AVANT Restaurant Reviews

VERY good food and great ambiance. The waitstaff was very attentive and personable. The scallops with pork belly were absolutely amazing. Highly recommend.

Had another great lunch with beautifull view of the golf course .Great new Waitress Emily D. Food was wonderful .

second time here, came when they first switched over from El Bizcocho. I think they were just working out the kinks then. Finally got another opportunity to visit with the encouragement of other friends who have enjoyed their recent experiences. We were wowed with the attentive service from Shane and Dalton. Their explanations of food presentations were excellent. Food was delicious and not overwhelming with fussiness. the exec chef and manager came over to check on our satisfaction also. very impressed and hope to be back soon. we had the bone in rib eye and charcuterie plate, monk fish and scallops....recommend all of them!

After a long stressful day of moving, we showed up at closing time and were delighted to have been given such great service from Emily D, Chef Edward and Chef Chris! The food and service was excellent, as always! Thank you for continuing to keep us amazed!

We went during a business dinner. It's a very recommended place for those kind of dinners. The food was good and also the service. A bit pricy but is fair.

After reading some reviews here I decided to try Avant for our anniversary dinner and I was not disappointed. Yes, it was pricier than I am accustomed to but for a special dinner it was well worth it. The ambiance was fairly quiet, just the background murmur of other guests so we had no trouble hearing ourselves. While upscale I would not say the place was elegant, but it was comfortable. The service was excellent, attentive but not too obtrusive. We splurged and tried the hamachi appetizer (delicious), my wife got the halibut and I the filet mignon, we shared a house salad too and ordered a couple of glasses of wine. The food tasted fresh and was appealing visually as well as very tasty. Portions were "normal" not the tiny overpriced stuff you sometimes get. Would highly recommend.

I loved the new furniture and decor, especially when we were seated away from the loud and noisy bar. My wagyu dinner was delicious and came with tiny carrots and patty pan squashes that were all about 1" long (not terribly flavorful, but so delightful to look at). My husband loved his John Dory's cream sauce and the accompanying green almonds and seaweed, but the serving was small and we had to take him out for a burger afterward. It was an exquisite presentation, though, especially with the minuscule preserved Meyer lemon (about 1/2" in diameter!) It's a bit pricey but worth it for the lovely and unusual sauces and ingredients. The peach tart was tasty but a bit tough--stale, perhaps? If we lived closer, Avant would definitely be on my regular celebration rotation.

The menu isn't huge, but the food is lovely. I chose the filet mignon and it was perfectly cooked. I ate there on a weeknight, and it wasn't at all crowded. Good service.

Recently, on a very busy night this past weekend at the Inn, we called Avant to arrange dinner reservation last minute due to a scheduling change beyond our control. The restaurant manager, Carmen, was able to confirm a table for my husband and I to celebrate a special occasion. We enjoyed several hours of fine dining and superb service. Our server, Daniel, new to the staff but clearly experienced in fine dining service. Andrew, service manager, stopped by to greet us as well. Personal and attentive service all around. Everything was just perfect. The RB Inn is a jewel in our community and we are blessed to have such excellent care and service from all the staff. Thank you so much.

Words cannot describe how truly wonderful our experience was at Avant last night. I have been to many Michelin restaurants all over the world and this was by far the best meal I have ever had in my life! Chef Christopher prepared a truly unforgettable tasting menu full of fresh delicious ingredients that were grown right there on their property. His passion for food shines in each dish and was beautifully plated like a true work of art. Our server, Rob was phenomenal. He introduced us to an incredible selection of wines and paired them for each course for us. He anticipated every one of our needs before we ever had to ask. Thank you Avant for the best meal and service we have ever had. Cannot wait to come back when you have your own Michelin Star!

This was our first visit to Avant. I don't usually write reviews but I had to this time. The restaurant is beautiful and from there it just got better. Our server was teh best we have ever had, and the food was delicious. But the highlight was the live music, the way he made some popular songs his own was just amazing. Perfect night. We will definitely be returning.

Soft live music during happy hour everyday of week. Went here on a date had a great time, meal, & wine in lovely setting over looking golf course. Very attentive staff.

We were here for a business meeting and had dinner overlooking the golf course. The food and service were excellent.

Went to Avant with my co workers since we were staying at the resort for a conference. Our server Tom was amazing! He was so witty and knowledgeable about both the food and drink menu. I went with the Brussels sprouts and rib eye and was beyond satisfied... my friends enjoyed his recommendations as well. He even talked us into the Black chocolate cake desert which officially stole my heart considering I am a total chocoholic! Definitely recommending this fine dining, business casual ambience to anyone looking for a place to appreciate. Can't stress enough on the Rib-eye!!!! Yum!! Oh, & Tom! :)

We were staying at The Rancho Bernardo Inn In order to go to The New Year's Eve party called Soiree. We had a 7:30 dinner reservation at The Avant and we were promptly seated at a nice table in the corner when we arrived. The dinner choices were limited since it was New Year's Eve. The special salad I ordered was very good but my Kobe New York steak while cooked perfectly was full of mushy fatty areas. My wife had sea bass and she said it was very good. The cheese cake deserts were very good. The atmosphere and service was good and we will probably try the restaurant again sometime.

Great drinks, excellent wine, innovative menu, VERY GOOD service, and warm ambiance. Highly recommend.

Christman Eve prix fixe 4 course dinner $125 each (typical). 1st: husband had the Parker Roll (yes that was one of the selections, I had a good salad (best thing I ate). 2nd husband had their version of Bouillabaisse which was 4 small bites of seafood in a little sauce, I had their version of tamale which didn't make sense as it was Delicia squash and some kind of what I guess they thought would be in a tamale. It was pretty tasteless. 3rd - Waygu Cap with a sauce that neither of us liked and wouldn't have ordered it if we new it was their version (getting the theme here) of mole. 4th dessert - husband got their verious of panna cotta which was ok and I got what I thought was chocolate cake but it was made into a donut and very dense and heavy. Overall the food was just ok and all I can say it would be better if the chef didn't try to do various of familiar dishes and name them something else. Of course it doesn't matter what they call them, the food was lacked so many things. Side note, it was a good thing my husband isn't a big eater as he got about 14 bites of food. (2 roll, 4 fish, 5 meat and 3 dessert)

This place is a hidden gem. It's a little pricey, but it was a great atmosphere. We sat at the bar since it was busy and it turned out to be a good spot. Our bartender Israel was very honest and made some great recommendations.

We had our wedding rehearsal dinner at the AVANT restaurant in the La Taberna room. Christina was our event coordinator. She is the best!!! She listened to what we wanted and provided everything we needed and more! She truly loves to make each event special to those she is helping. The room was beautiful and the food outstanding. Daniel was our server and he was attentive to everyone's needs. Very professional staff. Highly recommend this restaurant for special events or a nice dinner.

Recently heard some good comments about this upscale restaurant at the Rancho Bernardo Inn so we decided to try it out. My wife and I and a friend went there last Saturday night. We were seated where we requested and service began immediately. We were in no hurry so we had cocktails and items to share. Our waiter (Jonas) did a great , unhurried, job of explaining the menu. We all three ordered something different, our friend had a bone-in pork chop they call a Tommyhawk cut. My wife had Sea Bass and I had the absolutely delicious scallops. Melt in your mouth scallops. I tasted all three dishes, same result, delicious!! Throughout this wonderful meal our server made sure everything was as we wished . Avant you are back on my list, at the top of it I might add. A special thank you to Jonas, we left with big smiles.

