Jake's Del Mar — Restaurant in Del Mar

Jake's Del Mar is a quintessential Southern California dining experience, blending delicious seafood with a prime beachfront location. Situated right on the shores of Del Mar, this restaurant captures the relaxed, old-school Southern California vibe that has made it a beloved spot for both locals and visitors since its opening in 1981.

Seafood Highlights: Jake's Del Mar is renowned for its fresh, chef-driven coastal cuisine. The menu features an array of seafood dishes that are both innovative and delectable. Highlights include the macadamia nut panko-crusted calamari served with sweet and sour sauce, and the herb garlic grilled salmon accompanied by roasted red pepper grits, grilled corn, and mango relish. Their seafood trio and langostino lobster omelets are standout choices, especially during their popular Sunday brunch​ (Jake's Del Mar)​​ (Go San Diego)​.

Proximity to the Beach: One of Jake's most compelling features is its close proximity to the beach. Located just steps from the waves, diners can enjoy panoramic views of the Pacific Ocean from almost every seat in the house. The restaurant's floor-to-ceiling windows and outdoor patio seating allow guests to soak in the stunning coastal scenery, making every meal feel like a special occasion. The casual, beachy ambiance is enhanced by light blue walls adorned with surfboards and ocean-themed art, adding to the laid-back, yet elegant atmosphere​ (Jake's Del Mar)​​ (Go San Diego)​.

Old School Southern California Vibes: Jake's Del Mar embodies the classic Southern California vibe with its relaxed atmosphere and friendly service. The decor, featuring exposed beams, hardwood tables, and tropical plants, sets the stage for a comfortable and inviting dining experience. This ambiance is perfectly complemented by the restaurant's history and its longstanding popularity in the Del Mar community. Regular events like the annual Jake’s Del Mar Beach Fun Run further cement its status as a local institution​ (Jake's Del Mar)​​ (Go San Diego)​.

In conclusion, Jake's Del Mar is a must-visit for anyone looking to enjoy superb seafood in a picturesque beachfront setting. While the food is excellent, it's the unbeatable views and old-school Southern California charm that truly make this restaurant a standout destination. Whether you're there for a leisurely brunch, a sunset dinner, or just a casual drink with friends, Jake's Del Mar promises an experience that captures the essence of...

We made a reservation and had virtually no wait when we arrived. The location is beautiful, and the view outstanding. This restaurant is also nicely run.

We went to Jake's as a family of five to celebrate our daughter's birthday. They had already placed a Happy Birthday card on the table for our daughter, which was a nice touch!

We ordered a bottle of Pinot grigio to start. Our waitress, Elisha T, promptly notified us shortly after she left to get that bottle of wine that they had sold out. Now, normally, the waitress stops there and waits for his/her patrons to figure out what to substitute it with. Not Elisha! Upon finding out they were out of stock and before telling us the bad news, she communicated with Jake's sommelier to ask the sommelier for a recommendation to substitute the old wine for a new one and she suggested that to us instead. It was a great suggestion, and we ordered that Pinot grigio. Great service #1!

Later, we ordered our main courses. The fish and seafood dishes were delicious according to the rest of our party.

My husband ordered the lemon garlic roasted fish, which he said was superb. Our daughter, whose birthday we were celebrating, ordered the Hokaido scallops, and she loved it. Our other daughter ordered the Togarashi spice-crusted ahi, which she loved, but not as much as her fiancé's grilled shrimp! I ordered the chicken dish because I don't eat seafood. That dish was mediocre.

We had a mishap happen where their waitstaff dropped ketchup containers on the floor. Unfortunately, the ketchup landed on my husband's new Lululemon shirt. In the process of trying to spot clean it, Elisha came by to ask what happened. Once she learned what happened, she asked her manager to come and talk to us. Dean, the restaurant manager, was friendly and helpful. He gave us his card to send him the dry cleaning bill. We were able to remove the ketchup spots at home! Great service #2!

Toward the end of the evening, Elisha brought our daughter a massive slice of ice cream cake with five spoons. It was also delicious - especially the crust!

The point is -- the service was amazing, dishes delectable, ambiance incredible, and prices reasonable. What more could one ask for. We would happily return. We would also highly recommend Jake's to others too!

Thanks to Jake's Del Mar, Elisha, and Dean, it was a very...

This place is good, not great, though the view is tremendous.

First - there appears to be public parking across the street. Their lot, however is 100% valet. Expect to pay $7+tip.

If you have a reservation, do not arrive early. Our reservation was at 4pm, and though there were two hostesses and valet drivers, and the restaurant was virtually empty, we were told we could not be seated until 4pm.

Service was very nice. I think the wait staff was all male, so that was a smidge odd. However, they were all very kind and attentive. Service was also fast at first, too. But like I said, we were some of the only people for a while.

Some of the food was really good. We tried the tostadas, ceviche, and crab cakes as apps. We really enjoyed the tostadas. Crab cakes were too spicy for some. Ceviche was ok.

For dinner: The scallops were really good, however being served on pinto beans was sort of gross. Pinto beans don't scream "elevated dish." The texture matched the sweet potato mash, so it was hard to separate the two.

The ribs were good. Meat was a bit dry and fell off the bone. Good overall flavor.

The Cearsar salad was good, no real anchovies (thank goodness) and a light dressing, not swimming in dressing.

The lobster was good and out of its tail shell, so we all appreciated that. It wasn't rubbery or overcooked.

The fish of the day was great, our son gobbled it up and said it was seasoned well.

The shrimp mole was unique. The shrimp were a little overcooked.

The chowder is more like a corn chowder than a seafood chowder and is somewhat lacking in flavor. It was Ok.

We had a large group of people, so I don't know all the dishes. The food did all come out nearly at the same time, which was good for us.

My nephew ate his whole burger and others around the table were saying the food was good. I'm a bit of a food snob compared to them, however.

And for dessert: The hula pie is huge and intense. It also has its own spork! If you have someone there for a birthday, they get a free slice. So make sure not to order another one. We really liked the peanut butter dessert, it wasn't too peanut buttery. We were surprised there was no creme brulee. The lemon sorbet was fine. Nothing fancy. The cheesecake was okay. Some people thought it was...