn't look inviting or appealing. It just looked like something they put together for the hotel guests. So there we were, on Broadway and Third, with no where to go for Thanksgiving. We couldn't help but laugh. The partner joked about heading up to Rudfords. I replied that Hob Nob Hill would be better. But we were starving and wanted some bodacious buffet to gorge on.
"What about the Del?" I suggested.
A short phone call and we were on our way because they were taking walk-ins. I suggest parking near the beach because not only will you save some cash, you can enjoy a nice walk to the hotel and a nice walk to work off some of the food on the way back. Judging from what everyone has said, it would have been nice to eat in the Crown Room, but we had to settle for the Ballroom. They were going to seat us near the window with a great view of the ocean, but
sun + window + food & liquor = heat
As nice as it would be, I'd rather be comfortable. The Del puts together a really great spread. The main items: juicy turkey, tender prime rib, succulent ham, large crab legs. An interesting assortment of salads, such as crab, apple, and fennel, and an Asian salad with black mushrooms, scallions, and jicama(?). The dessert room, (yes, there was a separate room for the desserts) was great. I had pecan pie, bread pudding with creme anglaise, apple cobbler with caramel sauce, chocolate mousse with raspberry sauce, and a flourless chocolate cake. The pumpkin pie was a little disappointing. I can make a better one.
Three trips to the buffet line and two trips to the dessert room. Yes, I was happy as a clam. Keep in mind, the dessert portions were small. So it does sound like I was making a big 'ol hog outta myself, but I wasn't. And my dinner plates weren't piled like some I saw. My third plate was only turkey and cranberry sauce. They also had lobster tortellini and ricotta ravioli. I wish I had more room to eat more.
Overall, if you want to do something special or impress someone, the Del is the place to go. It is pretty pricey. Liquor was not included like they do their regular brunch. The service was great. If it wasn't, I would have complained to a manager because you don't pay that kind of money for poor service. Especially since you are serving yourself, but this ain't no Hometown Buffet...LOL! -
Review from Sarah K.
San Francisco, CA
11/28/2007
They do a Sunday Brunch that I swear you'd trade your mother for ... I know I would ... y'know, trade your mother.
seriously ... pricey but perfect!Listed in: San Diego Favorites ...
-
Review from Mercy B.
11/29/2009
Can you handle, oh let's say...about 30 gourmet meals all in one sitting? Then bring a stomach stretcher (if there is such a thing, please send me one straight away) because you're gonna need it for sure.
Everything was pretty damn amazing, right down to a delectable chicken pot pie. No need for me to repeat all the dishes everyone talks about on here....all are top notch.
Service was spot on, down to replacing your fork with every new plate you bring to the table. The Mimosas were flowing, as was my mouth. Hey, what can I say? I'm a happy, talkative drunk!
Worth $72.50? You betcha. I think I might pay that for the desserts alone. Which is a complete crime to offer so many yummy, sugar filled treats when your stomach is screaming and begging you to put that damn fork down already Ms. Piggy.
The Crown Room is a historical and architectural wonder.
We even sat outside and ordered a bloody mary first (too weak, wait for the champagne with meal) and watched the waves on a beautiful, sunny day. Definitely a special occasion place, unless you're Daddy Warbucks or you're working your way through the 7 Deadly Sins, with gluttony being on this stop. -
Review from Maria C.
3.5...
I attended The Lincoln Club of San Diego County's Holiday Party. The room is absolutely beautiful with the dark wood decor. The furniture is dated, but so is the Del. There are large glass windows at one end of the room, and at the other end was the entrance into a garden area. The set up was rounds of 10 and there had to be about 50 tables.
The menu consisted of:
-House Cabs and Chardonnays: OK, although the people at my table seemed to enjoy ample replenishment
-Rolls: Cold and plain...
-Mushroom Soup: I actually enjoyed the soup. Didn't have a mushroomy taste and had just enough seasoning. It was good way to start off with a warm starter since it was chilly in the room.
