The Turquoise, Cafe Bar Europa
Categories: Beer, Wine & Spirits, Ethnic Food, Restaurants [Edit]
Neighborhood: La Jolla873 Turquoise St
(between Bayard St & Mission Blvd)
San Diego, CA 92109 (858) 488-4200
- Price Range: $$
- Accepts Credit Cards: Yes
- Parking: Street
- Attire: Casual
- Good for Groups: Yes
- Good for Kids: No
- Takes Reservations: Yes
- Delivers: No
- Take-out: No
- Waiter Service: Yes
- Wheelchair Accessible: Yes
- Outdoor Seating: Yes
- Good for: Dinner
- Alcohol: Full Bar
51 Reviews for The Turquoise, Cafe Bar Europa
This place has some great music and great atmosphere. The food is overpriced for what you get. The service is hit and miss. Sometimes you will wait forever and sometimes they are on it!
Its in my 'hood so I will go back but maybe just for the music.
I've been here a couple of times now and really enjoy the vibe. I'm always on the hunt for something outside of the usual "I've just turned 21 and am out to get trashed" PB crowd (not to say everyone in PB is like that, but it seems the majority...)
I digress...
This place has a quaint European charm to it and I really enjoy the live music, especially the blues on Wednesday. Just a quick comment to throw out there: if you see the blues guy and take a good look at the bass player, does he not remind you of the "King Prawn" a.k.a shrimp from the muppets???? Thoroughly enjoyable!
The sangria is pretty good and the wine list extensive. The only thing that I would count as a negative is that it's a "tapas" restaurant, but you end up paying for a full meal. I think it's a bit pricier than it should be. But the food is pretty good at least.
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I really have mixed reviews about this place and therefore can only give it 3 stars. I have been here several times and honestly will continue going back because I like the place however they should initiate some changes.
I am a jazz enthusiast and the music is what initially attracted me to the place but the Friday night jazz crew is boring, they do not have that emotion and spirit that lives within the music and dances to every note while awaiting the following one. They did not have this. However I will say that the Blues band is awesome and will keep me coming back as well as some of the midweek entertainment.
They have a large selection of wines, short list of beers and some expensive tapas. The cheese place was good.
Truly I do like this place a lot and was debating giving it 4 stars, but they could be a 5 star establishment with some changes. It is way too loud in there and very difficult to have any conversations, take it down a small notch and I am happy. I love all the art on the walls but the lighting in the restaurant is bleak and very mundane. If they lit the place up a bit more and focused the lighting on the walls and the music it would be a different show, a better show. Finally, have more of a beer selection too, I would be happier that way.
Almost 4 stars, 5 is possible but I give it a 3 and still advise you to check it out because I know you will like it.
ps. want good Jazz? Go to the Onyx room on Tuesday nights to see Gilbert Castianos, he brings Jazz to life!
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We were invited to meet a group of friends here for a birthday Happy Hour. So I, of course, checked out what you yelpers thought. And to be honest I was really not sure what to expect given the mixed reviews.
The place is a very open and airy, dark bar. A really pretty bar too, dark wood with dark red walls covered in art, with very low light. The atmosphere as said in the reviews is awesome. We showed up at 530 on a Friday and were the first ones there so we had a chance to take it in. There is also a large outside patio that is perfect for summer nights, or your smoker friends!
Happy Hour is 5pm-7pm and is $3 tapas and $3 wine. Tapas servings are small, but really good. We tried almost everything on the menu. Cheese plate - very good quality cheese. Caprese salad - fresh and crisp, perfect. Sauteed chaurd w/pine nuts - really tasty. And my personal fave was the Fritatta, so yummy!
Our waitress kept the wine flowing and was there when we needed her. A blues player with his electric sat down in front of the stage and played some tunes. He was really good and I will be back for a jazz night and get a table near the stage.
Great place for a group or a date. Beware the pasta portions are huge, so I would share if on a date. Another great place in PB!
We left around 830 and the place was hoppin', they take reservations too. We will be back for sure!
I didn't read the reviews on this place before I went... but now a lot of it makes sense. The atmosphere was great. And the band was awesome, but loud. If they are going for a more "restaurant feel" then why did they have a band playing so loud that you had to yell at each other?
I didn't eat the food, which is probably why I'm giving three stars. They had a pretty decent wine list, but I find it difficult to justify spending $8 a glass when I could buy a whole bottle at Trader Joe's for $10.
