Pamplemousse Grille

staff warm welcoming. we had a party of 13 tonight for celebration of my parents 60 wedding anniversary. this place pulled out all the stops. food was very well prepared. it is pricey, but you cant put a price on FAMILY having a great time. and Pamplemousse made it happen. great staff and food. highly recommend.

A group of us celebrated Bastille Day this year at Pamplemousse, and asked them to book us into one of their private rooms and design a French themed, multi-course meal based on specific wines we chose. What a night! Impeccable service, delicious food that matched up well with the wines, and perfect ambiance. More than one of the guests claimed the rack of lamb was the best they had ever tasted. This was my third experience at Pamplemousse and I have never been disappointed. If you're looking for great food, great service and an excellent wine list, give this one a try.

Excellent service , flavor and it is quiet. No annoying music just good ambience for eating. Lobster was prepared to my liking. Mashed potato was very good and vegetables were too. We'll be back.

Wow!!!! Best food in San Diego!! Great environment and full of celebrities. I really enjoy joyed the Kobe burger and fries along with the grilled cheese lobster sandwich... You have to check this place out.. Love it and will return again soon!!

Absolutely perfect experience. Great service (Thank you Alexis)! Excellent, well prepared, fresh seafood. Superb salads. Lovely atmosphere and charming little bar. Close to Del Mar Race Tracks. Easy access from 5 or Pacific Coast Highway.

One of the top 3 restaurants in San Diego hands down. Great atmosphere, amazing chefs, and everything on the menu is perfection in every way, shape, form, and taste. If you wanna take your palette to a place it's never been before.. this is the spot!

The waiter I had was a nice man who was more than happy to show me the giant kitchen and wish me happy birthday. The truffle mac n cheese made me die and go to heaven. This is my #1 favorite restaurant of all time. Great experience all around.

My favorite place to dine in San Diego. Things are pricey but so worth the money that you pay. Best deal comes during restaurant week. Even the desserts are out of this world. They also use REAL truffle on their truffle fries.

As expected, the atmosphere and staff are just fantastic. The food is remarkable to the last bite. Definitely going back for more soon. Happy new year Pamplemouse. Thank you chef Jeffrey Straus for your passion and charisma. Uri Akler Owner, NorthStar Limos

The food here was fabulous. Thier was alot of detail and thought put into each dish. I really enjoyed the healthy options. The smoked seafood was delicious and the ahi appetizer. The service was amazing they were on top of everything!

Close to racetrack, wonderful food. Diverse menu. Small, fun bar. Gorgeous wine selection. Hostesses should smile more.

My favorite place to go in Del Mar near the Race track, always good food and friendly atomosphere, the staff is great and the food is delicious, drinks are on point, Tequila soda is my favorite at the bar. always a fun time, be sure to try a fresh baked cookie. Mikey V

Sadly I didn’t take any pics of the glorious food. Couple of recommendations-1. Pork Chop 2. The cod 3. NY steak med rare 4. Truffle fries with a shrimp appetizer 5. The sashimi is a hit also. This place is really good, the staff is great and on top of the things, even the owner came out and shot the breeze with us. If you have a party of 10 or more get the back room.

Wow. Amazing French cuisine in an unassuming environment. We had Cesar's salad, lobster grilled cheese and the trio of meats. All of them were epic including the drinks. Can't wait to celebrate again and again.

Phenomenal food and service. Drinks were amazing. Pamplemousse has the best food in San Diego.

Staff, food options - high quality thought and execution - are superb. Speaking as a certified sommelier, their wine list is an absolute dream, and after speaking to their sommelier, Steve, will only get better. Beautiful meal, enjoyed with the friendliest staff, and true talent in the kitchen. A hidden gem, I hope people don't pass up on. Honestly, thank you Jeffrey Strauss and an excellently assembled team, my best meal I've ever experienced hands down. Bravo. Apologies for lack of food pictures, too good to not enjoy right away.

Just reopened after the fire a year ago. Glad to report they haven’t skipped a beat. Fantastic dinner!

+6

Food quality, atmosphere, and service all checked the boxes. Portions were a nice surprise. Solid value fine dining experience.

