Brockton Villa — Restaurant in San Diego

TLDR: The host was so terrible that good views and mediocre food and drinks could NOT make up for it. This place was dead from 6-8pm on a Saturday night, which I think speaks for itself. The place also reeks.

One person can truly ruin a whole experience. The host working the night we went was just nasty. My mom, husband, and I were the first to arrive. Since the host stand at the lower level was closed, we walked up the stairs together to find the host and check in. I was aware that they wouldn’t seat an incomplete party; however, I was not aware that this restaurant’s waiting area was a public bench on the sidewalk. The waiter informed us that because we weren’t a complete party, we would need to walk back down the stairs and sit on those benches. My mom is getting knee surgery in two weeks, and getting up those stairs was really difficult for her. We asked if she could have a chair to sit in at the top instead, due to the difficulty. The host responded by telling us that he wouldn’t seat an incomplete party and that I would have been informed of this when I made the reservation. He told us this as I looked around a restaurant that, at 6pm on a Saturday night, was about 30% full. Now, we were there from 6-8pm, and this place NEVER filled up. So refusing to give my mom a chair was just plain mean. I could understand if the place filled up OR if we were demanding to be served, but neither of those things happened. Additionally, I had called the restaurant before to ask about the best place to drop off someone using a wheelchair and was told it would be easiest to drop the person off at the front of the restaurant and that there were stairs. No one mentioned that it would be best to seat the person on the sidewalk as there was no waiting area at the top. The host begrudgingly found us a chair in the back corner where my mom could sit and reminded me that he really shouldn’t be doing this because we didn’t all show up on time. I think telling me the first time was enough.

The next lovely interaction I had with this host was when we were all ready to be seated. Our party was late because, to be honest, it was a little hard to find parking for this place. We had planned to use the parking garage up the street, but when we arrived, it was full, so we were all hunting for parking a little longer than I had budgeted for. Now, when we all got there, the host could have said, “Great, let me take you to your table. We are a little short-staffed, so your server will be with you as soon as possible.” Instead, he said, “Since all my 6:15 reservations showed up on time, our server will be by after she sees to them.” I wish I had left at this point because I just felt embarrassed that I had picked this place for my family to eat at. The host set a really poor tone for the evening, and I was supposed to be celebrating my birthday with my family, whom I don’t get to see often. Fortunately, we had a lot of other wonderful experiences together in San Diego, but I had to say something so no one else would make the same mistake as me.

Now, I’ll remind you that we have been chastised several times at this point about not following the rules. Guess what shape our table was in when we got there? There were bird droppings in the booth we were supposed to sit in. The busboy did a great job cleaning up once we showed him. We had two sets of silverware for ten people, the rest of which we didn’t get until after our food was served and we pointed out to the staff that we didn’t have them. These are things that I honestly wouldn’t have cared about if I hadn’t had such an awful time trying to get to the table. If you’re going to be so mean, at least back it up with being good at your job and don’t sit people at a table with bird poop on the chairs.

The rest of the staff was fine; I’m sorry they have to work with that guy. If this is the way he treats guests, I am sure that he isn’t very fun...

I came here for dinner with my husband and his sister after seeing the vibe of the place online.

Be loved how the sunset was just right there. Only downside with that outdoor seating space we got was that it was too small. The chairs felt very cramped up against each other and were also too high for the table. We were seated upstairs in the space that was outside the inside seating area.

The food was pretty good. I got the Crispy Lemon Za’atar Chicken with Mediterranean Cous Cous, Spicy Feta, Spinach and House Made Tzatziki. I really love the flavor of the chicken. And the crispy point was right there. It was actually the skin that was nice and crispy. I think my favorite part here was that Tzatziki! I am not at all a fan of cucumber but this tzatziki was just beautiful! I have no idea what they did but I could have just had it plain! So so so good! It went really well with the chicken as well. That spicy feta on the side was lovely! I thought it was spicy hummus at first but feta was definitely better. I really like the couscous as well. It didn't seem too oily or anything and the texture was very surprising. The individual grains were also quite large and like pearls - quite a good surprise here. Husband and sister-in-law also loved them!

Husband got the bowl of Clam Chowder since he was a bit sick. This was really warm and cozy. That Mild Red curry Cream really came through at the end. Subtle, but amazing! I tried it as well and loved it.

Sister in law got the Pappardelle with Basil Pesto and chicken added on. She really enjoyed her meal as well. The chicken was so soft and juicy as she said and really well with the pasta. I didn't try any of this since I'm not a Pesto person.

Also asked for mini baguettes on the side and they were really warm and soft and perfect!

Only (MAJOR) downside of this place was that side of roasted asparagus that we asked for. There were about six or seven strips of slim baby asparagus on there. And also very oily even though I had asked for less oil.. This would have still been okay if it was not $8 for this tiny amount of food. Quite a...

Ah, the Brockton Villa in La Jolla—a place that, at first glance, promises so much and yet delivers so little. One must begin by acknowledging the obvious: the views are, in a word, splendid. Nestled above the shimmering expanse of the Pacific, the vista alone almost lulls you into thinking you’ve stumbled upon a gem. Alas, this illusion is shattered the moment the food arrives, paired with the faint yet persistent stench of animal feces wafting through the air.

Let us start with the culinary offerings—or lack thereof. The menu, though ambitiously priced, leaves you yearning for the simple, honest mediocrity of a frozen TV dinner. Truly, a microwaved lasagna at home would not only be a more palatable choice but also far less offensive to one’s wallet. Plates arrive looking unremarkable, tasting worse, and offending all sense of value. One could almost marvel at the audacity of charging such a premium for dishes so uninspired.

The service, to its credit, is friendly and well-meaning—bless their hearts, they do try. However, even the most decent demeanor cannot compensate for the lack of quality elsewhere. The odour of what I can only assume emanates from the wildlife nearby permeates the atmosphere, ensuring that even the crisp ocean breeze cannot salvage the experience.

And then, the facilities—ah, the pièce de résistance of mediocrity. The bathrooms are woefully insufficient, unbefitting of any establishment that dares to host the well-heeled of La Jolla. A single visit was enough to convince me to wait until I returned to the comfort of my own home.

In conclusion, one comes to the Brockton Villa for the view but stays only long enough to realize that the view can be enjoyed far better elsewhere—with superior food, better air quality, and far less disappointment. Save yourself the ordeal and warm up a meal at home. It will be cheaper, more flavorful, and mercifully free of...