Their beer selection was utter crap. I think they had five choices on draft, the best of which was Yellowtail Pale Ale. Now, I'm not knocking Yellowtail by any means... but as your best beer? Come on... that's just sad.
The waiters were really nice, and didn't at all make us feel awkward for not ordering food... which is why I'm giving them three stars. The service was awesome, and the whole vibe of the place was very nice. Would I go there for dinner? Only if I wanted to yell at the person I was dining with.
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I've been here probably 10 or 15 times, as I live in the neighborhood. While the food is not fantastic, I enjoy the atmosphere, the wine list, and the sangria. I always mentally rated this spot three stars, until I tried to stop in for a nightcap Friday night, only to be turned away because my friend was wearing shorts and flip flops. The door guy said "we are going for a new vibe, no more flip flops". This is north PB!!! Way to alienate your locals!
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I had raved about one of my Favorite restaurant/bars and given a rating of 4 stars...but went tonight with several friends for my birthday...as it is a place I had loved SO much. Well, I called ahead of time and spoke with a manager and made arrangements for a couple small table in the bar to be reserved...when we arrived they were nicely set up. The bartender was nice and very helpful. About 15 friends joined through the evening.
THE PROBLEM...the short, burly dark haired host-guy who was RUDE and condescending the entire night!! I have memories of Basilio joking with my friends and singing "Happy Birthday" when going for a friend's birthday...well not on my birthday...instead, we had this guy walking over constantly, telling me how we all had to "Sit Down" ...I mean how dare we stand up and mingle in a bar....and walk around and talk with our friends....he told me at least 3 times that the check would be all together and that my friends should not be going up to the bar and starting tabs with the bartender.
I Mean...Hello...we are all 30-something professionals...we do not make a rowdy crowd and I have been coming to that bar for like 5 years!!! That guy is SO RUDE...I will never go back to this place now. ...but considering they were hoping we would leave the whole time, I'm sure they would be happy to hear that.
My friends were helpinhg me pick up my birthday gifts at the end of the night and we had paid the tab and added in additional gratuity...as regular gratuity was already added (It was not the server's fault that that guy was SO rude) and he said without looking to see the cash inside..."So , are you guys gonna pay the bill?"
Anybody looking for some good service or to be treated with an ounce of dignity.... do NOT go here...I am so sad.....I picked this place because I loved it so much that I wanted to celebrate my birthday there (I had even had our work holiday party there last December) and I am treated like I am a 19-year old delinquent....I raved to my friends about this place, and they were all so unhappy...
Old review follows:
Slightly reminiscent of a tiny Latin Quarter caberet, this venue just blocks from the ocean always seems to offer something new. Just last night I was exchanging stories with girlfriends over tapas and martinis with big band music in the background. In the past years, I have tangoed, dined, dated, exchanged stories with traveling musicians, applauded to flamenco dancers, and ate fruit from the owners garden gratis.
The food is decent, some dishes better than others. Generally the simpler dishes are better. The drinks are good... a personal favorite of mine is the espresso martini...not creamy, not sweet, but tastey and keeps you going all night.
I come here for the atmoshpere. It's great for groups...we reserved a large group of tables for a holiday party. The walls are deep shades of earth tones. The rich coloring and subtle lighting has a welcoming feeling. Oil paintings cover the walls...and like any other proper European bar, several are of a voluptuous nude...we always joke about who she may be....tasteful however.
No five stars as the food is only decent. The music is half the fun, but there is something about the acoustics that makes it difficult to dine and chat when the band is playing. Finally, I enjoyed the place even more in past years because it drew in a larger crowd...was better for mingling in the bar back then. From time to time there is a cover charge, and I think that scared off several of the local bargoers...I hope this changes.
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I gave this place two chances before I ranked it, and even so, in some ways I feel that two stars is generous.
On my first visit, the waitress was friendly but clearly overwhelmed. They understaffed for the night, so every time we wanted to order something, we'd literally wait 20-30 minutes until we could get any attention. The problem with this is that we were ordering the happy hour tapas and wine, so we ended up ordering more food and drinks after the specials. When the bill came, my jaw absolutely hit the floor. It was about $40 per person and we had intended for it to be an inexpensive night out.
So we went again three days ago, and this time there was a live jazz band. It was SO incredibly loud that we had to scream across the table to be heard. I lost my voice by the end of the night and the whole next day it was sore. Once again, service was slow. Once again, we ran out of happy hour. Once again, the bill ended up being artificially high as a result.