Fantastic food, friendly staff and definitely worth the price. Highly recommend

Truffles everything!!!! Their aged steaks are awesome. It doesn't matter what you order, it will be phenomenal. It's casual fine dinning.

I went here the other week for my anniversary dinner with my husband and got the lobster and truffle grilled cheese sandwich and he got the dry aged ribeye.. OH.MY.GOD. was it worth every penny!!! The prices might seem like a pass, but it's worth it!!! Didn't get a chance to take any pictures as I was scarfing my food down, but for anyone who reads this please go here because there's so many tempting options that are well worth every bite. Perfect anniversary dinner and 10000% will come here again

Great food -- I had seafood there...fish and shrimp dishes !! It was so delicious.

This is a really special restaurant. Their waiting staff is very attentive and deals quite well with children. They also go beyond with regulars in treating them as close friends. It’s quite unique and very special. I’ve also never had a meal here that wasn’t fantastic. I highly recommend any steak dish on the menu. The bread is real good as well. I recommend this restaurant for an upscale family gathering.

Okay. This is impressive french food. I am in the Del Mar/San Diego area nearly every year, and regret that this was my first visit. Best food I have had in Del Mar, incredible waiter with a great sense of humor. I will be back!

A staple of Del Mar cuisine. Great menu, excellent service, the prices? Expect to spend 100 + per person.

Server forgot to order our sides. He didn't realize it until after the meal was completed and we asked him to make sure we're weren't charged for it. From the time we ordered until after the meal was done, we never saw him again, be never came back to the table or checked in with us.

We went for happy hour! We sat at the bar... bartender was excellent as well as the rest of the staff we encountered! Drinks were excellent. Our food was served promptly, and everything was delicious We started with the oysters, so fresh. Duck tacos, beet salad, empanada, and donuts for dessert! If we lived in the area, we would become regulars. Next time we're in town, we will definitely go back!

Great service from reservation to meal's end. Terrific food both in presentation and taste. Highly recommend it for an occasion both simple or extravagant.

This is the place I choose for big celebrations. I try to have more than one thing to celebrate, so far I've managed to go to Pamplemouse at least a couple of times each year. It is an elegant, very service oriented, yet not intrusive. They, the waiters, and other staff, are knowledgeable about their restaurant, the choices on the menu.. Always helpful in a helpful way, NO snobby staff. Their goal is to make your visit pleasant from start to finish. It is priced, I believe, fairly for the experience you will enjoy. The best restaurant I have been to, it is where I take others, to celebrate the evening.

My friend and I had a great experience! We sat at the bar during happy hour for a less formal setting and really enjoyed our meal. Ordering off of the happy hour menu and splitting the dishes is a great way to go! It is pretty pricey otherwise. I would recommend trying it out for yourself! Yummy yummy!

This is the best lobster ravioli I’ve ever had and I’ve traveled the world eating and reviewing and judging lobster ravioli

Great short ribs and sea bass. Seating is a bit tight though.

Es un buen lugar para Celebrar usted pida y ordene y estos vatos se ponen las pilas de volada así que si tienes que festejar aquil debes venir

Excelente ubicación, excelente comida y atención!!! El Chef Pancho el mejor !!!