In May, we had a quick trip to Rancho Bernardo shoe horned into an already busy travel schedule. My wife had a 1.5 day meeting there, and we were staying at the Rancho Bernardo Inn. I researched, and booked Avant, on-property. That turned out to be a very good choice. While I know the general area, I did not know the property. Still, with meetings on-property, and our stay at Rancho Bernardo Inn, this would work. My wife was in a meeting in the lobby, when I came down. We headed to Avant, at about our seating time. We had not but arrived, when other members of her team drifted in. I only wish I had known, as I would have booked a larger table. The staff was excellent in seating the late arrivals, with no reservations, with us. The table was getting a bit crowded, but nothing that we could not handle. With folk sort of “trickling in,” due to different flights, the staff was great at dealing with our “dinner meeting in flux,” and I applaud them. Even when Main Courses had been served, and folk arrived late, the staff did not blink an eye. They were very, very flexible. I had begun the evening with the wine orders (wish I had known how many diners we might have), and the limited wine list was easy to navigate. Had I known how many might join us, I would perhaps done things a bit differently? The restaurant is basically downstairs from the lobby, with a bar, and then the restaurant proper, with distinctively different seating areas, as it serves as a breakfast restaurant in the morning, and then a fine-dining venue in the evening. There is also a slightly more casual “raw bar” area, with shellfish on display. I loved the lamps on the bar! The character of the restaurant changes from the bar, to the more formal dining room, and I loved walking past the wine “display cellar.” I knew that I was going to have fun, just reading a few labels. We were seated off into a corner of the ample main dining room, and fortunately at a large enough table, to accommodate the folk, who wandered in. I mean, who knew that we would need an 8-top, before the night was over? The staff never complained, nor did they bat an eye. They just made things happen, as we needed them. I started our initial group off with the some wine from the “reserve list.” Be sure to ask to see that, as while the “regular list” has some interesting wines, with few of “the usual suspects,” things get even better with the “secret list.” Faiveley Chassagne-Montrachet Morgeot 1er Cru ‘05 (a favorite vintage of mine, but one which is starting to fade a bit. The Morgeot was still drinking nicely, but started out a bit too cold. I had to ask that it not be submerged in ice water, and instead, placed on the table, to warm up a bit. DuMol Ryan Russian River Pinot Noir ‘14 Hirsch Vineyard San Andreas Fault Pinot Noir ‘10 All of these were served in very nice stemware, which always impresses me. At about that time, the bread arrived, and in a cute little bag. It was a Sourdough baguette, and quite good. The bag was a tad more work, than it should have been, but the presentation of a “bag-O-bread” was nice. We did a bit of a mix-n-match, starting with: Spring Pea Salad w/ buttermilk dressing, lime pearls, mint and pea shoots – In the “From Our Chef’s Garden” section – I was not enthusiastic about this dish, when my wife ordered it, but one taste changed my mind. Very tasty, with several well-executed, and different textures, plus layers of flavor – a winner! Dungeness Crab w/ avocado, gaufrettes, cucumber, crême fraîche and roe – From “Small Bites Menu” – very good Crab Salad (of sorts), and again, so many flavors. I had inquired whether this was actual Dungeness Crab, and was assured that it was. I found it to be, just as described, and very tasty! We continued to mix things up a bit, with our Main Courses: Roasted Duck Breast w/ rhubarb, duck liver parfait, Cipollini onions and radishes – I love great Duck Breast, and have had a few wonderful preps by some world-class chefs. I try to give a brief example of how I like mine done, and our server, plus the kitchen, did a fine job – crisp skin, fully-rendered fat layer, and medium-rare breast meat – very good, and the whole dish might have suffered (for me) a bit, with the duck liver parfait. While I love Foie Gras, in most preps, this was just too much of a counter-point to the sweetness of the breast meat and skin. Short of excellent, on my palate, but still very good, and prepared exactly as requested. Olive Oil Poached Turbot w/ peas, living seaweed, red potatoes and nori beurre blanc. Note: Clams were omitted for my wife, at our request – Excellent fish, and the prep was excellent. This dish went well with both the big Chardonnay, and then both Pinot Noirs. We finished with a Cheese Course of Cabot Cheddar, Humboldt Fog and Roquefort, to which I added a glass of Dow’s 20 Year Tawny Port, from the Dessert Wines List. I was glad that I had a bit of the Montrachet left, for the Cheddar. The service continued to be excellent, and the fact that folk were coming and going from our table caused no issues. Two very late arrivals (delayed flights) were served quite late into the evening, and the kitchen came through for them easily – no limitations. After a bit, everyone had wound down, and we headed off to our rooms, quite full. I was impressed with the fresh ingredients, and especially from the Chef’s Garden, the source of most of the vegetables and herbs. Such freshness shines, and in this case, it did, and did so nicely. Wonderful touch, and greatly appreciated. The next morning, I passed on breakfast, as I was planning on an early lunch, before we headed off to meetings in Orlando, and then a bit of vacation at The Ocean House, in Watch Hill, RI. The bar, and less formal dining area took on a totally different look and feel, when I walked through. It felt much more casual, than our dining area, the night before.

The menu is solid but the outstanding part of our dinner was the excellent service for our large group event.

My husband and I finally decided to dine at AVANT after several years. We ordered the 4 course dinner and wine pairing. We were very honest with the food: presentation, taste, and how progressive the tasting menu was. Although we think that some of our selections can be improved as far as taste and progression, we were impressed with how complementary the wines selected to be paired with the menu selections. We will definitely come back and order a la carte selections. We really enjoyed how great the wines were, and the service by Chris.

The food was great, but the wine list lacking. It's extensive, but just not what was expected for a restaurant of this type. The menu was very creative, and maybe too much so, but I'd eat here again.

We sat out on the terrace this time around. Must order the Brussels sprouts! We had the filet and chicken dish tonight and both were excellent. This is our second time eating here and were not disappointed!

A new chef is at Avant since February and things have changed much for the better. The RB Inn was the palce to be if you wanted delicious and exciting food. Then management decided to be more mainstream. But apperently patrons did not follow. Comes Christopher Gentile, the 29 year old chef with new and exciting ideas. He has been in a lot of the best US restaurant to learn his craft. He is so excited about food that sometimes I have problems understanding him as he speaks so fast. The new menu is 100% his. A lot of small plates and main dishes to try with very interesting techniques as well as ingredients.

On Saturday, March 31, 2018, a friend and I went to Avant for what we hoped would be a dinner to remember. Well, it was...but for the wrong reasons. Upon our waiter's recommendation, I ordered the bone-in ribeye for $62.00. That price was in line with other nice steakhouses where I've enjoyed the bone-in ribeye. I ordered my steak medium rare. Rare would've been fine. When my steak was served, I cut a piece off one end and my jaw dropped. it looked medium well to me. I thought it may be just that way on the end, so I cut a slice down the middle. There was no pink. I called my waiter over and simply showed him the cuts I'd made and before I even asked him, he looked surprised. I asked, Hamid, is that medium rare? He said without hesitation, "No sir, it's not." He apologized profusely, picked up my plate, and took it back to the kitchen. In a few minutes, he returned and told me they could cook another steak for me, but it would take 15 minutes or I could order something else. My friend was already eating her meal, so I took his second suggestion which was duck. I've hunted duck and eaten duck most of my life. If I'd been blindfolded, I would never have guessed that I was eating duck. My friend was almost through eating when my duck was served. My friend was eating what amounted to pot roast, which was OK, but nothing special. The pot roast was suppose to come with carrots. There two carrots no bigger than the last joint on my thumb. Each little carrot was split in two pieces. The other little vegetable was just as scant. Neither of our entrees came with a potato. Generally, we like some type of potato with steak or roast beef. Potatoes had to be ordered a la carte. The only redeeming thing about our evening was our waiter, Hamid. I felt so sorry for him, as he was so embarrassed. I tipped him more than the suggested maximum because he really tried. We will NOT be back. There are too many steakhouses that serve a MUCH better meal.

Great seasonal menu with efficient, courteous service. Good wine list with very good seasonally crafted cocktails.

Had the salmon and it was spectacular. Something on the menu for everyone. Really wanted to try the vegetarian gluten free chestnut dumpling seasonal entree, but maybe next time. Staff was great and manager came by to say hello to all guests!!

Gratitude and compliments to the Service Staff, who served us tirelessly at our event at the Avant Restaurant private room area April 2019 Daniel, David, Rob and Anthony were absolutely The Best! We celebrated my son's wedding there and it couldn't have been more perfect, mainly due to their service. Daniel handled all of our requests with calmness and competence. We wanted to show a video slideshow and we were panicked because we couldn't seem to get it to play, but Daniel took care of us. Daniel even acted as our MC, by calling the attention of all of our guests and announcing the next event for us, whenever we requested him to do so. (ie: announcing that the slideshow will be playing now; announcing the bride and groom, etc.) (He has the perfect attention-grabbing voice without a mic ;P ) The servers were regularly checking in on us to make sure everything was fine, including the temperature of the room! Any request we made was granted with complete willingness by all of the servers. Pro: The restaurant manager printed custom "Dinner Menus" for our event. They were a very nice touch for each guest's table setting. FOOD: I had sea bass and it was delicious! (con: not much came with it, only 2 tiny potatoes 1 inch diameter.) But, the sea bass was cooked very nicely. It had a nicely cooked crust while being moist and tender inside. Several of my guests came up to me to compliment the venue and food. They said that their dinner was delicious! (And I did not ask them. They voluntarily came to me to let me know.) ATMOSPHERE: The atmosphere is perfect. It's set in a countryside-like setting. There is a pond/fountain in the outside view. It holds a maximum of 55 people. But, really it is for 50 people. 5 tables with 10 chairs each. We had the maximum and it was still fine. Con: they did not let us have a musician due to other musicians already playing at the main restaurant and the hotel. However, this room is separated by walls and you cannot hear any music from the restaurant musician. Pro: they did let us play music from our phone/device thru the provided soundbar speaker. Pro: There is an available wall mounted TV/monitor with HDMI cable and Soundbar speaker that you can use. Below the the TV is a shelf/cabinet that was a perfect space to display a dessert tier that we brought. Pro: The use of the outside patio area is very nice and beautiful. They provided standing cocktail hour tables. Con: Our bartender was set up at the very far end of the patio, which made it a little inconvenient to get a drink. Also, since its not initially seen, I had to tell people that there was a bar out there. Con: Because bar set up so far away and bartender, the bar was probably slower than it might have been if it was closer. And when the bartender was not standing directly in front of the bar, my guests (reported by my siblings) would peek out and not see the bartender, so, they would not go out there. Pro: It probably saved us money in beer and wine (which is what we hosted.) Haha! At the end of the night, Daniel asked me if we enjoyed the food. Of course we did. But, I must admit, it is not the beautiful a venue/view of the Avant/RB Inn nor the delicious dinner that has left a lasting impression. It is the service we received from Daniel, and the rest of the service staff, during a very important event for our family, that is the most memorable about the Avant. We literally could see them moving non-stop the entire night.

Bruschetta with green tomato jam - one of the best items on the menu and SO delicious. We asked for the cheese on the side. Also delicious were the Brussels sprouts which we asked for without bacon - delicious! Green hummus with warm bread - very good! Our cocktails were slightly modified to include vodka instead of gin and every modification was properly done. Great food, great service, lovely ambiance. Despite our not-so-great hotel experience, this place was fantastic.

Business dinner to impress the best. Loved the assistance with food choices and wine. All had a wonderful dinner.

Had a great brunch at Avant, sat outside. Brunch was great, Madeline was wonderful. The food and choices were excellent! Had drinks at Happy Hour, great good and if you're lucky you will get Julio to make sincere recommendation best on your taste.

Mesieh made me the best non-alcoholic mocktail. He is a fantastic and engaging bartender. You will be lucky if he is working and you are here. Enjoyed every moment.

Love the atmosphere - relaxed, but sophisticated. Food is presented with great care to bring out the best in the protein,paring it with excellent and unexpected sides as complements. A taste adventure of the best kind.