I found this place to be overrated and pretentious, and while the tapas we were quite good, the service shot it in the foot. While the servers all seemed to be trying their best, and were pleasant and personable when they came over to the table, they simply didn't have enough waitstaff for the restaurant.
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Turquoise is a wonderfully intimate setting. The first time I was there, the jazz band was a bit too loud to have a conversation at times. However, they recently seemed to have got it right. Service was fine, and were helpful with explaining some of the more obscure menu items.
Their food is tasty and leans toward the vegetarian. They have Stone on tap, which I applaud. Their cosmopolitan, I am told, is not ideal.
A good place to take a second/third date or a small group of friends. I wouldn't recommend it for happy hour or larger parties.
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I have mixed feelings about this joint. I used to live on Turquoise so i came here quite often. I LOVE the dim, candlit vibe and the colored walls and local art. I love that if its near closing time they will give you some of the food to try for free. I love that they have wine on tap, even though i dont think it is good. Now...the bartenders are totally inconsistent, and some are friendly and some are typical PB douchebaggery. While the live music is nice, its usually so loud i cant hear myself think, let alone carry on a conversation. The owner can be a bit too friendly. While i love getting free drinks, i already told you i dont want to dance with you ten times already, so leave me alone. The food is ok, ive never been blown away. All in all, i think its a nice place to come drink some cheap bottles of wine or espresso martinis and spend some catching up on a night when there is no live music.
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Last Thursday, I left the comfort of OB and made the trek up to La Jolla to try this little tapas bar that I had only recently heard about. There were a few little snags, but an overall favorable experience.
The parking issue was a bad way to start the night. There was NO parking. Not in the car wash lot next door (which you're allowed to park in, but was full), not on the street, not around the block, nowhere. My companion and I circled the surrounding area for over ten minutes, which can seem like a lifetime when you just want to have a glass of wine. Finally, a spot opened up right in front, which we gratefully snatched up. (Side note: We are NOT lazy. We honestly circled about a half mile radius looking for parking).
Once inside, the whole experience changed. The décor caught my attention immediately: Deep, dark, burgundy walls, sexy mood lighting and candles, and a beautiful, centrally located bar. We took a seat at a high-top table, just slightly back from the jazz quartet that was playing. We were greeted within a few minutes with menus, which I was having difficulty reading because it was just a little too dark in there. I ended up using my table candle to scroll through the whole menu.
My companion and I ordered a glass of zin and a glass of sangiovese, respectively, and both were brought out in a reasonable time frame. We decided to snack on the Seared Ahi Tapa before ordering the platter of regional sliced meats and cheeses. Oh my goodness, this seared ahi- wow. WOW. I felt compelled to pull our server over to express my gratitude for these small pieces of deliciousness that were melting in my mouth. He dutifully agreed that the ahi here is amazing. Creamy aioli was lightly drizzled over each slice, sprinkled with capers and served with mixed greens. Oh, how I wish I was indulging right now instead of sitting at work, longing for it....
The meat and cheese plate was just average, but a good mix of cheeses and a small portion of thinly sliced meats. We didn't know what each cheese was, as the server did not explain (and even if he wanted to, it probably would have been too loud to hear him).
We finished off the night with a bottle of Pinot Noir and a creamy, chocolate-y espresso martini. All while listening to beautiful, live jazz music. Overall thoughts? Parking: horrendous. Service: wonderful. Décor: Sexy and relaxing. Food: ooh, that ahi...
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Went for the Happy Hr. I had the $3 white wine which was pretty good. They have 3 dollar appetizers which i thought will be a good size, turn out to be pretty small. I also had the Mushroom Risotto which was excellent!! i would go there just for that again.
It was a very cute and had a antique feeling, felt like a Euro cafe
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I'm not much of a "foodie." I often wish they made some sort of dog food for humans that I could eat to get all the necessary nutrients without the hassle that comes with buying food and preparing meals. So when it comes to restaurants, I'm all about the surface. Give me some dim lighting, a hot waiter with an accent, and some cheap booze. Turquoise rocks for that. Super romantic Spanish/Italian bar atmosphere, often with live music. The food is good, the sangria is good, but the atmosphere really shines. Don't bitch about slow service, people, they're just going for authenticity. I cast an unfavorable eye on the PB crowd, so I actually delight in the fact that they've apparently banned flip flops. There are already plenty of places in PB frat boys can go to have moronic conversations at the top of their lungs. And if this makes me sound like a snob, please see the dog food comment above.
