Ironside Fish & Oyster Reviews

Was in San Diego at a convention in mid-November. Wanted quality food in an unpretentious setting. Went to Ironsides at friends suggestion. I sat at the bar. The bartenders were friendly, food-knowledgeable. Had great meal of very fresh seafood. The menu includes local catch and I can highly recommend.

ronside, nestled in San Diego's vibrant Little Italy, offers a dining experience that's as captivating as it is delicious. The menu is a masterpiece of seafood delights, showcasing flavors that elevate traditional dishes to new heights. The clam chowder at Ironside is not just good; it rivals the best of Maine's offerings, delivering a creamy, flavorful taste that could satisfy any seafood aficionado. The fish & chips are a standout, perfectly crispy on the outside and tender on the inside, making each bite a delight. Their lobster rolls are a testament to simplicity done right, with fresh, succulent lobster nestled in a buttery roll that's pure indulgence. For those with adventurous palates, the bone marrow appetizer is a must-try, offering rich, melt-in-your-mouth goodness that sets the stage for the main course beautifully. Service at Ironside is impeccable, with attentive staff who are knowledgeable about the menu and adept at making recommendations. The atmosphere is lively yet relaxed, making it an ideal spot whether you're enjoying a casual dinner or a special occasion. Overall, Ironside in San Diego's Little Italy is not just a restaurant; it's an experience. From the first bite to the last, you'll be treated to exceptional food, outstanding service, and a welcoming ambiance that leaves a lasting impression. Whether you're a local or just visiting, Ironside is a culinary gem worth discovering again and again.

Central location, very well decorated. The oysters were delicious. They serve different areas and provide paper explaining the area as well as its main characteristics (as if it were a tasting). Cozy staff.

Yellowtail crudo. Yellowtail was actually good but it was buried in a sauce that overwhelmed it. When I could separate the fish I enjoyed it But WHY bury it? Kumamoto oysters were tiny and not like any Kumamoto ever seen Peel and eat shrimp were old — not fresh. And boiled in something that made them taste even worse. Bread is good. Clam chowder hot.

Absolutely incredible! I have been to so many restaurants and this is absolutely mu favorite so far! Highly recommend!

Went here after the show. Are st the bar. There were empty tables but they were being “held” for reservations. We got lucky at the bar It was worth it because the food was great The service was also great Stylish place and crowd

No fried oysters. Staff was sweet but forgot veggies. Atmosphere was loud yet had cozy feeling. Would probably not return bc though food was tasty we needed more options

Hoped to have a nice lunch in Little Italy, but we totally blew it with our choice of Ironside. There is nothing positive I can say about it. Ordered the lobster roll and fish and chips. When I checked the reviews, I was amazed that there were so many good reviews. Lobster roll was terrible, with very little lobster,no pieces, just finely minced, held together by a lot of breading---very chewy and gummy.. Fish & chips was overcooked, very dry. Food was pricey, but would have been okay if edible. Maybe if we had been drinking (a lot) it would have tasted better! Seems like Ironside is more of a bar that serves some bad bar food, rather than a restaurant. Very poor service, not friendly or efficient at all. Staff all seemed disgruntled. It took 3 staff people before someone stopped to give us a table when we entered and restaurant was almost empty. This is one place where I will not be returning. It doesn't deserve a second chance.

Dined Alfresco for Lunch at Ironside. Located in the Little Italy section of San Diego, you will not go wrong here for great seafood. Rachel, our server, was both professional and charming. Service was very attentive. The Oysters here are great ( we enjoyed our Sweet Petites from BC). Creamy Clam Chowder is served with a dense, delicious Cheddar Biscuit. Mussels braised in Coconut milk and Fish and Chips were also outstanding. We highly recommend this restaurant and look forward to another visit. A side note: Salt and Straw, a wonderful ice cream shop is right next door..... don’t miss it!!

I never complain about anything!!! We had the worst experience in many years. We ordered the big plater; where 1 oyster was in bad shape and smelled rotten; we reported it to the waitress and she just apologized and changed it. And additionally the ceviche was also in bad shape. They charged us everything!!!! Their favorite dish is oysters and they didn’t realize they served us a bad one and weren’t good at taking care of their bad food. I'm sorry to put it: avoid going.

Seafood is soooo fresh and wonderfully prepared, hats off to the chef! We ordered as appetizers but it was more than enough, we were satisfied with 2 lobster roll and the biggest platter for 7 people. They have facilities for children (menu and high chair) Excellent service and the drinks were quite nice.

Stopped in for a quick bite and the food and service were both amazing. Highly recommend the calamari and oysters!

If you plan to walk-in just be prepared to be tricked by the hostesses telling you they will get a table in 30 minutes. After 30 minutes waiting and not receiving any sms we asked how much time more. They mentioned another 20 min. After 20 min they mentioned another 15 min. We saw some tables being occupied by usual guests without any booking. It took us 2 hours to have a table. If you order oysters I recommend you to check each of them. There are much better oyster restaurants in San Diego that respect customers and hostesses do not fool.

We stopped there twice and both times were told there was a thirty minute wait even though plenty of seats were empty. When we finally stuck it out, the food was not worth the abuse.

A really nice time! Great food and staff and the cocktails were wonderful. I would, however, skip the "martini service" as the martini itself is both small AND substandard; sure, the presentation is cute...but for like $30? Insane.

We loved our first visit to this remarkable restaurant. Food and service could not have been better. Outstanding oyster Rockefeller, but all our seafood was excellent. Will definitely visit the next time we are in town!

We ate dinner here. I don’t understand the hype. The lobster roll is not good. It is chopped up slivers of lobster meat. There are no big chunks. The halibut was over cooked. Everything was average, however the prices are expensive. We received our oysters after our meal was finished. Very strange.

The seafood on the menu, including several fresh fish and oyster dishes, was all well-prepared and the table service was friendly and casual. We liked the industrial-conversion atmosphere of the place as well with the high ceilings, exposed beams and vintage brick walls. It was busy with a good mix of conversations and music filling the room. The cocktail list had some creative mixes as well. Overall, reasonably good value and fun.

Went with a few friends from out of town and had to wait for our reservation...and had to sit outside (with a heater thank goodness) Food was good but over priced for everything...they even charge for bread...really. Service was fine as well as the setting...just not what we expected.

Been to Ironside several times, never been disappointed. Really good food, even for happy hour, good drinks and always attentive staff. Make reservations if before 5:00PM.

Loved the decor of this place and I popped in to sit up at the bar for Happy Hour. Not many places have Oysters Rockefeller and I was happy to settle for just 3 with a glass of Cava. I had already been out for breakfast earlier and was spending most of the day in Little Italy. After lots of walking it was just right for a nice break before moving on.

With the help of Chef Jason Mcleod who once held 2 Michelin stars from RIA in Chicago’s 5-star Elysian Hotel emerged Ironside but after his departure last year, Chef Danielle Van Steen has kept the classics on the menu such as; lobster roll and Octopus a la Plancha but also incorporating new locally sourced seafood, produce and ingredients to bring out the highest quality flavors in each dish. With a whooping 5k+ reviews on Yelp, 3.8k on Google Review and 1K on Trip Advisor, you know I had to give them a visit! Although some may say this Maritime themed restaurant does not belong in Little Italy, I beg to differ and feel that Ironside adds class, fun and an ocean feel! (You can literally see the ocean from the side walk) Ordered Octopus a la Plancha – The octopus was very tender, the chorizo and olives brought a nice saltiness, the arugula mild pepper flavor added freshness to the dish Rockfish Ceviche – I enjoyed this dish but it was a typical ceviche, didn’t expect it to have so much liquid, thought maybe the chef wanted to display the fish better Oyster’s – The three that we tried were Shooting point, Phantom Creek and Sapphire. The petite plump meat , mild flavor and clean finish made Phantom Creek our favorite. Steamed Clams – This was by far our favorite dish, the lemon grass coconut broth was sooo good and not overly cream. Fresno chilis and chive oil paired well when dipped in broth w focaccia bread!

