Solare Ristorante Lounge

Review summary

1. j

   joZef

   San Diego

   26 reviews

   4.0

   26 reviews

   Dined 2 days ago

   1. Overall 4
   2. Food 5
   3. Service 3
   4. Ambience 4

   Food was well prepared especially the pasta dishes which were excellent. Our waiter was just okay and uninspired, putting in minimal effort and seemed unhappy about being there or pleasing us beyond basic service…maybe he was having a bad day or too many tables? We had booked the chefs table but we were disappointed in that it was in the middle of a busy and cluttered hallway that leads to the bathrooms and the chef was nowhere to be seen - felt odd, and not particularly special, so we asked to sit in main dining which was the better choice. Food was the star.
   

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2. J

   Jeb

   San Diego

   2 reviews

   3.0

   2 reviews

   Dined 6 days ago

   1. Overall 3
   2. Food 3
   3. Service 3
   4. Ambience 4

   My wife and I have wanted to try Solare for years, and we decided to have this year's anniversary dinner there. In a word, our experience was disappointing. We started off at the bar and ordered some calamari and drinks. The drinks were great, but the calamari was so extremely chewy that it was inedible. I sent the order back, but the bartender insisted that they make a replacement and also remove the item from our bill. The second order of calamari was better, but still chewy. It had none of the tender texture that calamari is supposed to have, and the tentacle pieces were still as chewy as the first order. On top of that, the sauce tasted like nothing more than tomato juice and sugar. Somehow it was both bland and overly sweet. It was terrible. We would not order their calamari again. Our dinner fared better, but nothing we had was memorable. My wife ordered the Bolognese, and it was good, but it missed something. Perhaps it was the complete lack of herbs on top. Some fresh basil would have made a big difference. It also didn't help that we realized later in the meal that no one came by to offer her freshly grated Parmesan cheese, but everyone else who ordered pasta was also offered freshly grated Parmesan cheese. My Pork Chop was delicious, but parts of it were also bland. I think it's because there was no sauce, just a flavorful herb mix on the outside. That was fine for outside pieces, but the pork was so thick that most of it ended up being bland because it was nothing but pork (the pork itself was very tender and moist). A sauce would completely fix this issue. I did enjoy the blistered tomatoes and sauteed potatoes on the side. I'm not sure how I feel about the corn bread, which was more like a corn pudding. We did get a free dessert to celebrate our anniversary, which is greatly appreciated. All in all, the experience was not bad, but it was also not memorable in the slightest.
   

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3. J

   Jim

   San Diego

   1 review

   5.0

   1 review

   Dined on December 15, 2024

   1. Overall 5
   2. Food 5
   3. Service 5
   4. Ambience 5

   Many great dinner food, drink, and wine options to choose from and the service is excellent.
   

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4. M

   Michael

   San Diego

   1 review

   5.0

   1 review

   Dined on December 14, 2024

   1. Overall 5
   2. Food 5
   3. Service 5
   4. Ambience 4

   Delicious food. Being able to order risotto and scallops for me is such a treat. Lasagna was layered with a symphony of flavors. Their pear and gorgonzola pizza was simple yet unique and indulgent. I was not a fan of the arancini special was a tad under and could’ve used some time in the oven. Prepare yourself for a loud dining experience it can get quite chatty. Service was very good never had an empty glass. I would love to come back and try something new or possibly do their pasta classes.
   

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5. A

   Alexis

   VIP

   San Diego

   26 reviews

   3.0

   26 reviews

   Dined on December 5, 2024

   1. Overall 3
   2. Food 3
   3. Service 3
   4. Ambience 4

   We love Solare, unfortunately it was an off night for the kitchen and server. She brought one entree with the salads and it was barely warm. When the rest of the food came out, 1 out of 5 dishes was hot, the rest were barely warm to cold. Even cold, the food tasted good, just not as good as it could’ve been hot. The owner came over and apologized and brought us a dessert platter which was very nice.
   

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6. A

   Annie

   San Diego

   2 reviews

   3.0

   2 reviews

   Dined on December 5, 2024

   1. Overall 3
   2. Food 4
   3. Service 5
   4. Ambience 3

   The service and food was wonderful, but the dining room is very loud. I would recommend outdoor seating if possible because the noise level was at a constant high level.
   

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7. S

   Shawn

   VIP

   San Diego

   7 reviews

   4.0

   7 reviews

   Dined on December 2, 2024

   1. Overall 4
   2. Food 4
   3. Service 4
   4. Ambience 3

   Very good regular night out space - jets are to be expected but very loud outside.
   

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8. J

   Joy

   San Diego

   5 reviews

   5.0

   5 reviews

   Dined on December 1, 2024

   1. Overall 5
   2. Food 5
   3. Service 5
   4. Ambience 5

   We celebrated my best friends birthday at Solare and we had a wonderful experience! The staff was very attentive and provided recommendations for appetizers, our main meal, and dessert. The ambiance was perfect and the restaurant is beautiful! Our meals and drinks were AMAZING! My husband and I are looking forward to returning for a date night!
   

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9. V

   Vanessa

   Los Angeles

   7 reviews

   5.0

   7 reviews

   Dined on November 30, 2024

   1. Overall 5
   2. Food 5
   3. Service 5
   4. Ambience 5

   What a wonderful place, and so beautifully decorated for Christmas. Our waitress was so attentive. I didn’t get her name But she was from Italy and just the sweetest. This place exceeded my expectations.
   

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10. L

    Lisa

    San Diego

    6 reviews

    5.0

    6 reviews

    Dined on November 28, 2024

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5

    Solare is one of our favorites. Always delicious
    

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