Excelente recomendación, lobster sandwich / duck

This is an excellent new-style restaurant perfect for dates, as well as a high-end eatery with outstanding reviews. It boasts an elegant yet unpretentious atmosphere, making it suitable for dating, birthday celebrations, and business dinners alike— the vibe is incredibly comfortable. The restaurant specializes in American-French fusion cuisine crafted from fresh local ingredients, and has established itself as one of the benchmarks for SD Fine Dining, thanks to its consistently high-quality dishes and sophisticated ambiance. We decided to check it out this time because our AE credit card got a new credit limit this quarter, and this restaurant is on the list— we just had to come and experience it 🍴 Our first appetizer was raw oysters. They were small but extremely fresh, and when paired with a mix of two sauces, they were absolutely delicious! The flavor lingered on the palate, leaving a memorable impression that’s hard to forget. The lemon was wrapped in gauze, which was such a thoughtful detail! The second dish was the Lobster Ravioli appetizer— ravioli stuffed with lobster. It was our first time trying this, and the ravioli were surprisingly large and quite tasty! The third dish was Mixed Seafood, featuring three types of fish: Ahi tuna, Salmon, and Sea Bass, served with a trio of sauces. The fish was pan-fried to a crispy exterior and tender interior— a must-try for fish lovers! The fourth dish we ordered was roast duck, but it didn’t live up to the innovative roast duck we had at Juniper and Ivy before, so you might want to opt for something else. For example, their signature dishes include Herb-Roasted Lamb Chops (crispy on the outside, tender and juicy on the inside), Pan-Seared Scallops (served with citrus butter sauce, sweet and sour to cut through richness), and Wild Mushroom Risotto (rich in mushroom flavor with chewy rice grains). Among the desserts, the Salted Caramel Pudding is a safe bet that never disappoints— definitely worth a try. The wine list also features a wide selection of high-quality wines from SD, offering great value when paired with the dishes 🍷 The restaurant’s waitstaff were extremely professional and attentive— they helped us take photos 📷, recommended dishes and wines, and ensured a smooth dining experience. Fresh bread was served before the meal, and refills were unlimited. They also checked in regularly to clear the table. If you’re dining to celebrate an anniversary or birthday, they even offer a complimentary cake 🍰 and custom pig-shaped cookies— the sense of ritual is truly on point! The overall decor of the restaurant is fresh and innovative— it looks high-end yet unique. The walls are adorned with murals of pigs 🐖 and geese 🦢, along with matching decorations, which add a distinctive touch! Considering it’s a high-end restaurant, the value for money is excellent— the four dishes we ordered cost less than $100 per person. So if you’re looking to celebrate an anniversary or birthday, and you prioritize taste and a sense of ritual, this is the perfect choice! Don’t forget to wear a nice dress, enjoy delicious food, and take beautiful photos 🤩 💡 Tip: Make a reservation in advance— the restaurant is closed every Monday.

+6

Came here for a date night and had a reservation for it. We were seated promptly. We enjoyed a variety of bread brought to the table. Ordered a spicy margarita and ginger drop as drinks, which were really good. Got a lobster ravioli as a starter and got the biggest ravioli I’ve ever seen. As entrees we got the Kobe beef burger and short rib. The short rib was a solid choice but nothing compared to the burger, which was very juicy and delicious. Finally we got the banana foster, which was very sweet, but not too sweet. Service was friendly and attentive. Would absolutely come back

+2

Outstanding service and amazing food. We have been back and will continue to go again. Same level both times there. Let’s very happy

+1

Derek was one of the best servers I've ever had. The food was excellent!

Wow! They had me at the array of hot breads and whipped butter. Then the lobster ravioli blew me away. The braised beef melted my heart. The meal wrapped with key lime pie (and a sugar cookie), and I was in heaven. My dinner partners rejoiced with black cod, 45-day aged bone-in rib steak, Caesar salad with grilled chicken, and an impressive number of appetizers: a seafood trio, ahi tuna and vine tomatoes with burrata. The ambience was lovely, the service impeccable. A special shout-out to our server, Derek, who was super knowledgeable about the night’s offerings and steered us to interesting off-menu selections and choices. What an experience!

Very delicious food and great service. Came in exactly at the reservation time and was immediately seated.

Nice food, worth the price, great place for fine-dining. Especially recommend the crispy duck. Best ever duck I have eaten in US. It’s just a bit crowded and not much space between tables. Overall worth the money, and I’ll definitely visit again for the duck😆

I went here for a private party last night and was blown away! Every single dish was incredible — from the lobster grilled cheese and Kobe beef sliders to the lobster ravioli and roasted duck. The bourbon Old Fashioneds were perfectly made, and the service from Carlos and Kai was spot-on — friendly, professional, and attentive. I work in the service industry, so I really notice great hospitality, and this team nailed it. Highly recommend!

An elegant, understate & sophisticated (in-the-know) hot spot ! Chef has it all down... There is such a unique selection of creative dishes that easily accommodate whoever we bring along as a quest, that we frequently come here. Some of the dishes are complicated in structure but not "stuffy," but others are comfort classics. .... Love the little piggies at the end of the evening.