We had an enjoyable evening sitting at the chefs counter/table at this bustling seafood restaurant in busy Little Italy. I was able to make a counter reservation the same day for a Thursday evening spot at 6. Service was a bit slow, and they changed servers after we ordered drinks (and sat waiting for 20 min) but once the change was made, things seemed to go fairly smoothly. We started with a few of the thick and meaty peel-and-eat shrimp doused in an old bay wash and served with aioli -it’s nice that you can order by “the each” so you can get as many or few as you want. No matter how many you get, they definitely “taste like more.” They are so good part of me was wishing I’d just gotten more and some grilled bread. We also split the ho-hum house salad that was very light on the dressing. For our main, sharing the decadent lobster roll with fries was just the ticket. Prices seemed fairly reasonable for a place of this caliber. With a few glasses of wine w and sharing things, before tip was only $114. You definitely need a reservation. We took an Uber from the hotel despite having a rental car and were glad we did as parking is super limited in the area. Recommended

We are in town for a guys weekend and made reservations here at Ironside. Not a big oyster guy but the food was amazing. The ceviche and fish selection was perfect. It’s a great place to go for a date, though a tad noisy, or with a big group(friends, co-workers or family). You won’t go wrong and everyone will be happy with the food and wine/drink selection.

Had a great dinner outside at Ironside! The food and service were really good. Be sure to make a reservation for the weekends. Try the ceviche!

This is a beautiful restaurant in a prime location with amazing food. Everything we had was stellar! We had some raw oysters during their happy hour (only $1 each), a lobster roll which was mind blowing and fish and chips which weee top notch. Staff was extremely friendly and attentive even though it was super busy.

Definitely a tourist trap. Average food. Average service. Expensive prices. I wasn’t impressed with the menu and when we showed as a party of 8, they said we’d have to do a $85 minimum per person if we wanted to sit together. We won’t be returning.

Great place, great food and great people! The atmosphere is wonderful. A bit too noisy, but not unbearable. Price is fair.

One of best meals we had during week in San Diego. Menu changes daily with availability. Rockfish ceviche had great taste. Preparation of fish simple but well done. Staff exhibited a great interest and pride in the menu and facility.

This is an excellent (and popular) restaurant; there are several distinct seating areas, so be sure to specify when making a reservation. We sat in the high-top, bar area (fun but the seats were not very comfortable and not suitable for children, the elderly, or anyone with a disability). We were there during happy hour and ordered a combination of happy-hour priced items and off the regular menu; our food was delicious, the server attentive but not intrusive, and the prices a good value. I would recommend Ironsides to people looking for nicely prepared fresh fish.

Oysters, that is. Happy hour buck-a-shuck, can't beat it. They are quite tasty and not too salty, medium to large in size and grown in their own pools the in Northwest. Seats fill early so you may need reservations. Many other offerings available on both the happy hour menu and the dinner menu. Many delicious wine offerings and a respectable beer list with some eclectic choices.

This is always a place I come to on business trips. The service is superb and the food always of the highest quality.

Food was good. We sat on the street and watched the world go by. Service was poor, drinks took a long time to come and it was not possible to order a second drink before we’d finished eating as we could get our servers attention.

Food was great. I had the Opah, which I had only once before and this is the best fish ever! My husband had oysters and clam chowder. He said best clam chowder ever. Oysters were pretty small to take a look before you order.

What a great place for happy hour. $1 oysters and outstanding food items. If you are going to try it on a Friday or Saturday it will be best if you have a reservation. There was not an empty seat last Friday.. lol

If you want to see and be seen in a trendy restaurant, this is your place. The oysters were okay and very expensive. I asked for crackers and the server who broght the oysters said they didn't have any. I could not hear our server, Carla, I leaned up but still could only understand half of what she said. We were not drinking alcohol so no one checked to see about refills. I had to ask three times for a glass of soda water. Very disappointing evening, especially for what we paid. Will not return.

Went here for my birthday to eat the live uni, and I did not regret coming here!!! The best and fresh uni you can find in San Diego! Most recommended for uni lovers!

Ironside Fish and Oyster in located in the heart of Little Italy. Our party of 5 were seated pretty quickly outside at 6:30pm on a Monday. Parking can be a nightmare in this area so make sure to allot time for that. I enjoyed the outdoor ambiance with lights, heaters, and a nice view. If you’re coming for happy hour or at a busy time, I highly recommend making a reservation. Food was just okay for me. We ordered 18 oysters for the table: -Ironside Selects Oysters (6 for $21) -Blue Point Oysters (6 for $21) -Premium Kumamoto Oysters (6 for $34). There were many choices for the regular priced oysters (each from different areas) but we opted for one that was more salty and one that was more sweet. I honestly didn’t taste a difference between their regular and premium oysters and would not pay 6 for $34 again for that. -Lobster Roll ($33): served with garlic fries, toast was nice and buttery though it was hard to eat without everything falling out. The taste was okay for me. The fries that came with it was fresh and tasted great with the sauce. -Chowder Fries ($19): great to share, the plate that I liked the most. They had a book for their cocktails and our table enjoyed the drinks! Overall, it’s in a nice area with a great ambiance but the food was just okay for their price. I can see how this is a good place to bring non-locals. For me, I’d return for their happy hour deals.

We need to have a conversation about the Hamachi Crudo. I love Hamachi in all of its forms. I love Hamachi Kama, ceviche, carpaccio, sushi, sashimi, tartare…and, based on the description of the Hamachi Crudo, I was a little bit worried that it was going to overwhelm the Hamachi itself. Hamachi can be so light and bright; it can also stand up! More often than not, it’s light, subtle, and the presentation they were suggesting… spicy, a bit of a crunch, there was a citrus, some Tiger’s milk. (I will put tiger’s milk on anything. It’s delicious as it is, with it citrusy goodness! And they really loaded it onto the plate). The combination of the tiger‘s milk and the crunch and the chili and the citrus would’ve been incredible on anything! I could’ve had this on Romain lettuce, a beet salad, it was really quite extraordinary. Toss it on some radishes. Plain radishes! Did it work on the Hamachi? Somewhat. If I had the hamachi with a little bit of the tiger’s milk, a sweet bite itself…it was great… also if I had the hamachi with a little bit of the crunch, it was fine and did not overwhelm it. But when I had the Hamachi with the Tiger’s milk and the crunch…I couldn’t find the Hamachi. It was still excellent, and please save this combination and drizzle it over anything. Gosh, just make it your new signature salad dressing! Citrus creamy goodness! OK. Enough about the Hamachi. I stumbled upon this place by mistake. My husband was at the AI conference, and I was running early, so I stopped in for a drink and ended up at the bar. Happy specials were $1 for oysters; you better bet that I indulged in some of those, I had a tiki-type drink, a mai tai, served in an orca. Beautifully priced for happy hour, and when my husband arrived, he had a dark and stormy, also a cute tiki glass. We ordered another dozen oysters, and really enjoyed our time at the bar. Let’s talk atmosphere. Outstanding! Look at my silly videos of the journey from the bathroom. I love unusual light fixtures, and octopuses? (Octopi? Octopod)? They are actually all correct plural for this gorgeous creature. The restaurant was decorated beautifully. So five stars on that. Our server was delightful, telling us the specials, also a great mixologist. Five stars. I had a couple of caviar bumps! If you’ve never had it before, it’s what it sounds like, and although they tried to compare it to having a bit of salt on your hand and licking it off like a tequila shot, I think we all sort of know what a bump is. Anyway, it is true that caviar is often souled by any sort of metal spoon, and so the idea of having it on your hand and letting your hand warm the caviar and then being able to put all the caviar on your mouth is a great idea. I am not crazy about the fact that he left a few little eggs on the plate! If it were me, I’d be scraping all those bad salty boys off. I had two bumps. They were delicious, but next time, I want every little egg on my hand! See the video. So what’s not to love? This is absolutely a five star review. I would be back here every day. But as always, I have a few suggestions for the proprietress. It was a little darkly lit, and this is not just because I’m almost 60, it’s because it was… a little darkly lit at the bar. The tables behind us had some cute little candles, throw a few on the bar. And a note to the customers, the barstools are not for those with disability issues. They ‘sort of’ as a two-stool, connected and yet not connected. It’s hard to describe. The two stools are together, but they swivel on their own, but with any sort of disability issues, like the times when I broke my foot fencing, I would not sit at the bar. It’s a little tilty and a bit tricky to navigate if you have any sort of device on your legs and/or lower body. Kudos to this great place! I will absolutely be back the next time I’m in San Diego, and I’ll be recommending it to everybody. Still craving my caviar bump, and thinking about those gorgeous dollar oyster specials! Cheers!