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Team Dumbass ("Puke and Rally", "Drunk Guy", and me) came here one night for drinking practice. This place was noisy as a mother fucker and not really my style at all.
PnR ordered an irish car bomb but instead of guinness she got newcastle. I guess that would be a british car bomb. Whatever that abomination was it caused PnR to live up to her name. She puked in her hand right at the bar. Then ordered another drink. It was fucking awesome, that is a hardcore display of drinking and it shows dedication to drinking and loyalty to the team. How many people do you know who would order another shot while still holding their own puke in their hand? I didn't think so.
Anyway, DG got drunker, PnR kept shooting, and I just kept pacing myself. All in all it was a good night of drinkin practice but this joint has gotta lose stars for lacking the proper beer for the car bomb and for all the fuckin noise. How the fuck are we supposed to have drinking practice with all that goddamn noise?
*note: I have revised my rating for this place because it's been called to my attention that they deserve credit for continuing to let PnR drink. Also I forgot one of the chef dudes let us taste food he was preparing. Solid 3.5, 4 if they would pipe the fuck down.
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This white sangria worked well on a hot Friday night in PB. The tapas were just alright, I got the mushroom risotto and the swiss chard with pine nuts... not bad, but not tremenndous either. The jazz band played loudly, but it was fun.
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I only gave it 3 stars because I'm ambivalant about the place. The food is great. The service is ok. The wine list is good. The music is good. (But I agree it can be too loud to converse with your friends.) But there isn't anything amazing about the Turquoise. It almost seems like they are trying too hard. I was especialy bummed when they turned me and my friends away because they were only seating people for dinner and not for drinking at the bar. This was on a friday night at 7:30.
Still there is something appealing about the candelight and jazz. I'm in like with the place.
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Not a bad spot... Near my house, nice bartenders and a good crowd... but here are the negatives...
The OWNER is annoying. He ll creep out your girlfriends and he is very intrusive.
The food is ok. They pretend it is organic, that they use local farm etc etc... Trust me, They don't.
The wine selection is mediocre. A restaurant should NOT serve Louis Jadot. Come on.. a little effort, offer some interesting wines for a change !
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Service is terrible and slow. 10 Minutes to get a beer, 25 minutes to get a pannini. I've been here twice before and it was just as bad. Never again.
Food is overpriced and unimpressive. The Cheese sampler was skimpy and way overpriced. Dimly lit and overpriced.
The live music is good, though!
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Cheap bottles of wine, laid back vibe, cool international crowd, and decent food. Not the typical PB scene which is nice. Cool bartenders and friendly staff. Gotta try it!
I used to be a big fan of this place. They have a nice atmosphere and usually pretty good music. Unfortunately they have changed their identity. They no longer would like to be considered a "bar", only a restaurant. I showed up with 10 friends for a birthday party at around 9:30 pm, we did not have reservations but there were tables available. They refused to split up our group at multiple tables in fear that we would run around like 5 year olds and ruin the "atmosphere". The manager treated us like one of the bums from the Alley and refused our business all together. I can respect wanting to be a restaurant only but just change the name to "Cafe Europa". It was funny however to walk by an hour later and see the place empty on a Friday night. Oh well their loss.
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i live like a block away from this place now so i came here for happy hour. i was wearing flip flops but given that we were the only people in there at that time, i don't think they noticed. it is kind of annoying how they have that dress code though... i forget everything on the list, but stuff like t-shirts are not allowed i think.
got some wine and bread and this potato quiche like dish that was pretty decent. i'll probably go back cause it's right there, but for the price/weird restrictions, prob not that often.
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We were here for a friend's bday, the company was good but the rest of the place is lacking in many things.
It was about 1/3 full when we arrived 7p, Friday. Happy hour was just over. There is a guy on a guitar at one end of the place. It was dimly lit with candles which I thought was pretty nice.
The waiter was very friendly however he neglected to fill our water glasses (is that a strategy to get us to drink more wine?)
I don't blame the waiter - the service is s l o w - the sangria took 10 minutes, the panninis took longer. They need to be more efficient with their service.
The music was way too loud - we were a party of 10 - so it was hard to talk to anyone except the person beside you. The art around the restaurant were hideous.