+6

What a lovely dinner! We upgraded the SD Restaurant Week Menu …. team was lovely and professional, food was elegant and delicious. Don’t miss the lobster ravioli, smoked seafood plate, black cod or chocolate cake. Wine list and BTG selections are exceptional

+6

Such an amazing restaurant! The food is always so good and the service is always great. We had John as our server tonight and he was so attentive and very welcoming! Atmosphere: it was a very busy Saturday night and we were originally seated in a small table in the middle of the room. There were so many people and everyone was unmasked. We were able to sit outside in the patio with a heater which made our dinner just perfect! We weren’t cramped in a small table among a very busy restaurant. Food: the filet mignon was so tender and perfectly cooked. Broccolini was seasoned and the truffle fries was spectacular! The seafood trio was fresh, delicate and scrumptious! The free 3 different types of pre-meal breads were so good too accompanied by a whip butter with truffle salt. We also had the old Smokey which is their old fashion. The in-house smoked simple sugar and muddled oranges makes this drink so good! Service: John was outstanding he made sure we were taken care of even though we were outside. Would love to sit at his table next time. The hostess was also very nice and accommodating. This is such a great restaurant! Our place to go when we are visiting!

Very nice restaurant with great food. Nice ambient.

Once you get past the feeling like you're walking into a doctor's office, its all top tier from there. Menu options were fantastic. Specials were even better. Food was prepared flawless. Service was attentive. Can't wait to go back. Probably because of the price, it skews boomer and older. Busy on a weekend evening. Also, for people that notice these things, portion sizes weren't disappointing. I don't use 5 stars often. But had a great experience. Had Bison steak and Wagyu Surf and turf.

What a beautiful place for your date night or special occasion. Quiet and well socially distanced ambience in a tent set up outside and the dishes were superb. We had the cajun fried oysters (first time trying cooked oysters but give it a try - we were not disappointed), the meat sampler plate.

I have to re-rate Pamplemousse as a 5/5 and a top pick for San Diego County. I went last night with my family to celebrate my birthday. Jeffrey Strauss was out on the floor greeting a lot of the regulars and he looked very fit! I moved on from the fish and vegetable dishes and ordered my favorite Mixed Grille and it was amazing, and it would be hard to say if I enjoyed the pork or the lamb chops more, but it was all perfectly cooked and seasoned. My daughter had the NY Bone-in special and I stole a bite and it was even better. We also had a few orders of the truffle fries and they are highly recommended as a starter or just a side snack. We had a chocolate lava cake and the chocolate/peanut butter dessert and both were perfect. They serve some sort of a salty graham crumble with each and it raises the taste to another level. Bottom line, Pamplemousse is on its A-Game and it is highly recommended. I still feel the specially here are the meat dishes and the desserts.

+1

Pamplemousse Grill is one of the best French restaurants in San Diego County. Usually a special occasion place but plenty of locals come in and sit at the bar to enjoy Happy Hour specials. We had the Caesar salad split, white asparagus soup with truffle oil and Veal Milanese. Absolutely delicious food every time we go.

Best Cauliflower soup in San Diego. Must try. Fish dishes were ok not so special.

+1

Yeah, this place is as good as the name sounds! Let me start by saying the tent this place has setup is maybe the nicest outdoor dining experience I've had since the aftermath of Covid began. The seats, the tablecloths, the carpet, the freaking silverware was impeccable and the whole thing just felt special from the moment we walked inside. The service was absolutely top notch and the food was cooked and presented in a fashion only a small number of restaurants in the world can provide. I started with a Lopster Bisque which was chock-full of various sized chucks of tender lobster. For an entree I got the ribeye that was a special accompanied by a lobster 🦞 tail. The steak was high quality and was seasoned & cooked perfectly. The Lobster was fresh and tender and with a little drawn butter, the combo between that and the steak was a match made for my belly! I'm really quite blown away and look forward to checking out more of the menu.

+1

great post race stop, better after a win as it is pricey. i had the halibut, which was over cooked, they replaced it with one that was not overcooked. nice wine selection.

