Torreyana — Restaurant in San Diego

I was surprised Torreyana had so many 3-star reviews because the menu and location looked great online. After dining here on Friday, 9/12, I understand why. Our party of three arrived at 6pm and were seated outdoors for a beautiful sunset. Service from our server was attentive, drinks, water, and appetizers came smoothly. Mussels were small but tasty, poke chips were enjoyable, and the truffle fries were good though the cheese hardened quickly. By 7:15pm, as it got cold, we asked to move indoors. The hostess promptly accommodated us with a new table. Our fourth guest finally arrived at 7:35pm, and we placed our entrée order: 2 NY steaks (medium rare) and one roasted chicken. By 8:45pm, over an hour later, we still had no entrées. When we asked, the manager, not our server, approached us. Instead of apologizing, she dismissively told us our food was “just ready” and offered to cancel if we wished. When I asked whether it had been sitting under a heat lamp, she rudely said, “No.” The food finally arrived, but it was clear it had been sitting: the steaks were overcooked, plates overheated, chicken sauce broken, and greens wilted. When we voiced our concern, the manager responded, “I was going to give it to you for free, do you still want me to take it back?” Her tone was defensive, not apologetic. We declined the food entirely, no guest should be served entrées in that condition. We paid for what we had, tipped our server (who did his best), but left deeply disappointed by the manager’s unprofessional and dismissive behavior. The lack of accountability or courtesy ruined what could have been a...

I’ll be honest, I wasn’t expecting much. Paper menus, a standard resort setting... I figured Torreyana would be convenient, decent, and good enough to fill the tank before checkout. What wasn’t I expecting? One of the best meals I’ve had in a long time. If you’re staying at the Hilton La Jolla Torrey Pines, don’t make the same mistake I did: go to Torreyana early in your stay.

We ordered the sea bass, cioppino, tuna poke, and papas bravas. Every dish was beautifully plated, like edible artwork, and tasted even better than it looked. The tuna poke especially stole the show for me. Super fresh, balanced flavors, and a presentation that made me hesitate to mess it up with a fork (spoiler: I still did, and I regret nothing).

The service? Absolutely stellar. Randi, our server, was attentive, warm, and knowledgeable, exactly what you want when you’re navigating a standout menu. To top it off, Chef Niko personally came out to greet us, shared some thoughtful recommendations, and made us feel like VIPs. Huge kudos also to the culinary team behind the scenes: Jordan, Rex, and Alec, you guys crushed it! Every dish that came out of that kitchen was a work of art.

The biggest surprise of all was how far this place exceeded my expectations. What I assumed would be a “meh” meal turned into a full-blown dining experience. I just wish I hadn’t waited until the last day of my trip to discover it.

Pro tip: Don’t sleep on this place just because it’s inside a resort. Torreyana is the real deal. Come hungry, bring a camera for the presentation, and...

We enjoyed dinner outdoors, it was lovely! The steak frites were delicious and the service from Carlos was excellent! We also enjoyed breakfast again, great breakfast and service.

Hilton: consider visiting Valle Eatery + Bar at the Hilton Garden in Lompoc. Wow, what a gem! That chef and bartender featured delicious local seasonal ingredients, mouthwatering creations at reasonable prices. You should consider elevating your game to bring in chefs that create seasonal food. The simple taco was elevated by pairing tender rib eye tacos with pickled onions and a delicious watermellon mojito. Ahi wontons with an avocado sauce and california wines. Bring something more exciting to draw local residents to your...