The traditional sangria was refreshing like water. More soda water than wine. More ice than liquid. 1/16 of an apple and 1/64 of an orange.
The food is subpar considering the price. We ordered the panninis $9 - Italian and vegetable. It was a very thin bread with stingy filling - very little meat for the Italian and thinly sliced tomatoes for the vegetable. Each pannini was on top of a bed of leafy green salad. Vinegar and olive oil were on the table.
Torquoise tries too hard to be cool and European.
I will never come here again.
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You ever go to a place you've driven by about a thousand times and wonder what the hell you were thinking waiting so long to try it? Ok, that's 20-20 hindsight, but given that I'm always on the lookout for a stylish, low key, hip place with great atmosphere, live music, and fantastic food, I think I deserve a kick in the ass for missing this place.
Thanks to a knowledgable Yelper, however, I finally ended up here with her and a friend. The mostly wood, beautifully lit, interior really does make you feel like your "elsewhere", and the 4 piece band (guitar, violin, some other instruments the alcohol prevented me from identifying) playing some odd but beautiful music only accentuated the feeling.
This is a tapas place which I usually interpret to mean I'm going home hungry and broke, but the portions here are like three times bigger than other tapas places I've been, and the food is not only fantastic, but interesting. We had the sole special that was out of this world.
The service was also really good, as our waiter was both attentive and very upbeat, although it always helps when you're with two pretty girls. Imagine that. But you got the feeling that it's a good place to work, which says something about the place.
I also ran into friends there who live in the neighborhood and say they eat here all the time. I can see why...
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it's more like 3.5 stars. i have had better tapas, but for the price it's decent enough, especially since i didn't feel like making dinner last night. the mushroom risotto was a little too al dente for me, but my husband thought it was fine. we both thought it was delicious. albondigas and the frutti mare are just okay.
i like the decor and appreciate the hooks on the bar to hang my purse. quite thoughtful. the atmosphere is laid back and relaxing, but i suppose my perspective comes from previous experiences at tapas restaurants in la and sacramento. i agree with previous posts about the music being a bit too loud, i was sitting right next to my husband and he sometimes couldn't hear me.
and no he wasn't trying to ignore me either.
$3 wine by the glass during happy hour and the meritage is not bad at that price. there is also an abbreviated happy hour menu at $3 per plate. six dishes (3 from the happy hour menu), 3 glasses of wine later, were were out of there for less than $50. the service was great, very attentive without being overly intrusive.
Wow this place is getting good reviews! Sorry to say I can't pitch in with more stars, but the food here was pretty disappointing. However I'm giving 2 stars for service and ambience.
My bf and I came during happy hour. We got some tapas plates off the happy hour menu ($3 each, smaller versions of selected regular menu items), most of which were pretty disappointing!
For one, I can tell mostly everything (if not all the food!) was prepared before the day-of (hopefully not too long before), kept in the fridge, and re-heated for guests' pleasure (...or displeasure in my case) with a freakin' microwave! How do I know? The "hot" tapas dishes were HOT in certain areas of the food, WARM in others, AND--get this--COLD in others!!! I am not going to act surprised to find out that restaurants use microwaves to re-heat prepped foods, but come on, please make it less obvious! This goes for the frittata we had and the sauteed chard that accompanied the steak frites. Wouldn't be surprised if their meatballs were reheated too. This was a really amateur dish, tasted like meatballs at a dining hall--an elementary school dining hall.
Another dish they really need to improve is the marinated mushrooms. Seriously this was cold white button mushrooms in some salt and olive oil. If there was a secret subtle ingredient in here, that would have been cool, but there wasn't. Why did they even have that on the menu!? It's so easy and nice to sautee up some killer mushrooms, why don't you do it?!?! Okay it's not my restaurant so they can do whatever they want.
Sorry to say also that their sangria wasn't so great either. Really sweet with not much wine at all. But it just depends on how you like your sangria I guess, and I prefer mine with mostly wine and fruit, not soda...
Well to be a little more optimistic, I can say that our waiter was friendly and attentive. This could have been because we were literally the only table in the place. I'm sure they get a better crowd later on, we were just early. The live music performer just started up as we were finishing, and that was a nice touch. Ambience in the place is great, nice interior feel. They have paintings featured on their walls, nice ones, and I thought it was cute that among them hung a kid's painting, maybe an employee's kid's.