Excellent bison steak, duck was ok. Best to bring your own wine as selection, whike karge is over priced for what is being served. Banana Fister was excellent. Need reservations for sure

Excellent Service.. great setting.. nice helpful staff. 😊 Food was an 7 on a 10 scale My steak was perfect in preparation and cooking My fried rice not so on point.. just because it was slightly on the colder side of hot And the portion was small... including no veggies .. felt skimpish for 68 Dollars Flavors where nice. It's value HOW EVER didn't show up. LET'S JUST THROW A PRICE OUT THERE WHY DON'T WE...

Food and service were great! The restaurant week menu was a good deal even at $60. Unfortunately I'd never be able to eat here at regular prices which are crazy high. While the food was superb, I've had just as good for a lot less. Like some of the great Cohn restaurants around town. Best dishes I had were the beet and goat cheese salad and the amazing tres leches cake with raspberry gelato with hazelnut praline topping. The miso black sea bass was also good but not special. Will look for future restaurant week deals that would allow me to come again.

We had a lovely dinner to celebrate a birthday. Our waiter was knowledgeable and attentive. He made good recommendations and we had a very nice visit. The one negative was the hostess. She was disinterested to the point of being rude. She did not greet us and she was unfriendly and took us to our table in a huff.

Good food and service. We Sat outside which wasn't all that exciting.

Good place. Try em.

+1

Food was delicious! Switched out the protein in the cod entree for filet mignon and it was delicious!

I was looking for a nice restaurant in Delmar area and came across this to celebrate our 9th Anniversary. Really good location, menu and service. Food quality is good. I like the wine and dessert menu. For the quality of food I like it litte pricey but not that bad. I'd still prefer Trulucks over it. Will go there again for sure.

+1

Enjoyed the food and the friendly service. It was a bit too noisy to our taste.

The oysters were fresh and juicy. I had Grilled mixed which included three different meat selections, good for those who's very indecisive like myself. I also tried a bite of both seabass and cod. Really like the taste and texture of the cod (don't remember the name of the dish), but the seabass was a bit dry for me. We still ordered some dessert when everyone was so full, the "peach" one was not too sweet and not too heavy after the main course. Overall, the food/service was good but pricey.

Great wine list. Food lacks a bit to be honest. You should book ahead.

Upscale dining by Chef Jeffrey Strauss. We came for restaurant week ($70 + $45). The menu being offered is slightly different than the daily regular menu offering beef, pork, fish, duck and vegetarian. We ordered: Complimentary assorted bread basket came out first with mini corn muffins, baguette and a seeded bread that was my favorite. Lobster ravioli (also on regular menu) - 1 giant lobster filled ravioli with small mushrooms and scallops in a ginger soy mushroom sauce Skipped the second appetizer and Supplemented for the Angel hair pasta with shaved truffles for $45. You can add on as a third dish for $65. This was buttery rich goodness. Korean marinated flat iron steak - sliced in 7 pieces over fried rice. Although rice was good, sadly, we compared it to Trader Joe tv dinner. Pork schnitzel - I have to say, this was better than the ones I had in Germany and Austria because it was thinner, wasn’t dry and had flavor (meaning salt). The potatoes balanced out the salty flavors. Warm chocolate caramel cake (also on regular menu) - served with berries and vanilla gelato. Found this to be same as other places. Seasonal fig tart - puff pastry with mascarpone filling, honey and few slices of fig. Restaurant week has gotten more pricy over the years with Pampalmousse on the higher end of $70, I expected more. I would have loved to see more of their regular menu items featured on the RW menu and more French inspired. Overall, plenty of parking, indoor and outdoor seating. We had a wonderful experience. Food was well prepared. Truffle pasta was our favorite. Our drinks were strong. I got the Sippin’ on Lychee with gin, lychee liquor and simple syrup.

+6

I really wish I knew my servers name but he was amazing!!! All the staff were very kind and helpful. This was a group rep company dinner so we had pre-set options of a 3 course meal. They let me taste a couple different wine options before I settled on a cocktail. Ginger drop (gin) a cross between a lemon drop and moscow mule. I highly recommend if you're into those flavors. Complimentary assorted bread basket and whipped butter was delicious. I can't comment on the pricing since it was paid for but my cocktail came out to $17. I would say it's a great place with delicious food and service. I will definitely come again.