We ate outside on a beautiful sunny day! Monday Lunch was not crowded. Their fresh fish was the halibut, and was prepared two ways. We each ordered on and shared. The halibut with the miso soup and sesame seeds had more flavor and a better combination of flavors. The halibut with the Quinoa was bland and lacked texture; the pine nuts were soggy. Both plates had nicely cooked firm halibut.

A friend recommended this place. We stopped in for lunch when we arrived. Halibut was amazing as was the fish and chips for lunch. The malt vinegar sauce was a perfect compliment. We stopped in for dinner our last night here, because we were saving the best for last. Wow- just wow. We caught the tail end of happy hour and scored on drinks, a house salad and one of the best clam chowders. Theirs was made with bacon. How could anyone go wrong with bacon, right? yum The halibut entire for dinner came with mussels, almonds, rapini, and all was drizzled with a lemon sauce that was absolutely the best I've ever had. My daughter had the yellow tail - equally delicious. We just had to have dessert. The tirami su was HUGE. I wanted to lick the bowl clean. The lemon verene was dusted with home made graham cracker crumbs and literally melted in our mouths. Service was spectacular. This is our new favorite spot in San Diego. Highly recommend.

Just had oysters, crudo and martinis... no need to say more. It was excellent. Just try it. you will not regret it

Ironside has the best seafood in Little Italy. The oysters are good. But, my favorite is their lobster roll. The bar also has an immense selection of almost any booze and their bartenders make great craft cocktails.

Visiting San Diego and just wanted seafood. Found this place in a search and was totally impressed. Prior to 6pm, the Happy Hour menu is a great bargain. We did enjoy fish entrees after six and it was a great experience.

We celebrated my husband's birthday at Ironside. The ambiance, food, and service were all excellent. Highly recommend!

In the middle of Little Italy is this seafood restaurant. We started with oysters which took a long time to get to the table but were good. Warning: horseradish is on fire! CA Thresher dish was over salted and dry. Lobster rolls were good. Heirloom tomato salad was excellent. Long wait for drinks.

This place is one of the better dining experiences in San Diego. Al fresco dining, perfectly executed food - recommend the scallops and fingerling potatoes - good service, reasonably priced. Please order the bread - it is like a dense orange cake served with whipped butter.

We had an amazing evening at this restaurant! The food was absolutely outstanding — we enjoyed fresh oysters, tasty fish tacos, and the most delicious lobster rolls we’ve had in a long time. Every dish was full of flavor and prepared with great care. The beer and wine selection was excellent and paired perfectly with the food. On top of that, the atmosphere was warm and inviting, and the staff was friendly, attentive, and knowledgeable. Highly recommended for anyone looking for a memorable meal — we can’t wait to return! Should we come back to San Diego

Everything we ate was way too salty, especially the clam chowder soup. The shrimp was fresh , the seasoning a bit too spicy. Lobster roll did not have much lobster for how pricy it was. Overall let down and won't be returning

I read reviews and thought I'd try this restaurant which is located in Little Italy. It is pricey but not quite there in portion size and taste for the cost. Service was good and staff was very friendly and engaging. However I was hoping the food would match the service and ambiance. Considering this, it is one place I'd pass on if visiting the Little Italy in San Deigo.

My family tried this restaurant at the recommendation of the owner of the home we rented. As soon as we arrived we were warmly welcomed and our server continued to be fabulous for the duration of our meal. She explained the menu, adjusted things for my 2 teen daughters who wanted to share a few items and was prompt and helpful. The restaurant was full so I know there was lots on the go for the staff yet they were awesome.The food was delicious and the seafood was very fresh.

It’s a beautiful space and the three of us were looking forward to our meal. However, the food was not very good. We had Scallops, Crab Cakes and Halibut: the scallops lacked flavor and were not seared long enough (nearly raw), the crab cakes were mushy and not hot, and the Halibut was dry. The drinks were good. Wouldn’t have minded the $200 check if the food had been good. Disappointed.

Loved everything about this place. Really fun, cool atmosphere without being too noisy or overwhelming. Great service (we ate at the bar - popped in without reservation and had no wait). I had a crisp Sauvignon Blanc and we shared a flight of 6 oysters, the best grilled octopus I’ve had (with a chorizo salsa) and fresh crispy fries with the perfect blend of salt and seasoning. Highly recommend!!!

A conference friend and I went to Ironside on the recommendation of hotel staff. The Uber driver seconded the choice and recommended the clam chowder as “best in the world”. We arrived around 7 and were told to expect a 20 minute wait but we were seated before we finished a drink at the bar. At the bar, we met a Canadian couple in town for the marathon and a young couple - very friendly place. A group of 5 from our conference came in and we were able to get them seated with us even though they were told an 80 minute wait. We tried a High West Campfire Bourbon Scotch blend that was good. Of course, we had to try the best clam chowder in the world - our driver was right....excellent. We both ordered the Octopus with a chorizo sauce. Oh, my goodness...one of the best dishes I’ve ever tried. The rest of our group had black cod, clam chowder, and shrimp toast - all were good. We had a great time, talking with the group and making new friends. The food was great. The staff was very accommodating, seating us with friends. Another review commented on size of drinks which we also noticed. Other than that minor irritation, Ironside Fish & Oyster was a most excellent choice. I’d certainly highly recommend for a great time with great food.

I had the BIG platter. Marinated shrimp, shrimp aguachile, rock fish ceviche, six different origin oysters. Ummm, so good. Sauces and horseradish and mignonette. Just the right amount to roll me out the door. This is the place to go.

The food was good. However, I rated them "3" because of our reservation frustrations that are close to deceptive practices on the part of the restaurant. I went to website, was asked: "do I want to book a table" - yes - got email confirmation. We showed up at the restaurant and the lady at the front desk said "Oh you booked on OPENTABLE so you don't get a table but you get counter space." We were going out for dinner with old friends and who wants to catch up on conversations at some counter. Not good enough!

