Mediterranean Room — Restaurant in San Diego

On Sunday, February 4, I attended La Valencia Hotel'a Mediterranean Room with my family. It was a pretty calm environment, busy enough to tell that there are regulars who come here, but not so busy where it was overwhelming (this is important to us as overstimulation is a thing for some of our family.)

Despite being born and raised in San Diego, this was our first time here. We were promptly seated, and our server, Ryan, immediately tended to us. He handed us menus, asked us what we would like to drink, and went off. We had only several minutes before he quickly had our drinks out before us and then took our order. My mother and I ordered a salad and our entree and then two meals for my children. Ryan was incredibly prompt, and the meals were prepared fast; in fact, Ryan communicated immediately that while he had put our salads down, the kids' meals would be served soon, too.

Within minutes, my kids were happy children with food in front of them. I've been to many places where the kids are hungry while adults eat their salads or soups, or it comes too soon, but the timing was almost perfect. We had enough time to eat our salad and enjoy our main course with the kids. But of course, service is only one part of the experience.

The food, especially for a birthday celebration, was fantastic. I had steak and chicken on my plate, which was cooked exactly as I requested - medium well. It was tender and seasoned well, and the chicken was incredibly moist. It fell apart as I ate it and paired well with the mashed potatoes. The kids' food was great, too. The macaroni and cheese exceeded expectations as this location was a prime spot; I anticipated boxed macaroni and cheese. This was obviously made in the kitchen, and my daughter enjoyed it. My son, who is one of the pickiest eaters you'll ever meet, loved every piece of chicken and french fry (for the record, he is one of the few kids who doesn't like french fries on the regular.)

My mom mentioned that it was my birthday, and though we ordered a dessert, Ryan surprised us with a great little birthday note (made of chocolate) on the plate. Throughout, though, he was also very attentive, glancing at the table and checking in. I heard him interacting with guests throughout and near us, and he is a welcoming and humorous server who clearly wants his guests to leave satisfied.

The overall experience was fantastic. I can wholeheartedly say that we will eat here again and may become regulars. I'm surprised that I've missed this throughout my time in San Diego, but I will absolutely recommend this location to anybody who comes to San Diego or is already from the...

As I arrived at La Valencia for their Easter brunch, I had high expectations of a lavish spread with all the bells and whistles. A La Valencia Easter brunch search on google has a PDF from their website showing a full spread Alas, my excitement was short-lived as I was presented with a limited three-option price fix menu, which was not only a disappointment but also a rip-off at $130.

The first course, a carrot soup, was underwhelming and lacked any real depth of flavor. I was hoping that the main course would redeem the meal, but I did not know I was paying extra for a cold quiche that was nothing short of a culinary disaster. The dish was clearly made well in advance and served straight from the fridge, which resulted in a rubbery texture and an unappetizing appearance.

To make matters worse, although the service was incredibly slow, which only added to my growing sense of disappointment I also ws forced to pay 18% for a cold quiche and slow service. I couldn't help but feel that the restaurant was trying to compensate for the lackluster food by drawing out the dining experience. In fact, I found myself wondering whether I would ever see the dessert course.

To be fair, the dessert did manage to salvage the meal somewhat, with a decadent, rich and satisfying. However, this alone was not enough to redeem the overall experience.

As a self-proclaimed foodie, I expect more from a restaurant with such a reputation. The fact that the menu did not match what was advertised only added insult to injury. At the end of the day, my visit to La Valencia for Easter brunch was a major letdown, and I would advise others to think twice before booking...

I took my husband and parents to the high tea at the La Valencia/Mediterranean Room for their 49th wedding anniversary on Friday. We had such a great, relaxing afternoon. The food was amazing, something about a holiday tea is extra special. The sandwiches were tasty, the cucumber mint was surprisingly light and refreshing and my mom loved the chicken salad. The cranberry orange scones were light and paired perfectly with the Devonshire cream and jam. We had four teas to choose from (green or black) all complimented the sweets and savories quite well. I must say though my favorite tier was the sweets tier. The egg nog cream puffs were light and airy and the perfect hint of egg nog. There were also mini gingerbread cupcakes, cardamom butter spritz cookies , and the amazing chocolate mint macaroons. We also enjoyed bubbly with our tea.

The staff was so wonderful, everyone was so nice and very attentive. Mario was great and was always checking in on us to make sure we had everything we needed. Michelle was awesome too (not our table but always super nice as well) and Ryan came by and chatted and asked us how everything was an see we talked about the teas and other things. Everyone was so wonderful. We also appreciated that he mentioned gratuity was included which isn't always told at other teas we've been to. Everything from the view, the food and the staff at the Mediterranean were simply perfect and amazing. Plus a portion of proceeds from the tea are donated to local Rady Children's Hospital. High tea at the La Valencia/Mediterranean Room is $95/pp and is a must whether you are in the area or traveling from...