-Fish and Short Rib with asparagus and mashed sweet potatoes: The fish was cooked perfectly, tender and moist. Probably needed a bit more seasoning or lemon, but otherwise it was good. Although tender, the short rib needed something - more of some type of seasoning??? Didn't care for the mashed at all.
-Banana cake that looked like tiramisu: I'm not a fan of "banana-flavored" stuff, even though I eat banana and taron (Filipino banana dessert). I was disappointed because there was just too much banana infused in this dessert. I was hoping for a chocolate dessert, but beggars can't be choosers.
-Coffee: Bland...
The staff provided excellent and professional service when replenishing glasses of wine, water, setting and removing plates, etc... Excellent job in with the holiday decorations all around the Crown Room.
I hear that they have a brunch that I would want to come back and try, and will be on my bookmark list. However, for this dinner - 3 stars. Bumping up a half because of the beautiful decor and ambiance. -
Review from Lisa C.
10/6/2007 2 photos
Good galore!! What is better than having Sunday buffet brunch with all-you-can drink mimosas, excellent coffee, in a room with a ceiling that reminded me of an upside down ship and as big as a grand ballroom, overlooking the sunny pier, with good company? Can't beat that. Even better...after stuffing our faces with the seafood, cheese platters, the big chocolate fountain, and the little bite size desserts, the beach was only a skip and a hop away. A great way to digest the 1,000+ calorie (but oh-so worth it) meal- by laying out on the beach.
Great food, great service, great mimosas! Definitely a place to check out! -
Review from Grace T.
3/12/2010 1 photo
there's something so leisurely and awesome about Sunday brunches (with mimosas)...I love them. any chance I get, I get brunch. I love brunch. half-breakfast, half-lunch = 100% awesome. so needless to say I was ECSTATICALLY EXCITED about going to the "FAMOUS" Sunday brunch at the Del.
having said that, I'd also like to point out that it is really unusual that I go into a place not knowing how much things cost. being a frugal person, I like to know what I'm getting myself into. so completely out of character, bf and I dove into the buffet brunch -- neither of us having any idea of how much it was going to be per/person.
so what did they have there? better question is WHAT DON'T THEY HAVE?!?!?! from the basic breakfast fare -- made-to-order omelets, waffles, eggs benedicts -- to seafood [oysters on the shell, sashimi, crab legs-galore], meat station, hot food station, salads, cheeses&meats, and desserts (complete with a chocolate fondue fountain!)...did I mention all drinks (mimosas, bellinis, bloody mary's) are included in the price?!?!?!
oh, right. the price. so how much was it? any guesses? $30? $40? perhaps even $50? um no. $75. that's right, you heard me. SEVENTY-FIVE DOLLARS PER PERSON! I suppose it was a GOOD thing I didn't know the price before we started eating because I would've had to stuff myself so much you'd have to roll me out when I was done...
fortunately, the bf and I are quite the eaters and I threw back about 3-4 mimosas so I'd say we got close to what we paid...unfortunately, my hangover kicked in around 4p!
needless to say, our wallets (& stomachs) are unlikely to be handle the Del Sunday Brunch on a normal basis, but it was quite the experience and one I'd love to repeat! -
Review from teresa o.
Laguna Niguel, CA
12/30/2008
Christmas Eve, 2008
It was myself, my daughter and my bestfriend. My daughter and I were staying at the Hotel Del overnight for Christmas Eve and since parking was so busy my friend thought rather than leaving and then coming back to try to find another parking spot, we would stay at the hotel for dinner.
We had the Christmas Eve Buffet and the food was plentiful! We had Prime Rib that was so-so, not very tender. They also served turkey and duck. Both were not bad. I enjoyed the turkey and stuffing and cranberries. They also had a wonderful selection of imported cheeses, a wide variety of seafood selections and the dessert table was divine! They even had a little shorter table for the little kids where they served hot dogs, macaroni cheese, and chicken strips, potato strips, and a few other things.
The service was absolutely great in the beginning of the meal. Jerome was our waiter and was very nice, attentive and pleasant.
After the meal, the bill came with the gratuity included, for the three of us with tip included it ran close to $400.
