Brigantine Seafood & Oyster Bar — Restaurant in La Mesa

I love the Brig. It's a great place to go for a delicious meal. I'm only writing because I felt that the service let us down a little when my friends I went to dine last night. There were three specific things that happened that just rubbed me the wrong way:

Because the cost of food has increased so much over the past couple of years, I feel that the attention to detail for customers needs to be top notch. Especially, when you're going to a restaurant that is not inexpensive. Our waiter, Matthew, started out great. He was attentive and kind. When he read the specials, I specifically asked for pricing.

When I ordered, I told Matthew that my friend and I were going to split one of the specials. We received our entrees on two separate plates, which I thought was very nice and accommodating. When the bill came, I noticed the entree was $6 more than what he quoted us and when I inquired he told me it was for the surcharge of splitting the entree. Now, I hadn't specifically asked him to put it onto two separate plates. My friend and I are perfectly capable of doing that. I would have hoped, a more upscale restaurant with a surcharge like this, would have given me the option of having them split it or telling me about the surcharge.

My friend pushed back on him for the extra cost and he became defensive, not apologetic at all. That was where it really rubbed me the wrong way. We were talking about $6, which again, in the long run, isn't a lot, but with the price of everything and the principle of being transparent, especially when I had already asked about pricing in the first place, the delicious meal I had turned a little sour.

We ordered oyster shooters and again, I asked if there was a buy two for $10 or some sort of special, and our waiter said no. We had ordered 3 shooters. I know other Brigantine restaurants have this, but I didn't push it. When I examined the bill. I saw the 2 shooters for $10 and another single shooter for $6. I would have liked to have the option of ordering another shooter for an additional $4.

My friend asked for a wine recommendation, and the waiter brought her a sample. She liked it, and neither one said anything about price. When the bill came, it was $22 for a glass.

I realize that the 3rd example doesn't affect me. But it played into the overall theme of the evening where I felt like I wasn't being told all of the information. Our group paid a lot of money to eat at a nice restaurant with good food where the service should have matched, and I personally felt a little bamboozled. I will go back, but I'll be wary to ask the right questions so I don't walk away feeling a little empty after...

You'll love this place if you're a depressed and stressed out middle-aged professional with a boring marriage who's limit of "spicy" is black pepper.

I ordered their $42 steak tonight, medium rare (which was apparently chef's recommendation). I received a tough medium/well steak with chewy gristle and almost no taste. Here's how it's described on their menu:

"12oz cut topped with blue cheese-truffle crust, mashed potatoes, garlic French beans & red wine demi glace."

I promise, not even a waft of blue cheese or truffle ever touched that steak (and that stuff is stinky so it's easy to tell!) The steak didn't even taste salted...

They didn't give me the red wine demi glaze (why? I don't know) and the only redeemable part was the garlic green beans in oil. Nothing fancy just chunks of (not fresh) garlic on oily green beans.

I thought maybe it was just a mistake or one-off, but my wife ordered the Maccadamia crusted mahi mahi:

"Breaded in crushed macadamia & panko, topped with lemon beurre blanc, parmesan risotto & chef’s vegetables"

First, the risotto has no flavor, nor salt. It was an embarrassment of a side with bland cheese and faint suggestions of soggy broccoli.

The mahi mahi was not bad, but not out of this world and also NOT SALTED! You'd think everyone in this place had stage IV hypertension with how little salt and seasoning they used. The lemon beurre blanc was also completely bland...

for $100 I was expecting a nice meal, but instead felt like I was eating at a cheap chain like applebee's (although, they at least salt their food!)

The older servers where kind and attentive although most of the staff that is younger looks and acts like bored teenagers.

The atmosphere is good in some parts. It's clean so that's good, and I like the upside down boat at the bar. But that's it.

Their tables are so damn small. We had a party of 6, and their standard tables for 6 were clearly made for seating 4(cramped)... Also when you first walk in there's a random table of junk on your right side, it has some hand sanitizer, a medium sized box of tape, a box of pens/pencils, business cards, honestly stuff that should be in a managers office in the backroom is just out in the open. So that's odd. The carpet reminds me of something I might see in an old 90's Chuckee Cheese's.

Most of all, I'm disappointed that a $25 steak from a theme park I had today was better than the...

I've been wanting to come to this specific location since I was younger but, really never made it a point until last Tuesday. I loved the boats and decor they have inside... the hostess was really sweet. We were seated right by the diry dishes station and had to hear slamming dishes the entire time ( we could barely hear ourselves think). I asked if we could be moved because I suffer from cluster migraines, our waitress moved us one table over right in the sun (LOL OMG!). After sitting there for awhile she mentions the kitchen is closing soon if you want something other than soda and tea. We immediately ordered since it was already past 1pm and this was our breakfast. They really didn't have much of a selection on the menu. We started off with the calamari strips and ½ dozen oysters (everything was fresh and delicious). I decided to go with the some kind of spicy fish tacos and my husband had the lobster tempura tacos, Everything was very tasty.

Our waitress on the other hand took forever to bring out a simple request like Sriracha... finally when she remembered lol, she brought the wrong thing. I asked for extra cheese. Watched her walk into the kitchen talk to everyone in there walk out and talk to the hostess and flirt with a table full of gentlemen (hey get it girl, I ain't hating 😂). But PLEASE my cheese lol. Well I finished tacos and asked a busboy for it, he was awesome and brought it right over. I enjoyed last bite with cheese. Then our waitress finally appears with the cheese 😂🤣 I just laughed and said I'm done ut thank you. She just said "oh" and walked away.

The calamari strips were yummy and hot The oysters fresh and delicious Our food tasted good we just wish it would've been a little warm. :/

It was an okay meal. But honestly I don't think I'll be going back...