Great atmosphere, very relaxing. Excellent food & service. Live music on the weekends is a nice touch in the lounge bar. Knowledgeable staff, that seem to have good repor & many return customers. Got the charcuterie platter & was impressed by the spread, they make them with fresh ingredients and prep them right in the bar at a deli station. The baby dill pickles were a good addition. Will definitely be back soon!

There was a woman sitting by herself at the bar, she was on the phone and all of a sudden she starting crying...hard She waited for like 10 minutes and after the woman got off the phone, the hostess Jenna came by and gave her a napkin to wipe her tears. It was a small guesture, but I could tell the woman really appreciated it It was something most everyone saw, but she was the only one to do something, pretty extraordinary

Incredible, actually. Truly memorable, outstanding service, excellent food. We tried Avant a couple of times shortly after they opened. Our thoughts then were- above average but very expensive, not all that impressive. Last night we had dinner at Avant and WOW, we will be going regularly now. 1) service was excellent (thanks, Rob!), 2) butternut squash soup. Need I say more- Yum! 3) chicken was incredible and I think to myself, how great can chicken be? Apparently, it can be Excellent, 3) lemon tart- lovely with a nice strong aromatic tart lemon- as advertised! Thank you! We will be back.

We had the best meal of our ten day California vacation here. The food was outstanding and the portions good. The charcuterie was particularly outstanding. Relaxed but very elegant décor.

We were staying at the Rancho Bernardo Inn so we thought we would try Avant since it was on sight and convenient. The first night we enjoyed Happy Hour on the patio with a view of a spectacular sunset. The appetizer and drink selections were ideal. Our dinner entrees consisted of an amazing Grouper and Wild Salmon. Dinner the next night exceeded my expectations when I selected the Bone-in Rib-Eye which was cooked to perfection and full of flavor. My wife chose the Japanese Eggplant dish which she also enjoyed. Our servers both nights provided impeccable service. We shall return when in the San Diego area just to order the Rib-Eye Steak.

I miss the former restaurant very much -elegant with delicious food and attentive service. Am I showing my age if I do not like the changes? Do not like arrangement of Avant but the food is good but expensive. Only go if friends insist. However it is a place I think everyone should try.

If you like steak, stay away. Chef has no idea what he is doing. I ordered a Medium Ribeye. My first $60 Ribeye came out like a hockey puck. Burnt. My second was moo'ing, rare as the day is long. #fail

Nice selection, good food. The highlight was our waitress, Vicki (here mostly on weekends); she's terrific! Friendly and personable, she truly made our dinner more enjoyable. And we remembered her from when we were here 3 years ago!

Just left the Avant and it was a fairly quiet night in the whole place, but it is a Monday thought. Overall everything was great, food service, and atmosphere. And the sunset we caught over the golf course was amazing. Great place!

I had a private event for 20 people at the AVANT in the El Biz room over the weekend and it was the best dining experience I have ever had. From the point of time where we were in the planning stages until time of the event, the AVANT and Rancho Bernardo Inn made the process seamless. They were so easy to work with including adapting to last minute menu changes. We had a party that had a multitude of diet restrictions (one being a gluten allergy) and the AVANT restaurant was able to accommodate all them without having to sacrifice the quality of food. The guests raved about the decor of the El Biz room and how it fit our sophisticated themed meal. I would score my experience 10 out of 10 and will definitely have more events hosted there in the future.

IF you do not have the ability to get out of the resort then this is a good stop. Menu is better than average, quality good, however, very pricey for what you get. There are others in this price range not far away that would be better choices. Service is ok, not special, food quality well above average, beverage selection good. The facility is very good, and I highly recommend the valet which is superior. My wife had the scallops and I had the country ribs, and both were very good. Portions are modest but the quality is there. Dessert choice is limited and if judged by the red velvet cake, don't bother. I live in the area and was here several years ago and things were better then. It may be that its just not my "thing" but I also won't be back.

Great food, great views. Especially beautiful at sunset. We had a happy hour then dinner, the views were gorgeous.

I’ve always wanted to try Avant Restaurant and I’m so glad we did. My Husband and I got the last table for Valentine’s dinner and we were lucky enough to try their amazing food. We had a 5 course meal and we also did the wine pairing which was the topping of the icing. My husband isn’t a wine kind of a guy and he definitely enjoyed all the wine pairing. I recommend doing the wine pairing with your dinner it really was amazing. The local Dungeness crab was delicious My second course was Braised lamb it was outstanding! My third course was the main lobster with Japanese sweet potato and just wow! My fourth course charcoal grilled yellowtail, it was amazing! The service we received was also very pleasant out waiter did a great job in making sure our glasses were never empty over all if I could give a 6 plus stars I would! Thank you Avant for the amazing food experience and service. The place was very clean and the tables were set 6 feet apart all the staff are wearing mask and did a great job keeping everyone safe! I highly recommend this place!

Aubrey Paris, our amazing resort membership club manager invited everyone to a series of amazing events this summer. One in particular that I recently attended was simply amazing! It was hosted by Tammy Hoops (sommelier) Ms Eastwood (cheesemonger). These two did their homework. Each cheese and wine pairing was top notch. It's something the average person couldn't do nor at an affordable price. In one sitting for less than a bottle of wine, we tasted cheeses and wines from around the world. My friends I invited keep asking "when are we doing that again". This should be a monthly event. The RBI and Avant keep out doing themselves. This is a place you must visit in the San Diego area.

We had an awesome dining experience. Brian & Shane waited on us attentively offering great menu suggestions while explaining each of dishes. We'll surely return and would request the same servers...5 star service.

We came here for a sister weekend and were blown away by the amazing culinary experience at Avant. The food, atmosphere and service were fantastic and we will definitely be back. Highly recommend Avant to anyone looking for a delicious meal to elevate your senses.

This is the second time we enjoy the delicious food and service at this restaurant! Krista (I hope to write her name right) our waitress was friendly, super attentive and enhanced our experience! We enjoyed the humbold fog and bresaola charcuterie to start and you can’t skip it! Bone in Ribeye and duck breast were just delicious. We love the decoration and the patio sitting looking at the golf course. Also a big thank you to Joe, wine director for such an amazing wine list and for the perfect recommendations. We will be back!

We got married at Rancho Bernardo Inn 5 years ago. We came back with friends to celebrate. Booked Table 65 to have a one of a kind private experience in a room with our own chef. Our expectations were exceeded. From Carmen who coordinated the event to Chef Chris and all the staff that waited on us...EXCELLENT JOB! The food was unbelievable. I would recommend to anyone with a close group of friends or family to try this experience. You won't be disappointed.

I stopped by the Avant for a beverage and a bite after a round of golf, I received excellent service from Amber. She made some suggestions including the bruschetta, mentioning the tomatoes are grown on site, it was awesome. It was nice to have a server that had knowledge and took the time to share it with you. I ended up staying longer than expected, I was very comfortable.

My husband and I went to Avant this past Saturday evening w our 4 kids,believe it or not, this is their favorite place to dine.The casual atmosphere is so inviting and the live entertainment up by the bar area is great.Our server Bub was awesome, friendly and beyond informed on all dishes,wines and how things were even prepared. Our family loves to eat so we always start out w the Brussels sprouts, Calamari and a Meat and cheese type platter. All are Excellent and I highly recommend them. I never thought my kids would like Brussels sprouts, but this is their favorite appetizer on the menu. Another favorite for a few of us is the Bone-in-Ribeye, it's huge and delicious and a must. My husbands favorite is the Pork Tomahawk, the best pork he's ever had. So tender and full of flavor. The deserts are on another level of mouth watering. We live locally, so Avant is a place we dine at regularly and we highly recommend it.

A great night filled with delicious food along with superb service from our waiter Bub! The steaks were done to perfection! Next time visiting San Diego from Fresno this will be a must for us.

Last weekend we had dinner at Avant. Our dinner there was amazing. Christa was our server and she was very sweet and attentive. My sea bass was the best I have ever had. We had a lovely salad and also a wonderful dessert. Chef Chris knows how to prepare the most incredible dishes. We also met the manager Jason who was also awesome and took good care of us. I would highly recommend this restaurant to anyone looking for a special dinner venue.

We went for the Sunday Supper set menu dinner and it was fabulous! Every dish was delicious and perfectly curated. The Chef is amazing and even stopped by our table! Joe our bartender/server was super friendly and makes a great cocktail! I will definitely be back!

My favorite place on earth. Tonight I had amazing service from Amber while checking out their new menu. Pork belly is simply amazing.

We are vacationing in San Diego and were invited to come here for dinner. What an amazing choice!! First of all the place is beautiful! Couple that with the service and food! It was truly an incredible experience! My praises to the Chef- Chris Gentile. His passion and creativity definitely comes through his amazing and delicious dishes.!! Please go and you will have the best time!! You won’t be disappointed. We will definitely be back!!

Our first dinner at Avant and we were delighted. The food is absolutely amazing. Menu is so interesting and inviting you really can't decide. And then when the food arrives, the attention to detail in the presentation is a delightful surprise. Someone in the back of the house knows what they are doing. To our extreme delight, Sal Germann was serving us and his skills matched that of the chef. In fact, I said every chef should have a Sal to top off the delightful experience. He was attentive, interesting with just the right balance of timing. Thanks for a great evening!

This is an upscale restaurant with a reasonably eclectic menu. The halibut was excellent as were the various appetizers. I enjoyed the fresh oysters, myself. Service was excellent as well: attentive, but not obsequious. I prefer to dine out in community restaurants when I travel, but I don't regret the decision to stay on property for this meal.

Avant is a top-notch restaurant with exceptional service and a unique and incredible menu. Plus the ambiance is classy and comfortable. We were there for our anniversary but this was our fourth dining experience and they have all been terrific and special.

