Restaurants near Museum of Contemporary Art

Isola is a fantastic spot in Little Italy! My party of four and I had an amazing experience from start to finish. We began with the burrata as an appetizer, which was rich and creamy. Our waiter, Alexandri, treated us exceptionally well, making us feel special and welcomed. The Tuscany wine we ordered was outstanding, as always. For the main course:    •   My friend ordered the gnocchi (potato-based pasta) and kindly shared a piece with us—it was delicious.    •   Another friend had the eggplant parmigiana, which he also shared, and it was incredibly flavorful.    •   My salmon, cooked in the wood oven with vegetables, was perfectly prepared and full of flavor.    •   My husband ordered the steak, and it was tender, juicy, and cooked to perfection. To finish, we had the chocolate budino with caramel and sea salt, and it was pure indulgence! Overall, Isola never disappoints—the food, service, and atmosphere make it a must-visit in Little Italy!

This dinner was spectacular! I have to tell you from the start we almost left. We reserved a table with a view and as everyone knows San Diego weather is unpredictable. The wind was rough and heaters were not cutting it. We had our drinks and we're ready to pay. At a steak house like this you already know dinner is super pricy. I'm not paying $300 to be shivering. Thank you so much to Frank who came by and suggested to our server Joshua's we might like the fire pit. It was amazing!! No more wind chill we even got a little warmer. This made our Valentines dinner. Joshua's went out of his way all night to make our experience amazing as well. Now the food ! I came here not expecting to be swept off my feet. Dinners lately have been kind of disappointing in SD. Tonight we were blown away by this rib eye in truffle butter. I asked for it to be a little charred and red on the inside. The meat was tender and juice spilled onto plate. The potatoes were one of the best things I've had in my mouth. I can not tell you how much I appreciate food seasoned to perfection. The bread was the opening act with how soft buttery, and fluffy it was. The calamari in sweet Chile sauce was different then any calamari we've ever had. Fried to perfection. My lemon drop martini was made by the GODS. I can not wait to come back here once we get our sunny San Diego vibe back. Love is definitely in the air tonight. WOW

Animae for Valentine’s Day was a worthwhile epicurean adventure. Highest recommendation. Was it on the expensive side? Yes. One of the most expensive steaks I’ve ever eaten. Worth it. As the server said…decadent and unctuous. And the bonchon was perfect. Would have preferred to sit next to my date instead of across from, but I totally get it. Only so many tables and so much space. Our server was attentive, engaging, just the right amount of funny, and enhanced the experience. Every plate surpassed expectations by the 4oz A5 Miyazaki steak and deconstructed tuna crudo were my favorites.

Seneca is the perfect restaurant for a special celebration. I took my good friend there for her birthday and from the moment we were greeted by the smiling hostess until the very end of service, we were treated exceptionally well. The service was extremely professional, yet warm and friendly. The food was phenomenal and we took our time and savored every delicious bite. We never felt rushed, despite it being a very busy night. Our table had a view of San Diego Bay, the airport, and a northwesterly view of the city. It was beautiful. We started with the arancini and scampi, which were both so delicious. We shared two pasta dishes - Cavatelli All Sugo Di Angelo and the Cacio E Pepe. I was a little sad that they changed the style of the Casio E Pepe, it was more like a macaroni & cheese, but was still tasty. The Cavatelli was perfect though! We ordered a dessert and they brought over a complimentary cannoli with a birthday candle for my friend. I highly recommend Seneca to anyone looking for a special place for not only a celebration, but to celebrate a wonderful meal.

Had a large group and was interesting how they wanted to do the billing.