juniper & ivy

so we show up...20 people plus 2 more after about 20 minutes. we had a curtained off area, - booked in advance...but when we walked in, i thought we might have a dress code problem...but not a chance.to start, the service was fantastic. when you looked around the room the staff was always attentive and smiling...including the kitchen staff which you could see.wine was flowing, drinks were brought. the food was really exceptional, always well served, presented, and the tastes were eclectic and friendly.even errors were well saved. there was a dessert missing, it was mine...they brought the house specialty...a kind of chocolate log, stuffed with frozen items, and wrapped in a perfect chocolate round cylinder, topped with warm milk chocolate sauce...was a revelation.

wow, wow, wow!!!. i'm so glad richard blais decided to open a restaurant in san diego!!! this place is the bomb. from the moment you step in the front door you know you are somewhere special. beautiful, creative, upbeat urban decor - fun, friendly staff - incredibly creative cocktails and a menu that is so interesting and complex. i went with a group of girlfriends - we shared several dishes and bottles of wine and while the plates were small and pricey - everything was delicious, seasoned to perfection with flavors that totally pop - like nothing i've ever tasted. i recommend the carne cruda asada (raw seasoned chopped sirloin/filet? jalapeno, etc., on grilled toast with raw quail eggs) and the lamb pappardella with fresh peas and mint. yummy!!! (oh, the fluffy buttermilk biscuit is awesome too)

best food i have ever eaten at a restaurant

the atmosphere is upscale but still comfortable and casual. cocktails were unique and sooo tasty! the food changes frequently on the menu but everything we had was so delicious! it was so difficult to order because there wasn't one thing on the menu i didn't want to try!

we were really excited to be able to get a reservation at juniper and ivy, the restaurant of top chef alum richard blais where executive chef anthony wells creates a very creative menu that would for sure excite the culinary curious...unless vegetarian. i wish restaurants were keeping their menu online up to date because jodi was excited to try their pasta with truffle, but unfortunately it was not there, their menu changing on a regular basis and the waiter did not really come back with options besides what was there written. so i left glad i got to try that place; jodi was less enthusiastic than i was...here is what we had:i did not feel like having a cocktail as we came back from a visit at the san diego distillery and i had enough whisky. so i ended up trying their house made apple juice that was pretty good and flavorful.

fantastic meal!!! the duck corn dog was sooooo good! another highlight was the beef tongue. but the best was probably the lamb noodles. i also had the biscuit with foie gra butter which was good (some people at my table really loved it). this place is great with a group so you can share and try a little bit of everything. to be honest everything was so good there, i would totally go back since the menu changes daily.

everything about our dining experience was fabulous. drinks, appetizers,dinner and dessert. the hostess and our server were attentive and pleasant. would definitely eat here again.

"a ok"

solid experience and would be willing to give them a second go next time i'm in town. good food marred by a few missteps that add up over the night.

ordered the oysters, which were fresh and paired well with their prepared accouterments. every oyster had large flicks of shell in it. the lamb belly had a delicious flavor but was incredibly over salted. my biscuit was cooked perfectly on the outside but doughy and under done at the bottom.

both cocktails i had were great.

definitely a san diego! the menu is always changing and always to die for! modern creative and delicious. i’ll be back every time we are in town!

richard blais and his crew are amazing. the staff is super nice and very accommodating. we had originally made reservations to sit outside but it was super cold that night. luckily, they were able to seat us inside at the bar by the pastry kitchen. we loved watching the pastry chef create the desserts, and she was so nice to talk to us through our meal. obviously, all the dishes were great. top five best meals of my life.

overall an outstanding meal that did not disappoint. the warm cheddar and chive biscuits at the start were perfectly salty, we had the roasted carrots with chimichurri and peanuts - perfect fall side dish!

i went with the snapper in a dashi broth with radish and mushroom. my husband had the socal chicken. we also shared the shrimp and pork rigatoni.

we paired with a sancerre and couldn't go wrong. we will be back next time we visit san diego! service was top notch.

may 28th is the date to set all diets aside because calories don’t count on national burger day.  if you want to go the extra mile, you could say they don’t count the entire month of may, since the whole month is dedicated to america’s fascination with the hamburger.  grab your napkins and discover the very tastiest burgers in all of san diego. from a spam topped hawaiian styled patty to another complete with bacon and a fried egg, there’s a little something to whet your burger appetite!

i was super excited to come here and when i did the hostesses were so rude as soon as we walked in the door. second, they gave us the smallest table they could find, which of course, i wasn't going to sit in. the hostess did nothing to change it until a really nice server approached us and saved the night. the food here is very unique and with so many flavors at once, which can be a bit overwhelming. i had about 5 things to share from the whole menu and let me say that my favorite was a potato dish with chorizo and the bbq carrots. the restaurant is really nice and comfy and good food, but i definitely expect better service next time.

let me start by saying that juniper & ivy is my favorite restaurant in san diego.  they opened in march 2014 and i’ve been 9 times already.  we always seem to take new people with us each time, exposing them to the culinary delights that this restaurant has to offer.  this time we brought our friends marybeth, philip, and veronica.  i do love when we take an odd number of people because that means extra pieces for me…lol!  the restaurant is located on kettner between juniper and ivy (hence the name).  the first thing you notice is the ambiance; the space is very modern and has a lofty feeling but with wood accents that give it a very warm and inviting vibe.  you’ll also notice that it is very busy, this is one of a few new places in little italy that has opened in the last 12 months that is helping to invigorate the sd food scene.  the big open space of the restaurant and bar has one small downside — it can be a bit loud here.  if you are sensitive to background noise, ask to sit on the outside patio.

last month, s and i celebrated our six-year anniversary! we chose juniper & ivy, richard blais’ first restaurant in san diego, as our celebration spot – both of us were big fans of chef blais on top chef and have been wanting to try j&i for quite some time. we requested to be seated at the chef’s table (or counter) when making the reservation, and we were lucky enough to get a spot there so that we could watch all the action going on in the kitchen!

this is my very first 5-star restaurant review! i've given 5 stars to one bar and one coffee house, but c'mon, that's a much easier scale. i have to say i'm so delighted to have found a place that lives up to every bit of its hype!

my absolute favorite things we had were our first and last courses: the smoked biscuit to start, and the yodel for dessert. the smoked biscuit smelled like a campfire in the very best way possible, and every bite of the yodel was like a gastronomical treasure hunt -- you never knew what you were going to find inside the delicate chocolate shell! we decided to split several small plates, and they were all excellent. i absolutely loved the heirloom tomato with "feta ice cream" and the socal burrata with plums. we also split the sausage and prawn rigatoni; it was a bit on the al dente side for my taste, but that's totally a personal preference so i can't dock 'em for it :)

again, everything from the food (most important, duh), to the service to the atmosphere and decor lived up to the hype. i went in to this meal feeling skeptical, and left a believer. if you live in san diego or are even just visiting, you have to put this place on your must-try list!