This place was delicious. Pricey yes, but worth it for a special evening! Definitely order the bluefin tuna, the duck, and THE CHOCOLATE DESSERT!!!!! It was SO yummy.

When to Avant for my son's 30th birthday. Very much a high end experience from the Valet parking to the decor and very much the food. Cuisine is very California with unusual pairings and farm fresh ingredients. We started with a half dozen raw oysters that were amazing and a plate of charcuterie. Very nice presentation and tasty. For dinner we selected Salmon, Monkfish and short ribs. The fish was perfectly cooked and in an amazing sauce with in interesting vegetable accompaniment. I like Monkfish and this is my new favorite. Wrapped with thin sliced Virginia ham it was a great complement to the fish. The short ribs were very well cooked and in a great sauce that was similar to a BBQ but much richer and not a lot of vinegar. We did not order desert as we had cake waiting at home. The restaurant provided a complementary desert for my son. It was a pumpkin tart with a coriander and chia icecream which sound a little weird but was absolutely wonderful. The service was impeccable. The primary server was well informed on the dishes and asked the right questions to get us to dishes that would please us. His assistant saw to it that our glasses were always full and the table was kept clear and the bread was never lacking. Great experience in fine dining.

I had dinner at Avant on November 15th. The service was great, the atmosphere was great the food was great except for my date's entree. She ordered the Filet Medium and came Well done! Not one spot of pink throughout the filet. How is that possible at such a nice and very expensive restaurant? It ruined the dinner. They brought out a nice medium cooked filet later but by that time I was finished with my entree and she wasn't hungry anymore. Unbelievable. I won't go here again. I done out a lot all over the world and am not a picky diner whatsoever.

Everything was top notch. Wait staff was courteous and extremely professional. We saw the waiter back off while we were deep in conversation, and came back when we were ready. A lot of the food comes from an on premise vegetable and herb garden. Scenery is amazing as well as atmosphere. We had a black truffle risotto, full of actual black truffles versus truffle oil. We had a lamb shank that just fell apart, and a potato terrine that was like the best version of scalloped potatoes I've ever had

The crew at the Avant Bar is top notch. We enjoyed happy hour here while on vacation. The happy hour good menu is varied and tasty. Julio was great to offer suggestions and we decided to order the oysters. They were delicious. Watching Francisco mix cocktails was like a master class. Arianna rounded out the crew. The service was friendly but also very efficient. I highly recommend the Avant Bar for a light dinner and glass of wine.

I recently visited Avant hearing about the great things that they have been doing all the way from the drinks to the food. Stared of with some fresh oysters that came with a house made, fresh, mignonette. Moved on to a pork belly dish that makes you rethink the way you eat pork belly. Now I’m a big fan of exotic and rich meats and they had a wild boar rack on special with a lovely fermented black garlic glaze and fresh salsify. OUT OF THIS WORLD! Cooked perfectly (medium rare) and was not even close to disappointed. I can definitely say the same for the friends I was dining with. From the wine suggestions and the perfect pairings of wine from our server Dalton, our night couldn’t have turned out better. Definitely coming back soon. Can’t wait for more surprises that the chef has to offer!

This place is incredible! Best meal Iv ever had in San Diego! The salsify was perfectly cooked and very inventive, the pork blood spaghettini was also over the top. The iberco pork chop was fun to eat with the little pig mold and the flavor was over the top! This place should be top5 San Diego without a doubt!

Very nice happy hour. Nice bar food. Love the Brussel sprouts and the charcuterie platters. Cocktails were hit or miss depending on the bar tender.

I work for in Atlanta and recently had a work trip to San Diego where I stayed at Rancho Bernardo Inn. This is a place my company frequents often for client events and meetings as it is only a few short miles from our headquarters. I would usually go to the Veranda Bar to sit and have dinner. (I like to sit at the bar, instead of a table as it is easier to get service and not as boring as sitting alone at a table.) This trip, I decided to mix it up and go to AVANT instead. So glad I did! The bartender, Amber, was a delightful server. Some of my colleagues joined me later at the corner of the bar to have dinner, and Amber was very attentive to our needs. Even when we decided to leave the bar after appetizers and go downstairs to have a burger, Amber went above and beyond to bring us a bottle of wine downstairs to the Veranda, since they did not serve it downstairs at that restaurant. Full service....very nice! And very rare these days. Most people would simply say that isn't my job, or make up some excuse as to why they could not service the client. Amber did not disappoint, which made all of my colleagues very happy with our choice to visit her at the AVANT bar prior. So much so that we decided to go back up for after dinner drinks and conversation at AVANT.... and once again the following night. We will definitely be back!

First of all, if you're looking for a regular dinner, don't go here. Go to the Veranda Restaurant right below AVANT and enjoy the American food they have to offer which is also delicious. But AVANT Restaurant is a place you go to for small, expensive portions, beautifully crafted dishes, and the best ingredients/pairings a chef can provide. My mom and I came here for their 4-6pm Oyster Happy Hour where they have $1 oysters and $15 Veuve Cliquot champagne by the glass. We had to specifically request to hear about happy hour otherwise we were just handed the regular menu and no one brought it up. But we started with a dozen oysters and my mom got a glass of New Zealand white wine to pair up with them. The oysters tasted extremely fresh and were a nice variety. Really salty but I wonder if that's just how fresh they were. We've had a lot of oysters and these were definitely the saltiest I've had, but still delicious. Next we got a few plates to share which were the Chilled Cucumber Gazpacho, the Oxtail pasta, and the Tuna Toro "Belly". All three dishes were insanely delicious. My mom and I had to slow ourselves down. Of course, it wasn't filling so we ordered the Zucchini plate to share and another Tuna Toro "Belly" since that was by far the best dish for us. The Zucchini was just a lot of shaved zucchini pieces and that would have been fine for $14 however they had laid on the salt and pepper so heavily that it burned our tongues and throats. Unfortunately we had to send that back but the waitress was very understanding. Finally, dessert was a Fig & Raspberry Tart which may sound simple, but it was so beautifully constructed and had incredibly delicate flavors. The tart, the citrus, the sweet. It was all there. My mom isn't big on dessert and she devoured it - I relented on the last bite since it was her birthday dinner after all. The only thing I will say, and this has more to do with COVID times, is that we were seated on the patio that was very isolated but was the only walkway through to their official outdoor seating area. When we walked out of the restaurant and passed that official area, we felt a bit cheated. There was ambiance lighting, a gorgeous fireplace, and some low chatter which makes you feel like you're a part of something. Had I known that was there, I would have asked to be seated there.

Avant is the museum restaurant inside the Rancho Bernardo inn hotel. There is a big bar at the entrance. The service is good and so is the food. Good place

The food was great, service was amazing, and loved the live music! Great place to go for a nice dinner just because or to celebrate a special occasion.

We went for the champagne and oysters for happy hour. We were told we could only have this in the bar so we sat at a table in the bar area. The champagne was very good and the oysters were OK but a bit small. We decided to order dinner and I ordered two appetizers. I thought the gazpacho soup sounded good with the pumpernickel bread. But to my surprise I received no more than 3 tablespoons of bland soup and three pumpernickel croutons. I really laughed out loud when I asked the waiter where the bread was and he pointed to the croutons. The soup was terrible and I asked for some salt which Took a while for them to find, but they found some behind the bar. My second appetizer was cucumber salad. It was the tiniest cucumber I have ever seen sliced with about a teaspoon of whipped feta cheese. Although tasty it was hardly a salad. By this time we had spent $75 on my food plus my husband bought something equally terrible. We were so hungry we decided to leave and go find a restaurant where we weren’t going to be ripped off and we could actually get something to eat.

Phenomenal dinner, excellent presentation and taste for the food, excellent wife selection and fabulous service

We dined here on our first night at Rancho Bernardo. We expected a great meal in a classy setting. Instead, we were overwhelmed with the noise from neighboring tables. We ended up having the mix & match Charcuterie and cheese plate which was quite good with small pieces of two cheeses and two salamis with several accompanying small tasting items. My wife had the Day boat scallops appetizer which was excellent with a pair of seared scallops with sauce, while I had a small crab salad. We went straight to dessert and I had a chocolate and ice cream desert that was forgettable, but my wife's Spiced Chocolate was the biggest hit of the evening. With appetizers, meat and cheese plate, dessert and a margarita and a glass of wine, our bill was well over $100. That's without a main course! As I noted up front, the noise level was overwhelming while we were there. It was very difficult to hear our servers, or each other. It was a chilly night and it appeared that a portion of the restaurant with outdoor exposure had been closed off, which may have contributed to the noise level. This was the one part of our stay at the resort which was less than perfect.

Had the pleasure of dinner and drinks. everything far exceeded my expectations. the food was wonderful, the service was sopt on and the Margarita was amazing. We will be coming back SOON

We went to Avant on a Wednesday evening for a birthday celebration. We chose Avant because we had such a great meal and wonderful service at Thanksgiving. And Avant delivered! Nice wines, and the waiter even offered my husband a glass on the house for his birthday. For appetizers we chose the brussel sprouts and Calamari. Brussel sprouts are in vogue now and we have sampled many in various cities, but I have to say that the brussel sprouts here were the best I have ever had . Such great seasoning and prepared perfectly. Calamari also did not disappoint--. We also shared a bowl of pumpkin soup with nasturtium. This was so tasty. For entrees I had the salmon with unique but wonderful cauliflower, quinoa and a sauce that really was delicious. My husband, a die hard carnivore, had the bone in rib eye. It was huge. Not cheap, but also prepared perfectly to his liking. There was plenty to bring home for a sandwich the next day. Bread is brought in a paper bag, piping hot, fresh. The monkfish looked interesting and we spoke with another couple on our way out and both had loved their monkfish, which is wrapped in a ham and also comes with a wonderful sauce. There were so many other items we would have wanted to try: halibut, a variety of oysters, persimmon salad, a vegetarian entree, short ribs, etc., but we could only eat so much. We'll just have to come back! Service was fine. We had a main server and his assistant who made sure we had enough water, drinks, bread, take home boxes, etc. We didn't plan to have dessert but were surprised with a complimentary trio of items: an ice cream, banana cake and pudding dish, all of which were devoured. It's not a bargain place, but we found it to be a great restaurant to share a special meal and will definitely return. They have a remarkable chef, and all of our items were prepared so well we were happy we chose this restaurant for our birthday celebration.