+1

We came here during Restaurant week. I don't know that I would recommend coming here otherwise, because it is definitely pricey!! Our menu included an array of food and drinks options. We started with the Sauvignon Blanc and the Kir Royale which were both delicious drinks. For appetizers, we ordered the Roasted tomato and fennel soup and the Lobster Ravioli. Both were delicious and I can't choose one over the other! I will say that the Ravioli was definitely an appetizer to be shared. It was as big as a usual entree for me. For the main course, we went the seafood way. I got the basil roasted salmon and my friend got the miso black cod. The clear winner here was the miso black cod. The cod itself was delicious, but the miso sauce and the fried rice were simply YUM! My salmon, while good, seemed very plain and boring...no dancing flavors in my mouth with this one!! For dessert, we got the chocolate caramel cake and the passion fruit tart. I'm biased towards fruity desserts, so again, the clear winner was the tart. The tartlet itself was crunchy, the filling was just sweet and tangy enough to not be overwhelming...the sauce was delicious and just see how pretty it looked in the photo! Neither the chocolate nor the caramel are flavors I particularly enjoy. So, the fact that I still liked this dessert says a lot. I do think that the vanilla gelato saved my palate. If you are a chocolate or caramel fan, definitely try this out. So yes, I'm glad I tried this during Restaurant week and only paid $70 + tax/tip because, there is no way we would've eaten all these dishes for that amount at other times!

+2

Dine in for dinner on April 5 for Restaurant Week. Ordered the Kim Chee Seafood Martini, the Veal Schnitzel and Warm Chocolate Truffle Cake. My date ordered the Prawn Picatta, Red Wine Braised Short Ribs and Coconut Tres Leches. Overall food was good not great. Server was nice and food came out at a decent time.

+2

Nice tasting food, classy but old school. Good quality ingredients and preparation. Corporate entertaining, dinner spot for the rich and bougee. A bit over priced, by design tho. Older crowd.

The food is wonderful (I had porcini crusted Bronzino and bananas foster) but unless you are rich white women I would not recommend this restaurant. I was in town for a medical appointment and while I am child-free and in a new place I like to explore/experience flavors. I have never felt so judged and it of place, spefically by the hostess. She kept in watching me from around the corner like I was an unworthy paracite amungst entilted individuals. While my experience left me longing for my community back home my waiter, Coy, was absolutely wonderful and should be recognized for his welcoming hospitality! During my whole trip to the Del Mar area he was the only one who genuinly took the time to facilitate small talk and exchange happiness through smiles and laughter! Remember just because someone looks differently than your normal patron does not mean they should be treated differently. Thank you.

Tuesday, August 9th was the second time we visited in 2022. Once again the food did not disappoint, frankly the Wagu is the best I have ever had. If I was just rating the food it would remain 5 stars. That said we did not get great service from our waitress. Everyone else was great, from the hostess to the bartender to the bus servers. That said the experienced was subpar given the poor attitude of our waitress. We were marking a few special occasions as our friends were just engaged the week before and my wife and I were celebrating our 12th anniversary. Probably taking a break from the restaurant for a while.

Why are all “high end” Del Mar restaurants old, stuffy and reminiscent of a great aunt’s attic? Pamplemousse Grill exemplifies the highlights of dining in this otherwise quaint but staid coastal town. Pricey menu, dated atmosphere (circa 1990), and with three different entrees ordered none warranted any sort of comment except an audible sigh.

Not sure why this place is rated so highly, some of the food was good but some was disappointing. The tuna tartare was excellent but the bison was not. The stew was excellent but the chocolate caramel cake tasted like a melted lava cake and had barely any flavor of caramel. Chairs were not comfortable. We felt packed in like sardines with barely any room to walk around the tables. It most certainly was not worth the prices they were charging.

+4

Quite disappointed, especially given the price. Truffle fries appear and taste as if they're made from frozen, and truffle flavour was nonexistent. Husband's steak was a poor cut and overcooked. Decor doesn't help matters -- I felt like I was trapped on the set of the Golden Girls. I don't know why San Diegans rave about this place. There are far better options for less money.