Excellent food, great service, fresh fish - crisp sides. Must visit for the Ironside Dinner Rolls and Lobster Roll! Great selection at the bar also. Nice Old Fashioned

The server was very friendly. The food was great. I ordered the sweet potato dish and it was better than expected. Three others in my party ordered various fish dishes and they were quite happy as well. They have outside (with heat lamps) and inside dining. The outside building decor is quite nice.

Fully, busy, but great atmosphere and excellent food. Try lobster roll cause the best in the city. A little bit noisy place due to lot of quests but it is a part of this scene. At night is better to book the table in advance.

Sitting outside in the wonderful weather is amazing. Our server Megan is awesome. We have had wine and seafood, and now the lobster roll.. Amazing. Must stop in!

We stopped here on our last night in San Diego for a dinner - my husband was craving seafood and we were just down the street visiting Ballast Point for some beers. Everything from the service to the bartenders to the food was amazing. We sat at the bar for the last hour of Happy Hour and had some drinks, Oysters, and a few "Sh*t in a Shells". We followed it up with a Smoked Black Bass Toast (for me) and Rock Crab and some Shrimp Toast (for my husband). The Black Bass Toast was enough to have as my dinner and was so delicious. The bartenders were quick and efficient and were very helpful in answering our questions and giving suggestions for other places to stop (we were looking for a dessert place). In addition, we ordered some "Sh*tty Donuts" to take home (we didn't NEED them but they sounded delicious so we HAD to have them!) and they were great, not too sweet. Long story short, we we come back to visit we will definitely be stopping back in for dinner - reasonable prices, great atmosphere.

We love coming here after work for happy hour. Our favorite dish is the Octopus a la Plancha. We went on 06/02/23 and Amber was our waitress ...she is simply awesome! Amber was full of energy with an amazing aura of positivity and had great pride in her job and the company she works for. She made our experience 1000% better that day!

Beautiful, great food - great cocktails - great service. Went back for a second time with friends to share the delight of this restaurant.

The service was impeccable, the food was to die for and the dessert was too good to pass up on. I would definitely recommend this restaurant to someone looking for a quality meal and I will definitely visit again!

Found this place in Little Italy section of town via the internet. Very cool decor. Service was great and so were the cocktails. I ordered the lobster roll with housemade bread. Best lobster roll I have ever had. My wife had the Fish and chips. She said it was the best she ever had. Shared the ceviche which was also good. Liked the food so much we went back another night.

Eight years after our initial happy hour visit, we finally made a reservation for dinner. We were not impressed. Even though we had a reservation, the uninterested girls at the front desk said there was probably a half hour wait. No available place to sit for happy hour (it used to be you could sit at the "tables" in the bar area, but those are now controlled by the front desk. We hovered and finally got two places at the bar. Ordered wine and two appetizers. Both extremely spicy. $100 for not much. Very noisy. We will not try again.

We have two check two days before getting a table. I so crowed. Really do not know why!! Is expensive and there are not big portions.

Really good place to have seafood. The decoration of the restaurant is really good too. For drink you should try the cocktail Pimms Royale really good. The only think I didn't like about the restaurant was that they didn't give us a table right away with so many tables available when we arrive. We wait for 25 minutes.

My all time favorite San Diego restaurant. I was in town for work for over 2 weeks straight and went to this place 5 times in those 16 days. They are so creative and know how to make a good drink and fresh seafood. Must try!

Went during Happy hour to try the $1 oysters. Was not impressed as they were very small and quite strong. However we are used to delicious Bluff oysters at home in NZ. Waiters were pleasant and attentive and other diners seemed pleased with their oysters

Was in town on business and was looking for something out of the way and a little unique. I'd gotten on Google Maps and was looking for something nearby where I was staying. Saw Ironside, clicked the link, reviewed the menu and made a reservation. The table was ready when we got there, enjoyed looking over the menu, ordered drinks (they were really good) and then selected a variety of the fresh oysters, shrimp and scallops. This place is NOT a bargain, so when you plan to go, be ready to drop some cash and have fun. It's worth ever dollar spent. Great ambiance and super fresh food.

Our hotel suggested a visit and made the booking. This is another venue where you need a headlamp to read the menu. The Ironside bread was delicious. We had shrimps to peel ourselves. Our hands were fishy after shrimps and we had to ask for extra napkins to wash off. The server finally brought hot towels when we asked. The main was a dried out piece of fish. My partners dish looked much better. The clam fries sounded interesting but turned out to be soggy. Overall a disappointing evening for our last (special) night out in San Diego.

Love the decor and ambiance. I know it’s mainly an oyster bar, but I wish they had a few other food options for main dishes.

We were walking outside, looking for a place to cool down and have some drinks and something to bite. We were lucky to walk inside Ironside, the ambiance was amazing, everybody happy with excellent mood. Drinks were amazing and food superb. Totally worth it!!!

Great spot if you’re in San Diego. They source all their fish from local fisherman. The food is delicious and the service is excellent! And FYI from 3:00-6:00 they have $1 oysters👍🏽

We had researched this restaurant before we flew out here, and knew we wanted to give it a try. Our first attempt to eat here was on Sunday night and the waiting list was two hours deep. So we came back to eat here the very next day earlier and was able to be seated right away. We got seats next to where the chefs were preparing dinners, so it was constant entertainment watching these guys do their thing. I had mussels & fries, my wife had calamari and roasted carrots - we exchanged bites and everything was beautifully done. The house white wine was a very nice Chardonay, don't know the vintner, but the wine was very good. We did not have dessert, so I cannot comment on that. The service staff were friendly & efficient, one of the chefs responded to a question I asked about their great looking lobster rolls. He was obviously busy, but took the time to respond to my question. Parking in Little Italy is obviously a challenge, however there is a large public lot at the intersection of Hawthorne & Pacific. From our point of view, this is a great restaurant with an excellent menu and highly skilled chefs. I've read some of the other reviews about this place, and frankly I do not understand some of the remarks. Our experience was great and our only lament is that we are not here very often to be able to enjoy a return trip to this restaurant.

Enjoyed some good food. Be aware that they son’t serve any meat. Prices are on the mid too higher range level. Service is quick and friendly

My friends and I were drawn to Ironside by the curb appeal of the place. Looked so interesting from the street that my friends and I went in for dinner. The place has a nice, lively vibe that seems contagious. Everyone seemed to be enjoying a great evening. Great decor, and excellent service. It was a little on the noisy side, so conversation is a little strained. But the food options were very interesting/different from the run of the mill, and well prepared. Prices seemed a little high, but probably no for San Diego. Good food, great atmosphere, and excellent service - a positive triple play.

This place has really cool decoration, al fresco dining and awesome seafood selection. It may be a bit pricey but it's worth it, I always visit when in town and highly recommend it.

Stopped by to try the oysters. Super good and very fresh. Nice selection of cocktails and craft beers. Loved it so much went back the next day to try the lobster roll. It did not disappoint!

Visited Ironside around 3pm and walked in leisurely. Seated outside and it was very pleasant. Service is quick and attentive, very friendly. Great selection of beers. For 3, we shared a seafood platter called “Bigger” (recommended for 2-4 people) and it was a lot of food, we didn’t order anything else. The place is very spacious with interesting decor.