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I have fantastic memories of this place. Summer near(ish) the coast, coming home from work, shaking off the tie and walking up the road to The Turq for some sangria on the patio in the fading light. The place was usually deserted or practically so. I read some of the best books of my life on that patio with that sangria in that light. The Rum Diary. A Moveable Feast. The Mysteries of Pittsburgh. Books that should be read exactly like that if it's at all possible. So if I ever become famous, visit that patio and put up some sort of plaque pointing tourists to where it all began.
But then I've also been several times at night when the place fills up and never really enjoyed it. Service is crazy inconsistent and there was always something weird going on. Like, say, half the menu was unavailable. Or a solid band randomly adding dancers that just make things awkward. Or the waitress doesn't bring the check for an hour (no seriously).
So it's a strongly ambivalent 3 stars. If you catch this place before the tipping point in the night where I guess it becomes overwhelmed by itself and you've got self-contained enjoyment, it can be a nice compliment. But if you go there wanting much more...well...I was always disappointed in that department.
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Okay, I'm not in love with the name of the place, but this place is so awesome!! I think this is...yes it is...where I had a "yelp" realization, that this needed the 5-star treatment and I had to sign up and be a reviewer the next day.
To start, it's just a really nice to place to meet up with friends or go as a couple and have dinner. Nice size bar, tables/booths, and comfortably full on a Tuesday night. Tapas are the best thing to share, especially when they are actual portions that you can share and you don't pay too much for them!! Everything was soooo yummy, fresh ingredients, good seasoning, and wow, the sole fish special which we ended our tapas enjoyment with was super incredible! Also, the garlic aoli spread for the bread is the only thing I would ever butter my bread for. And of course, what to drink with this meal? They have one of my fave wines by the glass, too good for going somewhere on a weeknight -- Beaujolais Nouveau.
Live music playing in the background tucked away in the corner, as well as the owner walking around, giving the place a nice atmosphere and warmness. I like this place, thanks Charlie and Larry for sharing this with me!
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Turquoise was definitely memorable.
On the night I went there was live music, the owner was mingling with patrons, the wine was superb, and the tapas were tasty.
The ambiance and decor mingle nicely with a bottle of red and a little jazz, which is all I really need to wind down after a long day.
Would be a five star rating but I'll have to go back to confirm my suspicions about its fabulosity.
Funny side note. The girls bathroom is ridiculous (in a good way). I can't say that I've ever peed in a nicer bathroom. I definitely felt a little under dressed.
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This was one of the first food introductions when I first moved to SD... it's not the type of place I would have gone on my own because "cafe bar" sounds like a place that serves coffee and alcohol, two things I have little fondness for. Although, I was told by friends who do drink that the wine selection is fabulous.
I've been pleasantly surprised time and again by Turquoise. It is a tapas restaurant more than anything else, one with food that is out of this world. I highly recommend the Frittata di Giri, Polenta, Ratatouille and Gambas al Ajillio. Other favorites include the Seared Steak and Crispy Salmon.
And the music... live and second to none. The last two times the musical entertainment had been blues, really fabulous blues... but I've heard a big bad and flamenco music there as well. Occasionally the flamboyant owner (who loves chatting up the ladies) and his wife would don full flamenco regalia and dance, not for the enjoyment of the patrons, but for the love of the dance.
Very very European... I totally didn't think it was my kind of place, but I'm happy to be proven wrong... I've found myself quite taken with it.
Be sure to check out their happy hour... really great deals on yummy goodness.
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more like 3.5 stars. The whole time some idiots were clapping and singing in the corner. There is a high ceiling and concrete floor so it was loud. The tapas were just okay. Something was lacking in the food. I didn't like ceasar. The roasted bell peppers were good, but they were served very cold, frigerator cold. Caprese was good, fresh basil. Menu looks good. Seared steak was good, but again not great. For some reason the guiness on tap seemed better than usual.
$3 appetizers & wine 5-7 daily, excellent deal. the $3 wine was surprisingly great. Cute bistro tables and cool decor, kinda dressed down swank.
As I was leaving some little guy chased after me. "I am Bastillo! I am the owner! how was everything!?" he had a hilarious accent and looked like he just popped out of a cartoon, like a gypsy. He then told me he meant to say hi but was busy "Clapping away over there!"
Well, thats nice. Even if he was the annoying clapper, I think it says something when the owner personally cares how it was. I'll be back. the menu looks worth investigating.
By the way, it isn't that expensive. Their menu w/prices is on their website.