After dinner, my friend and I walked around the beautiful hotel for awhile then she went home. The next morning I stopped by her house to go with her to visit her family and she went to get her American Express card out for gas, and discovered that our server, Jerome, had neglected to give the card back to her!
So after making a phone call to the hotel to confirm just what we thought, the credit card was still there. On Christmas Day, in the rain, we had to drive back to the hotel to get the card when we should have been on our way to visit family, very disappointing! The hotel manager didn't seem to care and did not apologize. He seemed to care less except to say that it will be waiting at the check in desk.
After reading some of the lower post where someone stated that detail is the Hotel Del's middle name ~ what a shame that the detail of giving the customer back their credit card on Christmas Eve was neglected! This is a detail that should never be missed! -
Review from Rob B.
San Diego, CA
2/17/2008
It's an absolutely beautiful room. Grand ballroom style, with a beautiful wood ceiling. Great selection of top rate food. The seafood was my favorite which included Alaska King Crab Legs, raw oysters, tons and tons of huge shrimp for a shrimp cocktail and more. The breads were excellent. I had the prime rib which was very good; they had an awesome dijon mustard to go with it as well as horseradish. The shots of fruit smoothy's were really nice as well. They have a huge selection of juices as well as the champagne of course. Cheeses, meats, lamb, omelets it goes on and on. I couldn't try everything as I got too stuffed on the seafood. The deserts were really great. Gosh the chocolate in the chocolate fountain was really top rate; I was sticking everything on the desert bar under there.
Well all in all absolutely fabulous, but was it worth the price???? How could it possibly be worth it really? $70 per person, plus tax, plus tip, plus $10 for parking; the total for 2 came to $180. Can you imagine a brunch worth $180 for 2? If so this is the place for you, because I can't see it ever getting much better than this. If you can't imagine how any brunch could be worth $180 for two, then there is no way you could be rolled over.
We really loved it, but it was just not possible to live up to the $180 price tag. We received a huge gift certificate to the Del Coronado and we used that to pay for it. We'll be back to finish up the gift card, but I doubt we'll pay for it with our own money. For my own money, I'll probably go back to Humphrey's for Sunday Brunch. It comes close; a bit smaller selection, and most is not quite the same quality (the seafood is about the same though), different atmosphere; not quite as elegant, but very pretty; total cost is less than half which makes it doable for me for those special occasions. -
Review from MG Y.
San Diego, CA
4/27/2009
(Real quickly, just knocking a star off for pricing and the potentially musty atmosphere.)
Can I say, SELECTION city! I went for the first time, two months ago and was salivating while going cross-eyed from the oodles of tables with oodles of food. I was actually stressed out with how the heck I was going to inhale the best dishes and get my money's worth, LOL!
Things I remember:
Sushi, sashimi, eggs benedict, crab legs, shrimp cocktail, bacon, omelets, cereal, granola, fresh fruit, fondue, cheesecake, chocolate cake, angel cake, muffins, croissants, toast, carving station, salads, pasta, macaroni, waffles, pancakes, roasted potatoes, French bread, made to order eggs, chocolate mousse, ice cream, flan and more.
Nice, historic place in San Diego, take a turn about the grounds either before or after your meal, there are such beautiful ocean views of Coronado to be had. Also, I've had some of the best waiter service here: friendly, approachable, accommodating almost to the point of being apologetic....sweet staff.
Tips:
1. Snag a table close to a window if you want some decent lighting. It also helps take away that musty feeling you get from being in old (but very quaint!) buildings.
2. Go early. I made the mistake of not giving myself enough time...to eat.
3. It's a champagne brunch!
4. Note the architecture of the Crown Room, unique and beautiful, especially the dome-like ceiling. -
Review from Micha M.
San Diego, CA
1/5/2010
Chritmas brunch:
I went to the Corwn Room @ the Hotel Del with my family for Christmas. The service was poor, we had to wait for 10-15 minutes just to get our plate cleared when getting ready for another round. For a $100 a head the food could have been a lot better, I've had much better buffets on holiday occassions for less money.