The ambience was nice, the appetiser and clam chowder were good. However, everything else was super salty. The crab dip, yellow tail, lobster roll n fries were so salty we could not even finish half of our food. What gives? To make matters worse, we brought the matter up to the waiter, and all he said was "sorry" and walked away. That was the end of the matter as far as the waiter was concerned. For a dinner of over $500, I expected more. Inedible food and poor service. What a disappointment.

It started out a little strange, in that we could not find the restaurant! We were using the GPS on our phone and we knew we had to be there but had to look for the sign which is on the building and is about 1 foot by 8 inches big!! But our food made up for it! The lobster roll is exceptional!! My 16 year old granddaughter ate 2 platefuls of raw oysters!!! The very cute waiter was very helpful with out choices! The fun was watching the table next to us eat a sea urchin!!! Quite interesting! I would definitley go back. My son in law recommended this place as he has eaten there many times!

Poor rating purely for the bathrooms! What an awful design! You share a sink with the individual stall next to you and can not only hear every splash but when they wash their hands you have shake their hand while their dirty soapy splashes all over your face while your sitting. What an awful design! I was too nervous to even use the restroom. I went to wash my hands and then realized I’ll have to use the same germ invested handle to exit because they also don’t offer paper towels to open the door with. I’ll never return ...

This place was overhyped. We ordered two fish and chips for lunch and there was a little fish and a whole lot of chips. Taste was rather average and ordinary. And at 18 bucks a pop we didn’t think we got the value with such a small piece of fish. And what’s with no ketchup for the potatoes? I know they want to be southern California hip but really?

We went to ironside for happy hour, highly recommended .. we had great apps and good drinks. I would recommend sitting at the back near the open kitchen so you can watch the chefs cook .. they interact with you and make it a great experience!

My wife and I were in town for a convention and decided to come here after a long walk along the water. Right in the heart of Little Italy, great atmosphere. Our server Douglas was just awesome. The food was so fresh and incredible. Some places meet your expectations and some exceed them. This place exceeded ours. Maybe it was the weather, but I don’t think so. Great experience

Exceptional food and excellent service. Waitstaff gave us great recommendations and well-crafted descriptions of the food. We had the Phantom Creek and Sapphire oysters, the Japanese eggplant, and the Broccoli dishes. The oysters were the best I’ve had in years (worlds better than some I had ordered from another “oyster bar” a few days earlier), and the veggie dishes were creative and delicious. Highly recommend.

We had dinner here with a party of 4. Our server was Matthew. It took approx 10 mins for him to greet us. 20-25 mins after we put some apps in and still no waters for the table. We put entree to share and drink orders in while waiting the apps. Took 45 mins since we sat down to get our drinks. We ended up not finishing our drinks cause it came out too late. The service was very poor as he seem did not pay attention on us at all. Food was amazing, my only negative about food is very small portion comparing with the price. Overall, I was not worth it.

The lobster roll was tasty enough, but small and not worth the price; the fries were over-salted. The oysters, however, are spectacular! Service ok

The service was exceptional and was only topped by the food. We ordered local catch blue fin and a crab cake. Be ready for the price but the taste matched the price! Our kiddo (9) ordered a grilled cheese and fries (we won’t judge) and couldn’t finish it. So the adults finished the fries. YUM!!! Yes, the fries couldn’t help but be finished. The grilled cheese was made with Texas toast. The adults were delighted at how the blue fin was cooked. The crab cake was ALL crab (a little shell but who could remember after) and was just the right size for a quick little lunch.

The space is gorgeous. End of report. Most dishes contain meat and so, if you are a vegetarian, you are out of luck at that place. Even worse, "crab cakes" fall under "veggies." I think I can stop right there. While the appetizers were OK, the chips in the fish and chips were so salty they were inedible. I very rarely do not finish my plate -- not in this case. The space is extremely loud, so forget carrying a conversation. Not worth a repeat.

This is not a restaurant you will find in fly over country. Lots of seafood options. Good beer selection. Good oyster selection. Fish and chips, lobster roll were all on the menu. Getting seated was a problem. Waited 45 minutes for a table while there were multiple empty tables the entire time we waited. Fish and chips were ok. Those who had oysters were impressed. The lobster eater was a teenager and it disappeared before I had half my fish and chips, He then finished my fish and chips and his siblings crab dish. Service was prompt and professional

Claim chowder was awesome, mahi was awesome, butternut squash risotto was awesome. After dinner drink was perfect, and the waitress was more than friendly. The little italy area was vibrant and seemed safe. No complaints

We've had a craving for seafood since we left Florida and were not disappointed here. Everything was great! We ordered several small plates each to share rather than just a big entree. Will be back the next time we get to SoCal. Excellent experience. Service was timely. They found a spot for us even though the place was packed.

My friend talked this place up for months, saying this was our must visit. We rented a place nearby, because she said this was going to be the place to eat and then bar hop from. After a long day in La Jolla we got spiffed up and arrived at Ironside. We were able to get a nice table quickly. You never know what will be on the menu, because there is always a fresh catch. My vegetarian friend didn't have many options. And, me as a seafood lover, didn't think many of the menu items sounded like something I wanted to eat. My other friend ordered a lot of things, because as mentioned she's been talking about this place for months. All of us were disappointed with our meals. The worst part being that my friend's oysters were not properly schucked and she kept on getting pieces in her mouth. I've seen her eat a lot of oysters over the years, and it looked like a terrible experience. I wouldn't suggest much more than a look in the door to someone. It's a beautiful space.

San Diego has Grown UP in the last 44 years, no surprise. Ironside Fish & Oyster was exactly what we were looking for (except it was loud), a great place to enjoy excellent seafood and a reasonably close walk from our hotel. We started with a 12-oyster flight of their current six (maybe they had more choices, and maybe I could have eaten another dozen or so myself, but why be piggy>). All were excellent, fresh, chilled properly and clean. And DELICIOUS, the fun of tasting different varieties is that they each carry their "terrior" if that is an appropriate word for the littoral environment from which they different oysters are harvested. IF you only know oysters from one region, I recommend you find a good place to sample different varieties. We shared a bowl of their excellent New England style Clam Chowder, and really a dozen oysters and a bowl of chowder could have been dinner. We both chose the "fish special", she took the the Thresher and I choose the Wahoo. Hers came with a very good veggie base, mine with a white bean cassoulet. The Thrsher was better fish, I thought but my cassoulet a better accompaniment. Really both were excellent. White wine (Chardonnay & Gruner Veltliner) were good and we were too full to even consider dessert. Service was good. We made a reservation 15 minutes before we got there, and were seated promptly. Things slowed down a bit then, but really no complaints. It was LOUD inside, we asked if we could sit outside but were told that the empty tables were reserved.

Everything is fresh that day! Very nice atmosphere with service that is good and knowledgeable! Small plates really meant to share and taste but are really for modest appetites. Drinks are fancy and good! Lol . Would go again do recommend

It's the best seafood in Little Italy. Excellent Menu, great service and nice music. Oysters are awesome. They have a nice selection of wines, that means a very good compromise. Definitely, it's a place that I'll come back in my next trip. Congratulations.

Great casual atmosphere and lots of interesting decor around the interior of the restaurant. We had an order of fish and chips and an order of fish tacos. The food was served hot and delicious, the staff attentive and friendly. There was a good selection of local beers and mixed drinks on hand. A very good experience and we would eat there again. Prices were reasonable.

While very expensive, and small portions, the food was delicious! Loved the cocktail menu, and will return next time I am in town!