Disappointing experience. I had literally been wanting to go to this restaurant for ten years because i had heard so many good things about it. A very successful wine merchant had told ne about it and he was a person who loved fine dining. So, I was ready to have my socks knocked off. When I made the reservation I included that it was my birthday. So, I expected just a little bit of special treatment. Nothing could be further from the truth. There are so many things that bugged me. Lets start with no parking and no valet parking. Next we were seated in he most awkward place. A table in the walkway between the real tables. My chair was knocked into a minimum of ten ties by servers passing by. Was really distracting and very upsetting. I couldn't relax. It was a special day for me....but that really sucked. We asked for a refill of bread. It never came. I sat for 20 mins and never got a refill on my coke. I ordered lobster bisque to start. My absolute fav soup. It was terrible. I ate it anyway because I didn't want to make a fuss. My 16 year old daughter whispers to me "is this supposed to be healthy? I think its better at Texas De Brasil ( a corporate restaurant not fine dining) I ended up talking to the table next to me. She sent it back it was so terrible. I ordered the short ribs. They were "ok" Not terrible. But honestly no better than many restaurants in San Diego. I was expecting amazing They were pretty bland. My kids got the burger. with truffle fries. Barely seasoned and the meat was overcooked. we were anxious to get home. They never wished me a happy Bday, at the front when we arrived, during the meal or at the end. No bday dessert came out for me. All in the all the worst bday experience in a restaurant I've had. I would not recommend.

My husband and I dined here. Ambiance... eh... Nothing to talk about. Eat in their tent area or inside. Food... overpriced and lacking the “wow” factor. The chairs were uncomfortable to sit on. Tables were like picnic tables with cloth coverings. Who decides what is a 5 star restaurant? I’m just telling the truth.

Only went there once, during restaurant week a few years ago. I don't remember what we ate, but the food was actually pretty good. The two star rating is because of how the service was during restaurant week. They seemed to treat customers differently......regulars were treated well and with friendliness and deference, since they were going to probably spend hundreds $$ on food, wine, etc. The "restaurant week" customers were treated more perfunctory...you know...back of the line, worst tables, slow service, curt wait staff, etc, since they knew that the average bill (and tip) were going to be low. I'll probably never go there again.

Good services but the food was not worth the price at all. Risotto was under cooked. Unevenly cooked steak. Dessert wasToo sweet eat.

The braised meat seem to have been boiled in WATER!!! Lacking any flavor ..I think thry should give me another dish- free of charge .

Came here for San Diego restaurant week and Im severely disappointed. Do yourself a favor and go somewhere that San Diego can offer. This is suppose to be a high end, “fine dining” restaurant but the dishes and food were an assault on my pallet. The main dishes were got were the duck and short rib. You would think that if their logo is a duck their duck dish would be their signature good dish, but it’s not. The duck had no semblance of juiciness and the cherry balsamic reduction used as the sauce was unnoticeable. Short rib was also was nothing standout. Jesus even the free bread appetizer they gave was dry. The desert was horrible and not worth getting. You could easier get so much better outside of this place. All in all, please save your money and give it to other restaurants that do deserve it.

So... I just got back from eating dinner at Pamplemousse Grill and I can honestly say, "I feel like I was swindled out of my hard earned pay check!" We decided to try this place out based on it's reviews from the internet. Well... "what a mistake that was". First off the atmosphere was poor with a capital "P"! I called for reservations early in the afternoon for a party of six and for some reason they decided to sit us in the way back next to a door that was a fire exit. Not only that but directly to our left we had a direct view into the kitchen. The actual location of this place is set off in a business park, it looked like someone took over a bunch of office space and decided to put a restaurant in just because of it's proximity to the Del Mar Race Track. Rest a sure if they were located anywhere else they would be out of business, but since the typical Californian has no clue what good food is I guess they survive off there location. The food was your typical mediocre OVER PRICED, San Diego garbage. I ordered the salmon, at the waiters suggestion and it was just BAD!!!! The fish was very fishy tasting and the sauces on top were overbearing masking the not so fresh fish. "I really should have sent it back considering it was priced at $40 dollars". The menu was riddled with overpriced crap. In fact, the others in our party had a similar experience with their food as I. The only thing that looked good was a $57 ribeye steak that my friend had. Yes you read it correctly, I said $57 dollars! For $57 dollars I could think of several places I would rather eat a steak at besides Pamplemousse Grill! To sum it up... I could have had a better piece of fish from the Del Mar Fish House next door for half the price! Don't waste your time at this place unless you like paying for overpriced mediocre food with so so service. I will not be going back anytime soon! If you want good food go to the Marine Room in La Jolla Shores, this place is not only cheeper but blows the doors off the Pamplemousse Grill with service, atmosphere and food quality! Sincerely, The Straight Shooter!