This restaurant is located in the hotel. We went there for happy hour and then dinner. Drinks are really good and the food was amazing and tasty. Staff was super friendly and very attentive.

We have been to Avant and its predecessor at the RB Inn many times. We recognize that the COVID Epidemic has made things difficult and it is difficult. But our experience last night was extremely disappointing. First of all the menu was very limited and the prices were out of sight. We almost left before ordering because of the menu and prices. Our wait person was well meaning but was difficult to understand, not helpful with menu options, was not familiar with wine decanting and not once filled our wine glasses. This is supposed to be a high end dining experience. Not so. It will be quite a while before we dine here again. It is a shame as we only live a mile away.

We frequent the Rancho Bernardo INN quite often Because it’s convenient and we live in the area. Unfortunately the quality of food and service has gone down greatly in these two areas of the Inn ; “Avant” in the Past Three visits has not been good, 2 times for dinner and once for appetizers and drinks, service has been bad food has been cold and even stale each of these past three visits. Seems as though the staff was more interested in counting their inventory, then taking care of their customers, Also the “bar down stairs” not good service, to busy working on “tickets”. Now “Veranda” on the patio downstairs “is good” we have had very little trouble with service or food with them. So if you’re going to eat here go to the Veranda Restaurant outside.

We hosted 25 people for a Rehearsal dinner with Christina’s help. The service and food was extremely good and we highly recommend the Rancho Bernardo Inn. Mark Langer

Our dinners were delicious. The ambience is beautiful and the grounds are too. Only complaint is the hostess was wearing some type of skimpy jumper that looked like she was wearing a pajama top and had forgotten to wear pants. Embarrassing and unprofessional.

Located in Rancho Bernardo Inn, with valet as well as self parking. Large bar with live music, and a very nice covered but exposed patio off main entrance. Chef's garden on premises, growing herbs and vegetables. Has to be one of top restaurants in this area. Fully staffed with attentive servers, food runners, and bussers. To start, butter poached lobster, then mix and match. Nothing more needs to be said about butter poached lobster, just order it. Mix and match was salumi, cheeses, lightly pickled vegetables, cornichons, almonds, fresh berries, marmalade, mustard, and crusty fresh bread - savory, sweet, sour, salty, crunchy, creamy, spicy. Salad course was beets 3 ways which included frisee, berries and citrus, but no cheese. An excellent intermezzo. Rack of Colorado lamb was expertly cooked and cous cous with spring vegetables paired perfectly. Sea bass with salsa verde was light and flavorful. Not a dessert connoisseur but red velvet cake with tiny cubes of cheesecake and pecan ice cream could convert me. Pricey wine list dominated by big Cali wines, in need of a better selection of old world wines.

Fiancé and I came to celebrate a birthday. We ordered drinks from our server and those took 10 minutes to arrive. When we finally ordered some food, we ordered oysters and two other appetizers to start. The appetizers arrived in short order but then our server and the oysters were nowhere to be found for the next 45 minutes. The restaurant was not busy enough to warrant such inattentive service. You’d expect a lot more from a pricier restaurant at a nice resort. Very underwhelmed.

Want to Avant to celebrate with friends and had great food and fabulous service. For appetizers we had the charcuterie tray, scallops and brussel sprouts. All were excellent; especially the brussel sprouts. Our main courses were the tender ribeye and monk fish. The ribeye was cooked perfectly and the onion/cheese ring made it mouth watering. We finished the meal with the donut and baileys ice cream desert. The desert was go good, we had to order a second one. The best part of the dinner was our service. Especially Shane and Dalton. Shane was there for our every need, and made sure our wine glasses were never empty. Dalton was knowledgeable about the menu and had always had a smile on his face. Also, want to thank the management team at Avant. They all came by and greeted us. The whole staff made it a memorable night!

We stayed at the Rancho Bernardo Inn where this restaurant is located, and we ended up coming here every night it was open during our stay. The dinner menu was creative and full of options, and our server (Bub) was friendly, professional, and knowledgeable. So were the hosts and bussers. The happy hour, however, was the best thing about Avant: the value was great and the food options were terrific. They had the usual bar fare like chicken wings (delicious!), but they also had fresh hamachi -- amazing and at a great price. The wine choices were also great, and the pours were generous. The bar tenders -- particularly Joey -- were all friendly and recognized us the second night we decided to visit. The only "down" side was that we planned to go to the happy hour on our last night at the hotel and it was closed, probably to funnel everyone down to the other hotel bar for the Super Bowl. It would've been nice if there was some sort of signage the night before or a warning from the bar tenders or hosts. Still, we were glad we got to experience it -- a highlight of our stay!

Probably the best duck preparation I have ever had. Crispy skin, moist, cooked to the perfect temp, and garnished with lavender soaked cherries that were the perfec accompaniment. I realize this must be a seasonal preparation because both cherries and lavender are in season write now, so hurry up and order already. It was so fun to get this dish, having just visited the lavender harvest at Highlend Springs Ranch about an hour away. What a perfect end to a beautiful day..

Honestly the best meal I've ever had the pleasure of experiencing. Tyson Torres and his staff are impeccable with their execution of service and fine dining. Jonas our server knew exactly how to speak and treat us. This is a well oiled machine that functions with precision and screams profession. Thank you so much for having us. If you're not wondering what to have, the Wagyu hands down, this property shall not disappoint you.

The place is great. Nice and healthy food and drinks, staff very educated and happy place, I will be there too many times

We decided to go out for Thanksgiving and are not sorry we did. First time to Avant; had previously been to El Bizcocho at RB Inn. I like Avant more. Nice ambiance inside--large bar area. There was a special meal for Thanksgiving and our quartet enjoyed turkey roulade, prime rib and swordfish. The starters of scallops, quail and a sweet potato bisque with marshmallow and nuts were devoured as was the desert. Bread arrives hot and drinks were prepared well. Our waiter , Jonas, could not have been more informative, attentive and just plain perfect. We will be back, and I may never spend a week preparing for a Thanksgiving again!

AVANT could easily meet the requirements of a nice night out for wedding anniversary, wedding, or simply a quiet evening. Great ambiance and seasonal with both a wide variety and local dishes for everyone.

Food was fabulous; interesting menu and the brussel sprouts were exceptional! Our waiter was absolutely phenomenal - I think his name was Bub. Exceptional in every way; very well versed in explaining the menu and was thorough in responding to all of our questions. He was aware of our every need! We'll be back!

We loved the predecessor, El Bizcocho....it was one of the top 3-5 fine dining restaurants in San Diego. This was nice and we enjoyed it but definitely miss El Bizcocho. Service was excellent! As far as the food goes it was hit and miss. Squash blossoms were awful. Described as flash fried but totally deep fried. Ricotta inside was just the wrong cheese to include, should have been a young pecorino. For next course I had a dozen raw oysters. The had a nice selection of 3 or 4 different kinds. But a crime was committed by topping the oysters with chopped green onion! Are you kidding me!? Raw oysters are just that. If you want to add other things for dipping be my guest but don’t throw green onions on top. I had to pick every piece off....griped about it twice but no action taken. Disappointing. Also had the beef tartare which was quite good, definitely not a traditional version but we enjoyed it. For entrees we ordered John Dory fish which while tasty was a tad bland. The Iberico pork tenderloin was definitely the highlight. Delicious and highly recommend. Good overall.

Had a great time at the Avant cooking school, want to thank server Shane for recommending it. Chef Maureen was very good at communicating how she was preparing the food, and David was very attentive to our needs. I have already recommended Avant to friends and will be back soon for dinner.

Was staying at the Rancho Bernardo Inn so dined her by myself my first night at the resort. Enjoyed this dinner immensely. Matt, my server was beyond friendly and accommodating. I had a great table by the window overlooking the golf course. The menu was very creative. I ordered the double barrel margarita to start and it was delicious. Fresh ingredients and great tequila. I started off with the fried brussels sprouts and they were one of the best things I ever ate. Charred with a sweet glaze so the balance of flavor was outstanding. For my main course, i had the veal cheeks over papardelle. Great flavors with the veal, shaved parmagianno reggiano and mushrooms. For dessert, I ordered the "coffee and dounuts". There were 4 mini sugared donuts served with Bailey's ice cream and a side of espresso poured over the ice cream. I'm not even a coffee drinker and enjoyed this so much! The only reason I did not give this restaurant an excellent rating is that there were shards of white plastic in my ice cream. Thankfully, i never had them in my mouth as they were really sharp. The waiter apologized and took the dessert off of the bill. I think an anomoly and would defintely go back.

The best hidden value happy hour is at Avant… they serve $1 oysters and Vueve for $15 a glass. My husband said the oysters may well have been the best he’s ever had and I’ve never seen a happy hour where they serve Vueve Cliqout by the glass (see, he doesn’t drink and I don’t eat oysters, so a place where we could both go and enjoy some of our faves at a great value is super, and rare!). We followed up happy hour with a delicious dinner in the main dining room which was paired with fantastic service. Dinner was a splurge, we certainly weren’t disappointed.

