Fifty Six-Five Restaurant

I have been eating here on a semi-regular basis for over two years now on paydays when my husband wants to unwind after a long week at work with his co-workers.  Their old menu had a really delicious tuna melt that I would not mind seeing back on the menu.  That being said, my more frequent visits to this dining establishment has been during their fabulous happy hour (4pm-7pm daily).  My top happy hour menu items I frequently nosh on include:

1. Ahi poke martini
2. Carne asada nachos
3.  Caprese Flatbread
4.  Edamame Hummus

They have very good drinks, including Stella on tap, and the lady bartender who works on Fridays has often made me an Irish coffee even though it's not on the drink menu.  That added special touch is what motivates me to drive the 15 miles up here.
Special make Irish coffee

When I am not dining on their happy hour menu, another regular dining item that is super delicious is their ahi poke tostadas.  Grab a beer, order some finger food, and go outside onto their deck to enjoy some comfortable seats around gorgeous fire pits.  Play some shuffle board (grab the equipment from the bar staff) and add a a fun activity to the socializing.  There are also flat screen TVs on outside so you don't have to miss the game (I know that's important to you guys). I have also seen people play Wii sports inside on their television screens in the lounge area of the restaurant.

Every staff member I have encountered has been extremely nice and professional to me.  I even had a recent incident where I had to send some food back (I found a small piece of glass in my ahi poke martini) and they apologized immediately and took it off the bill.  This was the only bad experience I had and it was obviously an error considering how many times I have been here without problems.

I'm sure if I was a guest at the hotel I would be dining here every night and would not have a complaint about it.

This happy hour is really decent for a hotel bar - Doubletree Hotel in Del Mar/Carmel Valley - 4-7p daily.

I was invited to attend a VIP event whereby complimentary specialty cocktails and appetizers were served.  Although their specialty drinks are on the high side for the portion you get, filling up on the food makes it all worthwhile.

It is definitely noticed that the chef prepared each and every appy carefully and were all very distinctive and creative.

-Scooby Snack ($8.50): Tasted exactly like a scooby snack shot but with ice.
-Sour Apple Martini ($9): I didn't really care for this drink. Tasted like medicine.
-Edemame Hummus ($6): I don't care for hummus
-Stone Pale Ale Battered Avocado Taco ($3): After having 1, I was done. Having a fried piece of avocado in a taco was just weird to me...
-Hawaiian Pork Flatbread ($5): Great appy to share. Great flavor.
-Ahi Poke Martini ($6): Fresh ahi! Having 1 was enough since the tiny shot glass was overflowing with ahi.
-Caprese Flatbread ($5): Great to share. Can't go wrong with flatbread.
-Shrimp Corndogs ($6): Different... I don't care for corndogs, however.

Don't discount this happy hour. There's a bar and a little lounge area. Very chill area where you can also sit outside on their patio. Great for groups as well since it doesn't get very busy/crowded during the weeknights.

This is a great restaurant in the DoubleTree Hotel. Their evening drink prices are comparable to most bars and not excessively expensive as one would expect. Their happy hour is a bargain as well (see picture). For dinner I had 2 fish tacos ($8) off the happy hour menu and was full afterwards!  They were very delicious and perfectly cooked. The bar tender and wait staff are very friendly and helpful. They definitely added to the experience!

I also came down for breakfast which is a standard hotel buffet/menu. The prices for the main items (pancakes, waffle, French toast) are all decent, it's the sides where they gouge you ($7 for the small bowl of berries).

Overall this is a great addition to the restaurant. They also have a nice outdoor patio with fire pits and a tv.

I stayed at the Double Tree for a few days for work, and couldn't pass up eating here bc it was so convenient. They have happy hour that is pretty good. The drink specials are on par with any other place in the area, and they have a decent selection of beer and appetizers. On the food side of things, I had a king salmon salad with mustard vinaigrette. The salmon was overcooked (disclaimer: I live in the Pacific NW, I know my salmon), but wasn't too dry and inedible. The pairing with the vinaigrette was actually tasty and not overpowering. I also tried the chicken quesadilla, which was not good. All of the ingredients were shifted to one side, so half of the time you actually got cheese and chicken. It was also dry, and gross. The last thing I had was a turkey BLT. It was a standard BLT, nothing fancy about it. DO add mayo, bc it is dry otherwise.
Overall this is an excellent restaurant inside the Double Tree that is convenient if you're feeling lazy. If you want decent drinks, come here for HH. Otherwise, I'd try other places in the area that have better food.

Located inside the Doubletree Del Mar, offers a great breakfast buffet in the mornings, and happy hour is from 4-7!

This place is pretty good; the food is reasonably tasty, including the best carne asada fries ever - it's a good steak, medium-rare, cut into 1-inch squares and tossed over well-textured fresh fried and melted shredded cheeses, with good guacamole and salsa fresca.