Very expensive food for mediocre quality. Avoid the specials as they are overpriced.

Overpriced, arrogant staff especially hostess and manager. Food is good not great for the value. Restaurant is in a strip / commercial mall. Much better places to drop $500 + on a meal in Del Mar.

Terrible Valentine’s Day dinner. Started off with crammed packed tables. Then an Overcooked small piece of fishy smelling seabass. Also, don’t order the truffles, the server didn’t know how many grams you receive for the $40 cost, and they were not shaved at the table. We suspect they may not be real, and if they are, they were definitely not fresh. They didn’t have the texture of real truffles and they were tasteless. All this for almost $500. We will Never go back, ever! Lastly, a bit of advice; Never trust a “fine dining” restaurant in an old run down strip mall.

First, the food was absolutely delicious and we very much enjoyed the restaurant. However, I was very upset to find that there was a "3.5% Benefit" fee added to the bill without any prior information that this was going to happen. When I called the restaurant to inquire about this fee, they said that it was so they don't have to raise their prices - it is a benefit for our customers. I'd rather the prices be higher and they be upfront about what the costs are going to be rather than adding a 3.5% additional fee to the whole bill! Make sure you review your bill and are aware of this fee!

OVERPRICED & UNDERWHELMING! What a disappointing experience. We booked this restaurant based off the 4.5 star reviews which was not what we encountered. The lobster ravioli was undercooked and not anywhere near "al dente", so I sent it back. Even though our server apologized profusely and brought out a replacement with slightly more cooked pasta, you do not expect this in a restaurant of this caliber and definitely not for the prices you are paying. Speaking of which, 1oz of caviar was $135, when 1oz at Mr A's was $85. Plus its a 20 minute drive from downtown San Diego to Solana Beach. Our check was nearly $400 for 2 of us without alcohol as we don't drink! The only saving grace was our server who couldn't do enough for us. As for the food, you are better off going to Mr A's where you will pay half the price for a delectable meal and have a spectacular view of the city from the 12th floor restaurant. Pamplemousse Grille seems to have had its day so go elsewhere.

This place is EXTREMELY over rated. Food is mediocre. Sea bass I ordered was about 1/4 inch thick about the size of my palm, over priced. Gnocchi was bland. Host told us there is no kids menu so we ordered truffle fries. Turns out there is, and kid’s meals came with fries so I told waiter to cancel the order but he said ‘it’s too late’. Our food came SO fast that it almost felt like fast food. Our waiter was rude, in his fifties with a French accent. And FYI, check your bill because they have some fee they tacked on 4%. We’ve been here in the past and have been very pleased with food and service. Bad night perhaps.

We had such a wonderful experience in 2014 at Pamplemousse Grille, so I was absolutely delighted to return for a special date night. I was so disappointed with the quality of the food. The service staff (Kai and Leonard) were wonderful but could not make up for the food. I had the duo of venison chop and the quail. My excitement turned to sheer dismay. My venison chop was overly seasoned with the peppercorn sauce or rub that all I could taste was the pepper that stayed with me all night. It overcame the delicate meat of the venison. We also had the veal chop which was 20% fat that we had to exchange it for another meat. Everything was overseasoned with salt and pepper that the true meat flavors were masked. Sadly, it was not the same quality of food that we remembered.

This is by far my worst restaurant experience. The food was at best mediocre, badly cooked with a total lack of creativity. One of the waiters (not our main server) was very unprofessional, and the tableware was dirty and was missing some fragments. A total waste of money for an extremely subpar experience.

+3