Avant offers California Cuisine at it's best. Fresh seafood, locally sourced fruits and vegetables prepared to please the most discriminating palate. Wine and craft beer pairings round out the menu. Daily specials surprise regular diners everytime. Visitors will enjoy an exceptional dining experience. The diningroom overlooks the RB Inn golfcourse and terrace below. Seating is plush and comfortable. The dining room is quiet and allows for intimate conversation whether on a date or business. There is also a demonstration/private dining room, comfortable bar area and an outdoor dining area. The room is unpretentious with warm wood tones and golden accent colors. Service is attentive without being annoying. Whether you want to eat light or enjoy a leisurely multi-course meal, Avant will satisfy. There are numerous Vegetarian and Gluten Free selections and they will modify anything on the menu to accommodate your dietary needs. Whether or not you're gluten free you'll love the gluten free chocolate mousse cake for dessert. Yum!

Frequented Avant for anniversary and birthday celebration. Service was very slow and menu was limited and creative substitutions were not permissible. E-mailed their website and never received the courtesy of a response from any manager. Would look elsewhere for most restaurants that are courteous and appreciate families.

The waiter kept interrupting our conversations with long winded explanations of everything. Appetizers were good, but so varied in portion size we could not decide if we needed to share main dishes. Unfortunately we decided to share and they were skimpy. Tasted OK though. More waiter interruptions though. Training if fine dining waitin seems to be lacking. I put this on management more than the individual servers.

I was there this last Friday and I had such a great experience. Our server was not only Handsome and well groomed but he was smiling so much while he was describing every dish. His dimples were icing on the cake. His name was Tom. He sold me on the Ribeye. He wasn't lying when he said it was the most popular entree. When I tasted it I could tell how it had so much more flavor than a steak that wasn't dry aged. Tom had an assistant named Markus with him and he was so kind and always there to help and they Def were in sync with service. If you want great service and amazing food then Ask for Tom when you make visit to Avant. Place is outstanding and the view of the golf course is gorgeous.

Came in for a drink and it was so nice and the service so good that we stayed for dinner. Food was excellent service was on point. All that with the added live music made for a perfect time.

Loved the virgin Mojito on the menu (there are more) and the shrimp pasta -- delicious! Short rib quesadilla is to die for!

Just met a few friends at Avant for happy hour. It was a perfect end to the week. The bartenders made amazing drinks and the happy hour apps were all delicious. You have to order the brussel sprouts the are amazing. Live music was nice. We were well taken care of the whole time. See you next Friday Avant!!

Just finished dinner at Avant. I have to say it was the best experience dining out that I have ever had. From the ambiance, food, to the service. It was perfect. My server, sorry I forgot his name, even mentioned how much he loved working there because the manager really cared. Its nice to know that some places are still doing it right. Thanks Avant!!

Our server Jonas made the meal. He recognized us as previous customers and bent over backwards to make sure everything was perfect...from recommending drinks to carefully reviewing the recent menu changes. He struck a perfect balance between letting us enjoy each course and having the next one ready when we were. We ordered the Fried Brussel Sprouts...as always. A wonderful combination of textures and flavors. This time we followed with the new Kale Caesar Salad. Knowing we were sharing, Jonas had it split in the kitchen for us. It was very tasty as well with the avocado Caesar dressing. And finally, the masterpiece, the Bone-in Ribeye. Simply delicious. My wife likes closer to medium, my taste is medium-rare...so we ask them to carve and slice the rib-eye prior to serving...and we each get exactly the slices we want to suit or individual tastes (and there is no guesswork required by the chef!). I left Jonas a nice tip based on the experience provided and he came all the way back to the table from the kitchen just to acknowledge his appreciation. We will be returning!

An excellent experience. Chief Chris was outstanding and very engaging with the group. This was a demonstration on preparing fish and a 3 course meal paired with excellent wine. Was far more exciting than expected. Would definitely do this again

Just finished a great meal st the Avant restaurant at Rancho Bernardino. I had the short rib quesadilla, it looked like the prime rib was delicious as well. Thank you Vickie!

Met some friends for dinner at Avant recently and had an excellent experience. Food, service and atmosphere of the restaurant and bar were amazing. Daniel was our server and made some excellent recommendations, he was attentive without interrupting our conversation. Everything that our group ate was prepared perfectly. Thanks for a great experience, we'll be back!

I enjoyed the complex mixture of flavors I had with every dish. They are particularly good at the caramelized flavorings. I had the NY steak with an excellent glaze. The mixed drinks were a little watered down.

For some reason this restaurant has never received the high praise of its predecessor. But, though more modern, it is easily as good as the older restaurant. Outstanding wine list and several very good wines served "on tap". We have eaten here many times....often on special occasions and have never been disappointed in the food or the service. Fresh and very tasty vegetables are a seasonal favorite. Dishes are expertly cooked and presented. Try their holiday brunches and you'll go away full and marveling at the variety of food. AVANT should be considered one of North County's very best restaurants. Only a slight downgrade for being pretty expensive....but, we think well worth the occasional splurge. Happy Hour is a good way to lower the price a bit, but enjoy a smaller tasty menu.

This was my first time at AVANT. Not only was the food fantastic, so was the whole experience. We started with the corn bread madelines and the potato cloud. Both were so good, but the server recommended we order fries to dip into the potato cloud. We followed his recommendation and it was crazy good. Definitely do it! It’s the only way to have it! We also tried the poke cone and gougères at his recommendation and did not regret it. The poke cone was a perfect little two-bite waffle cone filled with delicious poke. The gougères were amazing. How can you go wrong with cheese puffs filled with melted cheese and topped with finely grated parmesan?? For our entrees, we ordered the wagyu beef duo and 45 day dry-aged rib eye. The wagyu beef duo was a petit tenderloin and braised brisket. The chef recommended temperature was medium rare and it was perfect. Both were so tender and the flavor was so good. The dry aged rib eye was a huge 26 oz bone-in steak. Our server, Sal, recommended medium and it was spot on. It was a perfect sear on the outside, perfectly pink on the inside, and it was so tender that even at medium I could pull a piece off with my fork alone. It was seasoned exactly how it should’ve been as to enhance the flavor of the meat and not mask it. I could actually taste the flavor of the meat change as I got closer to the bone. It was one of the best steaks I’ve ever had. For dessert, we had the cereal milk panna cotta and the highly recommended coffee & donuts. The panna cotta was so light and refreshing. The panna cotta itself was very lightly sweet, enough to let the berries, mint, and crunchy cereal bar do the sweetening. The coffee & donuts were our favorite of the two though. Fresh, airy mini donuts, covered in cinnamon and sugar with a side of espresso which is then poured over a scoop of Baileys ice cream. That is a must have!! Food aside, the staff was also fantastic. Our server, Sal was very attentive. He was constantly checking on us, but never annoying or overbearing. His recommendations were spot on and he was friendly from start to finish. The manager, Tyson also came around to check on us a few times, chatted a bit, and gave some of his personal recommendations as well. One of his recommendations was his barrel-aged old fashioned. I’ll definitely order that one again next time. All-in-all, a fantastic experience. We’ll be back again soon.

I won a dinner gift certificate at a golf tournament held at the RB Inn Golf Course. It read "Dinner For Two" and nothing more. My husband and I decided to go their for our 5th wedding anniversary dinner. We made the reservation for 7pm, arrived at 6pm, enjoyed some live music and a cocktail before being seated. We were seated at a corner booth and Bub introduced himself as our waiter for the evening. We ordered an appetizer, two starters, two entrees and two drinks. Our mouths were in heaven. Bub described each dish as it was presented and we savored each bite. We were absolutely satisfied when Bub surprised us and said that dessert was their gift to us for our anniversary. Even though we were not planning on having any, we made an exception and went with the chocolate, which was AMAZING. When the bill came, we presented our certificate. Bub said that he would share with management and be right back. To our complete surprise, he came back and said that everything we ordered was included in the gift certificate. That made our experience even sweeter...we left a SIZABLE tip and thanked him for everything. If you are planning a romantic evening and looking for superb food, service and atmosphere, please keep Avant on the top of your list. Thank you Bub and Management, it was truly a memorable anniversary dinner!

Avant never disappoints. Forturnately, for my my husband and I we live nearby and can enjoy often. The team that the manager, Tyson, has assembled is amazing. Amber, Anthony, Dalton, Rob, Krista, etc. are all so sweet, hard working individuals! We love that the menu changes seasonally (never get bored with it) and is always full of different options for all. From them moment we enter with a warm welcome from the hostess, to the time we leave with full bellies, it is a wonderful experience!

Beautiful restaurant and nice atmosphere. Lots of variety on the menu. Everything was delicious and the brussel sprouts were amazing!

In December 2018 we started planning an 80-th birthday party with the Avant restaurant services at the Rancho Bernardo Inn in San Diego, California. As the April date of the party approached we became concerned about the progress we were making towards finalizing all the details. Things were drifting until Avant assigned Cristina Porterfield to our event. She injected new energy and enthusiasm into our planning and when there was indecision about resolving problems, she produced the solutions. It was largely due to her efforts and those of her excellent staff that the party that we envisioned back in December was realized. Every aspect of it was a success. Fine meal, smooth but unobtrusive service, and unanimous approval from all the guests. We can’t thank the Avant team enough for making this important birthday an unforgettable experience.

Martinis (excellent!) and a good meal at Avant was just the cure we needed after a long day of travel delays.

A favorite hotel to stay at while doing business in the area! Beautiful grounds. Great rooms. The last trip we did lunch at Avant. Emily D was our server and she was perfect. Attentive, friendly, helpful with suggestions! Did I mention lunch was delicious? Short rib potato skins!! Yummy!! Highly recommend!