We’ve been to this place many times, and been happy. The last two visits, however, were disappointing. I will write about tonite’s dinner. Waitress described the Albacore Tuna as quality tuna served rare. She delivered the plate and I discovered it was cooked fully medium, and clearly overdone. Waited and waited. But waitress did not return to ck on us. Finally flagged down a staff to complain and sent my tuna back,,, they returned shortly, with a piece of tuna that was rare on outer edges but cold in the middle. V disappointing, waitress never returned to ask how the replacement was. Later had to flag down waitress to ask for check. She was simply not attentive to us during dinner. Partner had fish and chips, described as very adequate. This place has fallen gf its mark on both food and service. Twice in a row we’ve been disappointed. How very sad. There are better places in Little Italy to dine. I’d pass on this place

Fair priced fare macallan 18 $35. Great atmosphere good cocktails cucumber gin scuba diver. Solid service - “shi$$y donuts” as described Dunkin’ style. Waitresss very friendly better tha greeters

I’ve been there already many times , it has changed , I complained about the bearnaise that was so salty that it was not possible to eat it , nobody cared about ... so disappointed!

Excellent food and service, very nice setting ! We had a good time that evening. But have to confirm previous comments : the place is loud and dark. Would definitely recommend it nevertheless!

We came to this restaurant a few years back & absolutely loved it. This time we went twice & the service was horrible! We did not wait long for a table but our waiter was horrible! He would disappear & after we received our order never came back. We couldn't order dessert or more cocktails. We had to ask another person for our bill. Same thing happened when we went back to give it another try. It's sadly not going to be on our list of restaurants next time we are in SD.

My sister and I were in town for a few days so we stopped in at Ironside Fish & Oyster in Little Italy for their happy hour, which included oysters of course. Since I don’t eat oysters my sister got to enjoy the whole plate. I had myself a delicious drink from the bar and some small dishes including clam chowder, gumbo, and chowder fries. All were tasty but portions are small. Cost was moderate considering where you’re at. The nice thing is that you can easily walk over to another restaurant and bar to try their food.

We were there on ours last night of vacation in San Diego, I had been researching different places to have our last dinner there and I’m sooo glad I picked it! Our 12 year old loves oysters so we had a dozen, it was an assortment selection and they were all good we also had the 🐙 pulpo, the lobster roll, fries with clam chowder and our baby girl had a pasta. The selection of local beers 🍻 was also great I had the “abnormal something” and I highly recommended. Our server I believe his name was Jeff was very good, attentive and quick. We have great memories now of this place and me and my family will definitely be back.

A comfortable place and while the prices were on the higher side, it was worth every penny. We came for post flight fresh oysters and and the oysters and horseradish were very fresh and delicious. We are going back tomorrow, which doesn’t happen often.

We had a fun night at this establishment. Good food and excellent bar tenders. We will certainly recommend Ironside to friends.

What a great breakfast !! The Crab was great. If I lived near this place, I would go there at least a couple of times a week. One of the best breakfast I've ever had. Fantastic food, cute interior.

The server - Katie G was outstanding. Guided us thru a great meal and drinks. She has a PHD in food. The oysters were great. I had the swordfish which was good, not great. My guest had the Rockfish Caviche, excellent. Then one Skubic diver drink, very tasty. It was an excellent meal. Get reservations first too. We dropped about $110 for this one.

The octopus a la plancha and crudo with daily fish were both amazing. Decor is super cool and service is excellent. Cool place to sample all types of seafood.

Visited Ironside twice over July 4 weekend and it was pure joy and fun! Fantastic vibes - everyone so happy to be out, staff was lovely and didn't miss a beat. Lobster roll is one of the best ever, and husband loved the Octopus. One of our forever faves!

Went there this week and won't be back. Far better places in Little Italy. No cocktail sauce -- I asked for ketchup/horseradish...never came. We had 3 servers during our visit. Clam Chowder came lukewarm....we asked for replacement...still not piping hot. No free bread. $6 for bread and terrible whipped butter. Fish and Chips....they mean it. One piece of fish!!! Smallest martinis in town. Crab cake -- mushy and not hot. Terrible. This place is going downhill.

Overpriced, skimpy bar pour, overcooked, food did not come at the same time, server was completely unavailable. All in all, I think the place must be riding on reputation and has really gone downhill. Felt ripped off and rushed!

This place is a trip. Not very nice. Luckily they gave a cool waiter!! He got a Hundred dollar tip, like he deserved!! This place is for couples or old people. Do not go here if you want a fun time. Also the menu online is inaccurate. Plates and appetizers were doubled the price than advertised!! We won't be back. I'm sure they're glad about it though! They made sure to show us their disapproval of our eccentric and exciting energy.

Seafood in the middle of Little Italy. We sat at the bar around 3 pm end of Covid Took a little time to approach us but once the bartenders made contact it was a nice experience. Tons of varieties of liquor that they have to climb a ladder to get. Fresh squeezed juices was a plus for me. We had fries and oysters on Happy Hour. There was also plastic partitions between bar customers. I’ d come back for a bar experience but so many other restaurants to explore in Little Italy that I wouldn’t bother with dinner.

When we walked into this restaurant in the heart of Little Italy, the Italian district of San Diego, we were greeted with an apology: "We have to tell you that we don't do Italian cuisine here - they told us - maybe you might be disappointed." Far from it: I hate eating Italian food abroad, and I was just looking for a seafood restaurant like this. Fantastic: amazing quality of ingredients, exceptional service, very welcoming environment, with reasoned architecture that recalls the tentacles of the octopus or the pearls of the oysters without being tacky. Despite being skeptical, the dish with clams, cheese and bacon - "clams casino" - is extremely good. Reasonable value for money.

My hubby and i had dinner here coz we were looking for a seafood restaurant around the area. The place has a very nice ambience inside unfortunately we were seated outside at the very corner. But since we didn’t have any reservations, i guess we can’t complain. We were promptly greeted by our server. We ordered the big plate which has an assortment of seafood dishes. The fresh oysters was very good. Its smaller than normal but tasty. Their homemade chili sauce taste good with it. We also like the shrimp and fish ceviche as well as the shrimp. I also enjoyed the clam chowder. Service was also spot on. Price is above average but worth it. Since this is in Little Italy, we knew parking would be difficult so we just walked from our hotel. Btw, this is right beside this yummy ice cream store that you also need to try.

I go here every time I'm in San Diego. Great octopus. Great Happy hour. Great fish. And the best loaf of bread on the planet. And the prices are pretty good. Make a reservations or you will wait. My kid talks about this restaurant all the time.

Had a dozen oysters, the octopus, broccolini and fries. All was fantastic! The cocktail menu is very unique, and most of the drinks inside are too. Interior, decor and design is top shelf. In fact, the top shelf of the bar is only accessible by the sliding ladder attached to it. Fantastic experience; recommended

RACIST, RACIST, RACIST!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I am here from out of town visiting friends, and until I stepped foot in this restaurant, I've enjoyed my time. There were a total of 4 people at our table, one of our dinner guests, the ONLY black person at our table, asked for a to go box. A young lady that wasn't our waitress told our guest that they didn't have any to go boxes, but she could shove as much food as she could in her pockets, all the while with the biggest smirk on her face, AND she was WHITE, not to mention her demeanor....disgusting. From there, let's just say....it escalated. I asked for a manager, and honestly he was surprised, but only to a point. They wanted us gone, as quickly as they could get us out the door. We never asked for our dinner to be "comp'd"-we just wanted the young lady to apologize to our guest. The manager FINALLY came back to our table with the young lady, she denied saying anything of that nature, needless to say.....our waiter lost out, he was amazing, they wouldn't even let us tip him. We left with no apology, no bill and low and behold a TO GO BOX!

