Garibaldi — Restaurant in San Diego

Garibaldi, San Diego: A Sardinian Love Letter With a Michelin-Worthy Soul

San Diego isn’t lacking in good food. But Garibaldi? That’s a different beast entirely — a refined sanctuary that doesn’t just serve dinner, it curates an experience. It’s a hushed escape above the clamor of downtown, where every element is dialed in with reverence and intent — from the lighting to the linen, the Amari to the anchovy.

It all begins with Kelsey, a hostess whose poise and warmth feel like the velvet rope at a private club — welcoming, but unmistakably special. There’s a comfort in her grace, a sense that you’ve crossed into a space where things are about to get memorable.

Then, there is Jaielene — our high priestess of flavor. She didn’t simply take our order — she took us on a voyage. Her knowledge of the menu was encyclopedic, yes, but delivered with such passion that it felt personal. Every wine pairing she recommended was a study in balance, each selection complementing and elevating the dish it accompanied. But she didn’t stop there.

Mid-meal, Jaielene returned with a curated selection of Amari liqueurs, presenting them not as drinks, but as portals. Each pour came with a story, a purpose, a memory. The flavors — bitter, herbal, hauntingly complex — transported us to sun-drenched Italian fields, cobbled piazzas, and slow Mediterranean afternoons. It was a sensory passport, and she the most elegant of guides.

And then Jeff, behind the bar — calm, composed, brilliant. His understanding of Amari mirrored Jaielene’s — both deep and dynamic. He didn't push anything; he simply listened, observed, and delivered the precise pour to match the moment. The kind of bartender who makes you feel like a regular by the second round.

The food? Sublime. The “fresh and forgot” oysters — bracing, pristine, kissed with just the memory of the sea. The fried calamari — light, greaseless, with a brightness that danced across the palate.

Then came the Spaghetti al Ricci di Mare, a declaration of culinary love. Each bite — tangled with uni, oceanic butter, and depth — lingered long after the plate was cleared. The Sardinian Culurgiones, delicately filled with potato and mint, were soft, fragrant sighs of comfort — traditional, yet dressed with fine-dining elegance.

The music — subtle yet soul-stirring — felt curated, not queued. It set the room’s tempo with precision: cool, modern, and intimate. The kind of soundtrack that makes you lean in and slow down. It wasn’t just background — it was part of the architecture of the night, wrapping the room in a kind of cinematic exclusivity.

Garibaldi doesn’t boast. It doesn’t need to. It knows exactly what it is: a rarefied experience executed with humility, excellence, and soul. Every member of the team, every dish, every drop of Amari tells the same story — one of reverence for craft and a desire to transport.

In a city of good meals, Garibaldi delivers a great one. One that...

Thank you to Garibaldi Management and staff for such a great time on April 13, 2024. Our host the beautiful and charming Avery was really helpful, attentive and nice, not pretentious, condescending or aloof like many hostesses are. David was our server and he was so kind, so nice, so on the ball with everything it made our special occasion wonderful. The manager who came by watched our table of 14 his name was MJ and he helped whenever our party needed something when David wasn’t there. We had a bit of a high maintenance table and the two of them and the bussers were excellent. The food was yummy but the kitchen needs to lay off the heavy handed chili flakes. You can always add more chili flakes yourself if you ask for it on the side, but you can’t take it off the food when it’s mixed in so heavily. It overpowers the food when you have that much chili flakes, especially in both the pasta dish and the tuna tartare. The rolls, grandma pie and vegetarian pizza were delicious, with thick but fluffy crust in small bite size pieces. The salads were wonderful fresh and colorful. The charcuterie board was excellent with the chorizo pate. The view is really lovely and they accommodated us to an interior window table when the weather would not allow us to sit in the sofa, balcony seating area. Everyone had a really good time from 4 PM till 6 PM and would definitely come back here in July for another special event. Thank you to the staff of Garibaldi! Keep up the great work, cocktails were excellent as was the desert. They went above and beyond to go to Vistal to get us a chocolate cake when that was not expected and that is what you call...

We reserved this restaurant to spend the 4th of July. They offered booking options for indoor or outdoor. I booked a table for outdoor, but when we got at the restaurant the hostess walked us to a table indoor, I said I had made reservation for an outdoor table but she kept denying and said I made the reservation for indoor. I asked for the manager and told him he also denied and was not friendly, then I showed my confirmation email for outdoor table and told him I made it months ago for outdoor experience and the buffet and we visiting from another state, he didn’t care he said, he would see what he could do for us because they were overbooked, acted like he was doing us a big favor with his mad face and rude behavior. Then he put us in stools seating on a balcony, I was wearing a dress with high heels and my shoes barely stay on the stool, was awful. Then I told my husband to speak again with the manager, I was extremely upset and didn’t want to have an argument with him. The waiter came to me to get my order and I told her I reserved a table not a seat on the balcony, even her agreed I should seat on a table for more comfort and offer to speak with the manager. After all this we finally got a table outdoor. If was not 4th of July I would leave this place but unfortunately was no other water view restaurants available due the holiday. The only good side of this experience was the waiter, she was sweet and made sure to fulfill or drink orders quickly and explain the buffet menu. Cocktails were tasteless and food of buffet was ok. Nothing special and I will NEVER go back to this place as longer this...