This restaurant is on the Rancho Bernardo Inn property. Reservations suggested and valet parking available. The service, ambiance and presentation of food are all superbly done. We started with a bottle of Fritz Pinot noir along with our oyster appetizers followed by our entrees of branzino, scallops and duck breast all served with appropriate accompaniments. All followed by dessert of mixed berries and ice cream. Delicious!

My boyfriend and I celebrated our 7th year together at the Rancho Bernardo Inn and dining at Avant. The restaurant is beautiful, and the servers were gracious and knowledgeable. I had the halibut, which was super fresh and perfectly cooked and presented. My boyfriend had the scallops - also a hit. This is a beautiful restaurant and wonderful for celebrating a special event or just to treat yourself to a lovely meal.

This place is a great place to have a wedding or a big group party or just go for dinner they have a lot of rooms and a lot of areas they have the big parties and there is live music playing

Finally, AVANT is back open as CA State relaxes the rules! A little different but same great food and service. We have gone twice since they have reopened and I feel very safe and comfortable. The staff are all wearing masks (as are patrons,(until you get to your table). They are disinfitecting tables and chairs constantly. As for the food, it's a limited menu but with great options and portion size. Alway delicious! We are so happy to be able to come in and relax and enjoy ourselves. We can't sit at the bar yet, but hopefully that will be the next step. Come visit them, they are doing a great job!!

The food and service at Avant is excellent. A new twist has been added, and it is a surprise when your bill is presented. It is a 3.75% surcharge.. When we asked the server what this was for, he said the owner added it because she was upset that minimum wages went up so she somehow had to recoup that cost. If she had just raised prices, nobody would know. This was very disappointing and I will think twice before going back.

I want to give a huge 'shout out' to Macie Rico, the outlet Sales manager for Rancho Bernardo Inn. We celebrated our 50th Wedding anniversary with our entire family in a private room at the Inn. Macie was professionally and enthusiastically wonderful. She answered all our questions and recommended things we didn't even consider. I would recommend her to any restaurant. Her knowledge of all the details was grand. Additionally, I would like to say a few words to our waiter, Jason, who ad a big job taking care of all the drinks and the different menus we requested. We had a couple of younger guests at the table, and Jason was terrific accommodating all their needs. Bill and I were thrilled to celebrate this event at the Avant Restuarant with such wonderful people. Thank you.

This is a great place to and cool environment. Mossi is a cool bartender. I've been in several times and he always takes care of us. The other employees are very attentive to your needs. Great customer service all around.

The food and service are amazing as always. The craft cocktails and specialty drinks continue to amaze every time we go. The restaurant is doing a great job at keeping everything clean and sanitized, well beyond expectations and what is necessary. The seating seems well beyond the needed 6' spacing. If you are thinking of venturing out to a dine in restaurant for the first time, this is a great spot as you will feel very safe and comfortable.

Interesting menu. Nice food. Better for dinner. Liked the pork tomahawk and the fried Brussels sprouts.

Had dinner with my sister last night and we both truly enjoyed it. Chef Chria, Chef Sergio and staff did an amazing job with the food from presentation to taste. I would definitely recommend braised cabbage and bone marrow- heavenly. Rob, as always so wonderful and the other servers were amazing and very attentive.

My Lamb Sirloin, accompanied with crispy sweetbreads, garlic potato mousseline, swiss chard and mushroom demi was probably the simplest of the items on the dinner menu. Honestly, the food was good enough not to need any fancy descriptions! The charcuterie and cheese our table shared, and the main courses, were all excellent. We passed dessert. It took an hour for us to get any food. too long I think. Our Server was not, I think, enchanted by our party, which -- to be fair -- did include a couple of loud members. But that should not have impacted the service. For all the minor imperfections, I would return.

Fantastic restaurant with old world charm! The food was prepared to perfection. Shared the lobster appetizer and charcuterie platter to start, followed by beet salad and rack of lamb...pleasing to the eye and appetite! Service was impeccable as well...great experience!

Family had dinner back in December 2016. Rancho Bernardo Inn where AVANT was located, had a Holiday Family Event. We had reservations prior so no problems with seating at all. Service was very good. The manager was at hand to check on us. Food was good. I wish I could say the food was excellent but we were not blown away by the entrees we ordered. Cost of food was fine dining prices as expected. I only wished the cost of the food matched the taste of the food. In other words, from that experience, I would rate it as Very Good for the good service and the fancy restaurant ambience. Perhaps when we go back, the food would be fantastic this time.

Did you know you should make a reservation right now. Will be to your AdVANTage. Seriously. Yes, scored five stars. Forbes score it a four, sorry Forbes you missed one. It’s a five. Booked the AVANT as a guest at the Rancho Bernardo Inn…and then perused the menu, and the Pavlovian began… From the informed and engaging server, to the efficient and almost invisible table staff, this evening has pushed my bar of dining expectations upwards. The amuse bouche lit the fuse, the all puffed up cocktails sparked our attention, the entrees and sides (sorry readers: forgot to capture pics of the sides) to the closing bell-ringer, the desserts. Again, Forbes you missed one. It’s five. So, you are to my last sentence. Book a reservation now. You owe it to yourself, and all of your foodie friends. Seriously.

I had a client party for about 30 people. I did a wine tasting happy hour and appetizers. The atmosphere was amazing, the food was excellent and the staff could not have been better. The sommelier, Joe, was a great addition to the party. He provided a wealth of knowledge for the various wines that were served and was very professional and friendly with all of my guests. We had and appetizer station and appetizers passed around on trays. Best of both worlds! Carmen Fregulia was fabulous helping me plan the event and made sure every detail was taken care of. I could not be happier with the way the party turned out! My clients all loved it. I would high recommend having your next event here!

I hate writing bad reviews as most of the hundreds of reviews I have shared on this site have been glowing reports. My husband and I normally dine at places that have solid reviews on Trip Advisor and we saw very good feedback about Avant. We live in the area and have often dined at this hotel in the other outdoor restaurant downstairs. On this trip we were celebrating an anniversary so we decided to try the Avant. Our dinner started off with a warning from the table next to us. They shared some frustration as they had been waiting over an hour to get their food! Our waiter did come promptly but then everything went down hill from there. Our server disappeared after bringing our initial drinks and taking our dinner order, then we only caught sight of him 30 minutes later (unable to flag him down). My soup was too salty and I was only able to endure 1/2 of it. Nobody came to check on our appetizers. Another server brought our dinner (almost an hour later) while we sat with empty wine glasses, never being asked if we wanted more drinks with our meal. Our food was delivered cold (filet steak and short ribs) ! Not only that but the side dishes were wrong! Nobody checked on us during the meal to inquire how our dinner was nor to ask about any other drinks we might want. Our evening entertainment was watching a flurry of staff who seemed to be filling in for each other, while trying to maintain order in the room. Our waiter was still missing during the madness and then only appeared after we ate our cold dinners without any wine. He asked if we wanted dessert and provided no explanation for his absence. The table next to us had sent their food back and the on site manager was busy serving them and then comping their meal, apologizing for the inconvenience they had endured. We tried to get the attention of this gal many times to complain but she seemed too busy dealing with problems throughout the dining room, while serving food herself. My husband was finally able to order an after dinner drink that was delivered promptly, yet we waited another 30 minutes for ice cream delivered by another waiter (after my husband's drink was long gone) We looked down to see two melted molds of what used to be ice cream scoops but was now just white soup. The entire dining experience was like some kind of horrible joke. When given our dinner check the waiter made an off handed remark that the evening had been problematic yet he offered no apologies or discounts. We were too frustrated by the whole event and left a small tip before retreating to our hotel room. Upon our exit we looked for the gal who seemed to be the manager, yet she was long gone. Our visit to Avant was over the Memorial Day weekend so perhaps this restaurant was overwhelmed by too many guests or short staffed? I called and emailed the manager of the Avant, hoping to discuss this nightmare yet I have heard nothing back. There are more awful details I could share but this review is already too long. Given the cost of meals at this restaurant I expected more in the way of customer service and food quality. Perhaps this was just one very bad night and our own back luck. We will not be back. I am sorry to say that maybe you should consider another spot to spend your money for a nice dinner experience. My one star review is being generous, as I would give 0 stars if I could ! Such a shame as the RB Inn is a nice resort.

Nice cozy but upscale ambiance and very attentive service in both bar and restaurant. Very good cocktails and a nice wine selection. But in one word the food was "STINGY'. In the bar, no peanuts, chips or anything offered even after several expensive drinks. Dinner was worse. I understand " a la carte" but we ordered snapper and there was no rice, no potato, no veggie, not even a sprig of parsley. The fish was nicely cooked with a lovely light sauce and a few things sprinkled on top but the fish serving was so paltry ( super thin and not large piece) that we actually laughed when we saw it. The salad was also a super small portion and not great-caesar with soft lettuce and tangerine segments..and very bland mayo dressing. The Parker house roll was good and the amuse bouche was ok, the complimentary dessert was a strawberry mouse in a chocolate cup-flavorless and overly sweet. The roll and fish were tasty, everything else was mediocre at best and the entire meal felt mean and stingy.

There had a nice abeyance, my wife and I had a romantic dining experience. We had the Fried Brussels Sprouts* (with medjool date syrup, cardamom crema, pomegranate). The Lamb Belly* (with grilled lamb belly, apricot, raita, endive, fig). For the main course we had the Grass-Fed Bone-In Ribeye* (with yukon gold potatoes, wild mushrooms, red onion confit). My wife and I shared the meal together. the Ribeye was so large we over ate to get it all down. My drink was the double barrel Margarita, for me, who likes to drink tequila, the mixed drink came strong. So the greatest ever waiter Bub, took of it for me. My wife was helped with several drinks until she found the one she was satisfied with. That kind of service is above and beyond. The food was excellent, the drinks were excellent and the service was excellent (remember he name is Bub.) For her birthday she was given a desert, Coffee and Donuts (sounds plain but it was not).