The decor, atmosphere & great service are a fitting setting for the PERFECTLY-cooked delicious FOOD! We ate there FOUR TIMES in one week - a testament to a simply excellent experience! We highly recommend a visit - or two!

Lovely atmosphere on the edge of Little Italy with a great menu of fish and oysters. The service was quick and friendly and the food very tasty. A lovely loaf of warm Brioche with butter made for an excellent appetiser! The building has some interesting history and I’m still on the lookout for someone to explain why there is a cast iron plaque mentioning Dunkerque (Dunkirk) baked into the floor at the entrance :-)?

I think this is my favorite place in Little Italy. Always has a nice ambiance and their service is friendly and fast. I love their cocktails menu!!!! Best oysters!!!! This is a must if you go to San Diego!!!!

Bone marrow Oscar Mixed dozen oysters Fries Chowder & biscut Ghost writer Gimlet Cobbler Banana pudding to go Yummy place Our waitress not attentive

Had a booking at 8:30pm through Open Table. Arrived on time and when it was time for us to check in we were told that the only seating options were “outside or at a high table at the bar”. We did make the booking a few days earlier and requested a standard seating - we live perilous times with COVID-19 and going to restaurants is risky. When inquired why we could not be seated where we requested, the hostess said that it was because we booked through Open Table. Really? We decided to eat at another restaurant of the many available in Little Italy. I won’t ever be able to talk about the food at this restaurant and I don’t mind.

This restaurant experience was horrible , the oysters were the size of a gumball, stringy and tasteless ! I dont mind spending the money but the food was terrible. We also ordered baked clams , since we were still hungry after almost $200 worth of food , they were again ....TINY covered with salty bread crumbs and not eadible.

Had heard great things but overall a disappointment for the price point. We were seated at the bar (unexpected but ok) and we sat there for several minutes before anyone came. Then we saw no one for about 12 minutes and had to ask for water and the whereabouts of our drink order. We had reservations do to be stuck at the bar was odd. The clam chowder was slightly salty but was very good. The octopus and clams were also good. The service was slow, uneven, and we felt forgotten about. Wish I could say more but for the type of restaurant they purport to be it didn’t match up with the service we received.

This restaurant definitely lived up to my expectations. The lobster roll was to die for!!! The location was great. We had a nice seat outside, perfect for people watching. Make sure to make a reservation.

Visiting from out of town this place was recommended by a friend who lived in the area. We loved it so much we ate dinner here twice on our four day trip.

Delicious food and amazing atmosphere! Will definitely be coming back. Seafood was out of this world. One of the best restaurants I’ve been to in San Diego no doubt

Had as many oysters as I could at the happy hour, they were so freshhh! Also had de lobster roll which was delicious and the drinks too!

I brought a group of friends here on a recommendation from my daughter. As one of the group remarked...”it was a disaster”. The seafood is excellent ( but pricey). The service was slow, disorganized, and careless. We waited an hour and 15 minutes just to get our cocktails, the martinis were awful and came in a bowled champagne glass ( small). Luke warm and nasty taste. All the courses came at once! This left no room to eat comfortably and meant meal was out of order. We had to ask for a spoon to even eat the chowder....which was extremely salty..... Do yourself a favor and just go to one of the other great San Diego seafood restaurants this one is a pricey disaster!

Nice seafood bistro in Little Italy. The decor and ambience are excellent. Everything is high-quality, down to the very detail. For example, make sure you look at the cocktail menu — the illustrations are beautiful. The menu is somewhat limited, thus the four stars. The lobster roll was very good. The fries are also yummy. We did not have the banana cream pudding but it looked stunning. I will go back.

Great location in Little Italy with many places to choose and we chose poorly. We waited for 2 hours based on the hype and came away disappointed. Prior to eating here we had some grilled artichokes from the Farmers Table that we’re the best thing ever. Should have stayed there. Back to Ironside. The Clam Chowder was good. Bit into something that make me cough for 20 minutes. Biscuit was okay. Not my thing. Oyster Rockefeller’s were burned tasting and overcooked oysters. Maybe we just ordered the wrong foods but would not recommend.

We took an Uber from the Gaslamp District to this restaurant. Even though our driver lived in Little Italy, he had to drive around several times until he located the restaurant. I mentioned this to the hostess and she stated that she hears this a lot and that the small black sign can not be seen from the street. The large building looks like an industrial warehouse. Initially, we were seated outside but we asked if there was an indoor table. We took the high top table otherwise there would have been a 30 minute wait. These tables were very close to neighboring tables so people had to squeeze between the tables. There was a small wooden seat that was attached to allow a person to “swing” in and out from the table…very uncomfortable. I ordered the mushroom Campanella which had pieces of scallops, Brussels sprouts, pasta, mushrooms and cream. It was really rich and I just couldn’t eat it. My husband enjoyed his bowl of clam chowder. Eating here was not enjoyable due to the uncomfortable seating and crowding, and not a fan of the menu items.

Well the salad was great, other than that the food was ordinary. Service was great, friendly and fun. Maybe my picker was off that day, but it's hard to go wrong with raw oysters. Being from the south, I expected some crackers and cocktail sauce, which didn't happen. The crackers were, ironically, oyster crackers, and you can't do much with those and raw oysters. Funny.

I really, really enjoyed my meal here. I was in San Diego for work and I had only one night of free time. My friend told me to come here as it would be the best use of my time. He was right. If you're in San Diego for one night only and you like seafood, good drinks, and good service, this is the place.

Great happy hour apps and beers. DInners were moderately priced in my opinion and a nice variety of entrees available.

It was just on point. Everything is perfect, but the experience was even better thanks to Leon(leo...sorry if I’m writing wrong, the man from Luisiana) the oysterman was so kind and ask us something about us. We’re From Italy and find someone so kind and respectful despite our english was nice, Also because Made the experience here even better. The restaurant is awesome, the waiteres are on point and also kind and the FOOD is soooo good my compliments to the chef. I’m very happy to stopped here. Thanks

We lucked out to grab the bar right in front of the kitchen- grab a seat there if you get a chance. We’re from Boston so we have pretty high seafood standards and this place absolutely blew it out of the water. The crudo, happy hour pulpo tacos and grilled octopus were absolutely outrageous. Huge shout out to Andrew in the kitchen and his crew, including the cook who found a black pearl shucking oyster, our waiter Cameron, and our dude who made some great recommendations on the octopus and gave us a couple of oysters. Thanks for an awesome post engagement experience.

As a chef for many years in the business, I must say that the Opah I had the other day was absolutely fabulous. Grilled with a lemon beurre blanc was simple and etherial. $36 for a six ounce portion with nothing but a sunchoke side seems a little high. But, if that is what one has to pay to eat transportive food……

We were told the wait was 40 minutes. We ended up waiting an hour and 10 minutes. Totally understand sometimes tables don’t turn as quickly so I could be patient but an acknowledgement would have been nice. We sat down and ordered the small platter right away. 34 minutes after ordering the platter finally came. We did get an apology that the raw bar was backed up with some big orders. We were starving so we did ask for the Greek salad about 20 minutes in and it was brought right away. I will say it was delicious. The platter was ok but nothing outstanding. Instead of ordering main course we decided to cut our losses and go get a slice of pizza up the street. Overall service was horrible, food was blah, and it felt as though there was zero concern with making our experience positive.