WOW! Carmen and team really knocked it outta the park! I have a BIG family and we don't just have a one-day wedding, we celebrate the entire weekend! We had a small dinner party (12 ppl) at Table 65 one night which was AMAZING - followed by our Rehearsal Dinner/Cocktail Party in La Tabenera the next night and the staff truly EXCEEDED our expectations! They made us feel like we were the only people on property and catered to our ever need! THANK YOU Carmen and team!!

Here for a conference and got in late off the plane. Ran to the restaurant before they closed and felt a bit underdressed for an up scale restaurant, however the staff was suuuper friendly and made me feel right at home. The food here is amazing. I’ve been to many Michelin starred restaurants that wouldn’t stand up to the meal I’ve had here. I had the spaghettini and the butternut squash dish from their own fresh farm on the property. WOW is all I can say. The food was perfectly cooked and seasoned impeccably. The prices are super reasonable for the quality of food as well. I’ll definitely be back!

We already wrote a review on the Rancho Bernardo Page. But we wanted share our experience here as well. We has a great time at the restaurant. Our server Tom was so funny and recommended some great dishes (I had the ribeye it was so good). It was a peaceful night of laughing over wine and being with great people. Two thumbs up, we will be back! :)

The dinning experience was something we did not expect. We ordered the meat and cheese platters and snacked on the Bread and the best butter in town. The steaks arrived perfectly cooked and they were big and juicy. My husband and son have a birthday on the same day and after eating pizza for birthdays this was a real treat. My son had said "this was the best steak he has ever eaten" and my husband kept asking for more butter with this bread and before you know it we were ordering deserts. Thank you for the wonderful meal. Something we will never forget.

Both of these waiters, like all the staff at Avant, make me feel so welcome when I come here for dinner. It is such a pleasure to be in a restaurant where the employees so obviously enjoy working. Thank you RBI, pay them well!!!

We went on a Saturday night. We took our kids since we were staying at the hotel. The food and service was excellent. We had great drinks. We were given a table out of the way, so our kids did not disturb others. We could see the bar area was busy, and appeared to be a fun hang out. They had sports on the TV's. If we were coming back again, we would make a reservation and ask for a BOOTH. Will highlight your experience. Also, it is a small menu, but everything on it looks very yummy.

This restaurant has worked hard over the years to once again become a force in the San Diego North County dining scene. Creative menu changing monthly based on fresh ingredients. Highly recommend.

The food here is good but the high prices don't reflect the good value. The restaurant would benefit from more realistic pricing.

Stayed at the Rancho Bernado Inn for 3 nights, had a great meal at the Veranda Restaurant, service was good and our server Ricky was very pleasant, we had a mixed batch of main courses, Rib eye, Salmon and Chicken all very good, two bottles of Prisoner Cab and off to the races, excellent evening was had by all.

Halibut with an assortment of tomatoes in tomato water might not seem a great choice, but it definitely is! The crust on the halibut was as perfect as the cooking of this delicate fish. The parings are extraordinary, but worth trying. Every dish is a surprise of flavors.

We hadthe most decadent, delicious, inspiring dinner we've ever had in our lives at Avant. We asked the kitchen to choose our meal for us, and they sent us a 3 course meal paired with a delicious white wine for our appetizers and a beautiful red for our entrees and desserts. I had a spring pea salad and my fiance had green curry mussels for appetizers and they were both incredible dishes. My olive oil poached fish with potatoes and clams were so smooth and delicious! My fiance had their 45 day aged steak, and he was in heaven! The wait staff, the chef, and the hostess were all AMAZING in terms of service. Knowing it was our anniversary and our engagement, they really treated us like a queen and a king, even giving us a card at the end. I wish I had that card with me right now as I write this review so I could shout out everyone who worked on that excellent meal!!!!!!!

Awesome evening! Brussels Sprouts appetizer is a must, sea bass dinner was fabulous, and carrot cake dessert topped it off. Thank you Avant!!

This restaurant offers the ultimate fine dining experience. The food is amazing and the service is impeccable!

The dinner at Avant was absolutely amazing! Rob was such a great server - great drink recommendations and very attentive! Chef Chris made it such a memorable experience, can’t wait to return!

Vickie in the Avant Restaurant was the very best - friendly, professional, fun and had great recommendations on what to order. Loved our dinner!

The comfortable, inviting ambiance of this establishment is only outdone by the incredible food they serve. Appetizers: Fried Brussels Sprouts, to die for. The Calamari was amazing. Main courses: I had the Pork Tomahawk. My big complaint with pork is that it's usually overcooked and dry. This was perfect! My wife had the Ribeye which was also perfectly cooked and amazing! For dessert, the gourmet play on doughnuts and coffee was a perfect ending to a perfect meal. Our server Bub, took great care of us, explaining all the dishes beautifully. This will be a regular stop on our local eatery regime. Wonderful!

Our experience at the Avant was exceptional. Taking excellent care of us was Hamid and Shane. Their menu explanation allowed us to make an informed dinner selection. When our entres were delivered, they looked incredible. Both of them checked on us often to make sure we were satisfied. I would highly recommend dining at the Avant.

I was in SD and had some time to kill, so I thought I would try this place out. I sat at the bar and asked the bartender Amber to suggest something to drink and eat. She did not disappoint! Best wine and brussel sprouts I have ever had. Amber and Dalton were absolutely awesome at the bar! It is nice to see people have fun and truly enjoy their jobs. They made the experience even better. If you are in the area definitely try this place out and go sit at the bar if Amber is there!!!

This is a restaurant in the Rancho Bernardo Inn. It has changed names and chefs over the past few years. The food has been variable in the past. We recently had a very excellent dinner in a pleasant ambience. The menu had a somewhat small, but adequate, selection of entrees. We both enjoyed everything we ordered. The food was cooked properly and presented well. They also have an excellent bar.

Sitting at the bar for dinner was delightful. The bartenders, Amber and Anthony, were just wonderful. The drinks were perfect and the service was spectacular. The food came out promptly and was delicious. I recommend this spot if you want delicious fine dinning paired with great wines and cocktails.

After 2.5 weeks touring round Cali we reached our final restaurant on our 17th night and what a great one to close out the trip. We were staying in Rancho Bernardo, however, had gone into SD for the previous 2-nights and had very good meals so the bar was set high. We weren’t let’s down at Avant. The menu seems somewhat lopsided and offers loads of starter dishes and less main courses. To start my wife went for the scallops (2 huge juicy ones) and I chose the pork belly (amazingly good and encapsulating so many good flavours). For the main course we both opted for the wagu beef. I have to confess this was absolutely incredible. Our knives went through the beef like a hot knife through butter and the beef, which was perfectly cooked (medium rare for both of us) simply melted in our mouths. It’s a long time since I’ve had beef this good. For desserts I chose the carrot cake (lovely and not too heavy) whilst my wife had the crepe brule degenerated which was a great interpretation of a creme brule and one thoroughly enjoyed. The wine list was good and unusually listed in price range with plenty of good local wines. Pricing was on the high side but no complaints from us given the great quality. The service was super good. Our waiter, Daniel, was a character that engaged in conversation through the evening, gave us good advice and importantly top quality service all night. A great place to visit if on holiday or celebrating a special occasion.

I truly love the way chefs are using unusual ingredients (often things you've never heard of or have not eaten) in very creative ways. As lovely as the restaurant is and the staff is charming, polished and beautiful to look at, I felt the food was a trifle contrived, which I know and regret sounds snobbish. By that, I mean when I read the menu and tried to figure out what I would actually be eating, I could literally sense the effort that went into making each dish unique and different, and I ended up feeling uncertain about the offering. I've eaten in enough high end designer food restaurants to know that that probably isn't how you want your patrons to interpret your menu. Maybe it's just me. I dislike giving reviews with much negative criticism and usually avoid making such a critique, but I was prompted for a review by Trip Advisor so I must be honest. My mother and my friend ordered the Dungeness crab which came in a stunning presentation and both said was delicious. My husband ordered the duck breast and I sampled a few bites and thought it was good. Since I always like mussels I ordered them in what was, to me, a unique preparation (unfortunately a few were gritty). It was fine, but memorable only as unique. The warm bread was outstanding and the dessert menu features 5 or 6 extremely creative things all priced at $14.00 each. We passed on that. There is a huge amount of pressure on chefs to be over-the-top innovative today, especially in $$$$ places. Some seem to pull it off with more facility than others and you don't notice any deus ex machina going into the construction of each dish. To me, that's the way it ought to be or it could come off as, well, contrived.

Thank you Julio and Francisco for making it an awesome date night for us! Amazing food and drink! We’ve been members for many years and love how it keeps getting better!

We enjoyed a nice meal here with a group and our waiter Lewis provided exceptional service. We were there very late and he didn't try to push us out or hurry us in anyway. in fact, he was serving at breakfast early the next morning and came and greeted us. I was impressed that he had obviously not had much time to sleep but still maintained a friendly, ready to serve attitude.

They need to redo this part of the hotel, very dated tables and chairs, food is good but it looks out onto paradise and the view is fab but need an overhaul on the furniture.

We feel so lucky to live nearby and have Avant as part of our regular routine! My husband and I know we will always get a friendly hello and fantastic service from the bar, especially Amber who has a way of making you feel welcome and special. We also dine on the Avant patio almost every Saturday evening with our toddler son. Dalton takes such good care of us, makes sure there is a highchair ready and is so patient and accommodating to the needs of all of us, Big Kids and Little Kids. The food is great, the service is always top notch and we are always excited to take our friends there when they come to visit from out of town. Five stars, hands down.

For a fairly pricey restaurant the service was extremely slow. When if finally arrived the food was tasty.