Chris the maitre d’ was very friendly and accommodating as was the rest of the staff. Nice selection of food, wine and cocktails. By far the best clam chowder with a cheddar biscuit to dunk, had 2 bowls it was that good. The octopus was very tender. One of our best meals in San Diego

I had a perfect six course din er where everything was really well prepared and very tasty. Especially their oysters Are good.

Maybe they have decided that they are too good to serve everyone fairly. But today, my friend and I stood outside waiting for a table as other folks who checked in after us were seated. I even made a joke and said maybe it's because I'm brown and asian. We waited over 30 mins until I finally approached the host to kindly remind her that we are waiting, the same hosts who stared at us the whole time as if we weren't good enough to sit at one of the 16 empty tables. She told us we would be called first as soon as a table was available. I counted as each party left, there were 16... yet in the middle of a pandemic, we were seated right next to a table of 6 people. If the issue is not wanting to seat customers during happy hour because we weren't good enough for their $1 sand filled oysters, I would have understood a fabricated explanation, except after being seated we had to wait 15 more mins to be acknowledge by the staff and only then were we able to get water and given their "exceptional seafood menu". Happy hour ends at 5. We came at 4 and didnt get to order until 4:56. The food is mediocre. The service is abysmal. Dreadful and unfair. They made us feel unwelcome as if ignoring us would just keep us away. It was my first time here and it will be my last. If you want great seafood accompanied by decent service, I recommend other places like Tom Ham's, Lionfish or Brigantine.

Everything from the time we walked in was great. Service outstanding and menu simple but everything to make it easy!

My wife and I went here while on a visit to take our son to the University of San Diego. We like it so much the first day for lunch that we went back the next day. Probably the best lobster roll. I’ve ever had the drinks and the service were good too

Staff made recommendations. Food was the best seafood I’ve had in San Diego. Definitely didn’t hurt when the chef made personal recommendations !

Really superb late lunch enjoyed at Ironside, an old Iron works building in Little Italy - phenomenal oysters (6 different types to choose from or do as we did and try them all!) and an entire lobster which was very expensive but also very delicious - a one off treat! Save room for dessert - try the sundae fundae - you won't be disappointed! Definitely recommend!

Asked our waiter, "What do recommend for the quintessential Ironside experience?" Surprisingly, he steered us away from fresh Maine lobster and the very popular lobster roll (which we were leaning towards). Instead, he recommended the fresh octopus and crab cakes for appetizers (unusual and tasty), and the whole 2 lb red snapper (which had just been caught that morning). Unfortunately, he came back a minute later and said they'd just run out of the snapper--but he recommended the other daily catches, which were swordfish and halibut. Those two are not fishes we normally order, but have to say they were exceptionally prepared. Both were very moist and served with unusual garnishes like sweet porcini mushrooms and sauteed shallots. Also, the ambiance here is definitely foodie photo worthy.

Terrible service asked to be seated in a table right next to the section that was open to accommodate 4 guests and our dog. They would not accommodate our request and the waitress was rude and said”you do you”. Decided with that type of attitude we were better off dining somewhere else.

Went in for dinner as a family of four. Ordered roackfish ceviche to start which came with tortilla chips which tasted incredible! For main I ordered a greek salad which tasted great but smaller than I had thought. I also ordered a bowl of hand cut fries which I 100% reccomend getting, so fresh and tasted so good! The cocktails are not bad either, just check out the menu and see what you fancy. overall lovely place, waiters where very attentive and very friendly, food was great little pricey for the amount of food you got.

The restaurant itself is very nice, industrial, San Diego casual with lots of outside seating and mostly open to the outside even for inside seating. The raw bar options are excellent but the meal options are just OK. Given how pricy everything on the menu is, recommend you splurge on the raw bar where you will get your money’s worth. Pros: Nice building, good place to people watch, lots of raw bar options. Ceviche was excellent Cons: Fish meal portions are very small. Lobster roll was not very good (they use shredded lobster which is a major disappointment if you had a lobster roll in New England). Very expensive.

Great seafood joint on India Street. I sat at the bar and was taken care of by Earnie and Shawn, who were excellent … Big shout out. Spirits/cocktails are plentiful and the wine list is sufficient. I went for the most part raw including they Tuna starter which was excellent. Highly recommended for a good night out.

Even with GPS it was not easy for us to get there, the facade does not reflect the quality of the place, the very friendly staff, our reservation in order, the waiter attentive and with pleasant suggestions for drinks and on the menu, we had recommendations and we followed them, first time It was a source of fresh seafood, excellent quality and flavor, magnificent dressings, second course as a main course the lobster roll, of exceptional quality, the wine was a dry and well balanced sparkling rose. Excellent experience, highly recommended.

This place was UNREAL!! In the heart of Little Italy and one of the best meals I've had in my life. We made reservations and sat at the Oyster Bar. I was unsure of that when making the reservation but that turned into the best decision ever. The people at the bar (specifically Evan I think?) he's knew from South Carolina made the experience even better. Everyone was awesome and knowledgeable. The Blue Fin Tuna dish was the best thing I've ever tasted and we ordered a second one. Overall great vibe for any occasion. Cannot wait to be back

We had dinner here with a friend of my husband's and his wife. The pace was very upbeat. The food was wonderful if a little pricey. I cannot fault any of the food.

Had dinner here after conference for first time. Open air very causal atmosphere in the Little Italy area. Friendly staff and waiter. You get the impression that it’s as much a raw bar place than a seafood restaurant. I’ll rate the drink/food I tried: I had a Gimlet, Basil Haden, and Old Fashioned which were all made well (8/10), however the amount of actual drink in the glass was very small (like 1/2 full) compared to the average restaurant...... not to mention their glasses were small to begin with! They were priced as a full drink, but you only got a half........ very disappointing because I can’t stand cheap skates. For comparison, I had 4 drinks last night and could barely feel any effect. I had 3 drinks at Donavan’s the night before and had to Uber to get back to the hotel! For appetizers we got the grilled oysters (7), octopus (7.5.....but not really my thing), and chowder fries (8.5). Claw chowder was good(8.0). I tried the Halibut (7.5-8.0) which was a nice piece of dense white fish based in a tomato basil sauce/soup. I also tried the lobster roll (also 7.5-8), but had a little too much breading for me. The best thing I had was the crab cake (8.5) w/great tarter sauce. Price was fairly expensive like everything is in the area. I’ll come back but next time I’ll just drink beer!

I came to this restaurant the first visit to San Diego at the sane day and the second time was before the night that I wanna leaving It’s delicious, best service

This was such an amazing culinary experience set in a interesting yet calming environment. Try their Mahi Mahi with the potato chimichurri side. Try their oysters and the pavlova door dessert. The cobbler cocktail was also excellent. Came here on vacation and intend to return the next time I’m in San Diego.

Great food, excellent service, interesting decor. Love the lobster roll! This is a must when I visit San Diego.

I loved my dining experience here last night! I celebrated my birthday here and upon entering we were handed menus with “Happy Birthday Liz” printed on it! We started with a dozen oysters 6 different types and all delicious! I had the lobster roll which was good but very bread forward. We also had the octopus dish and Korean BBQ prawns! Everything was tasty! The best part was the decor! I was obsessed! I had just returned from the Peruvian Amazon where we fished for Piranha! One whole side of the restaurant is a wall of piranha heads! One of the coolest things I’ve seen! The giant octopus camouflaged hanging from the ceiling was genius! The bathroom lighting fixtures are wrapped in octopus tentacles! I LOVE octopus! The decor and oysters will definitely bring me back here!!!!