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Came here on a date for some drinks & light food and it was a nice experience. Ordered a cosmo & a few white sangrias and both were really good. As far as food, we ordered the cheese & meat plate and it came with a good mix of flavors: salami, proscuitto, spanish chorizo, mozzarella, peppercorn rumiano...that's all I can remember. We also had the tortilla espanola I think it was called- which was kind of like a potato quiche. Came on a Tuesday night and it was surprisingly busy & there was a band playing. Good atmosphere, friendly service, moderately priced. I would happily go back again for round two.
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Cool spanish tapas bar lounge. You have to try the Osso Buco special. Delicious! have it with the polenta. Decent wine selection. Good place for a date or to go with friends. Its a little loud to try and have a lot of conversation but I thought it was nice to be able to dine, drink and socilaize to live music.
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The Turquoise undoubtedly deserves 5 stars for both food and ambiance. This is probably my favorite restaurant / bar in San Diego.
I've never had anything here that I didn't love -- the fish is always fresh and VERY flavorful (especially the salmon), and the pastas are great too. They have a wide variety of tapas -- the Caprese salad (very fresh tomato, mozzarella, and basil) and the seared ahi tuna are amazing.
If the food was less than spectacular, I would still come here for the ambiance...it is what truly separates this place from anywhere else i have been. You feel like you are in either Europe, or San Francisco, with the eccentric art and beautifully painted walls. The live jazz music adds to the great vibe, and the lighting is perfect.
Once you get to know the owner, you MIGHT get a free drink here or there. They also have an email list you can sign up for that will let you in on their events, like Cabaret parties, Blues Nights, and Masquerade Balls.
Overall -- a fun, eclectic, quaint place for dinner, drinks, and a great night!
I've been looking forward to trying this place for a while for a few reasons.
1. Great atmosphere. (Can't deny that....however, as much as I truly LOVED the live music -- it was WAY too loud for the space...and that is coming from a music geek!)
2. Sangria... if you know me at all... you know I LOOOOOVE me Sangria! (It was just EH. A little too tart for my taste...and aside from that, pretty much lacking in flavor. The apples in it were yummy though).
3. Tapas... I am one of those eaters who most of the time, can't decide what I feel like eating. Tapas is a great remedy for indecision. Only - I wasn't impressed. The ahi was overcooked, the risotto undercooked. I will admit, the potatoes were good and garlic-y... and the baby blue salad was extremely yummy....the salad, definitely the highlight of my experience...
Our server Julie, was extremely sweet from what I could tell. Half the time I could barely hear her over the music - but she always had a smile on her face and seemed very helpful. Unfortunately, 1-2 of the tapas some friends of mine ordered, never appeared and the kitchen was extremely slow in delivering their food. (Can't blame it on the server necessarily though -- as everything we did get was piping hot and served with a smile)
Overall - I give the Turquoise Bar 2.5 stars... I love the concept, but think they have a lot to learn in order to make this a 5 star experience, especially for the price! (Tapas, Sangria and 1 entree was $239.00!!!) YIKES! Next time, I'll pass. And... to be honest, I'm still hungry and I just ate.
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I heard about this place on the radio for "Best Sangria." What was Erin from CitySearch thinking, honestly? Having had perfect sangria in Espana (and even in the states), this place was a major, major let-down in terms of sangria. We ordered a pitcher, but what came was a pitcher of cheap red wine (that wasn't cold!) and some glasses with fruit and ice. Embarassingly tasteless. I don't know how they could even call it sangria. No flavor whatsoever, since the fruit wasn't soaking in the wine, and it was warm. Traditional Red Sangria - DON'T ORDER IT!
We started with the Platter of Regional Sliced Cheeses was a huge rip off. $14 and was supposed to be for 2-4 people. It had a terrible selection that I could have grabbed off the shelf of Vons. Thinly sliced, simple cheese like fresh mozzarella, a plain swiss, and pecorino romano - I'm sorry but if I pay that much for cheese, I expect top of the line imported cheese.
One saving grace was the lamb dish and the Patatas a la Brava Aioli. The Baby Blue salad was OK.
Ambience: dark and typical cafe type place. The music was so loud and made conversation and even ordering impossible. Service was poor - waiter was completely unattentive. A different crowd started rolling in a bit later, low 30s crowd, dressed to go downtown.
Will not return.
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I've been here a handful of times and, unlike the other reviews, I have never been asked about a VIP card or had to pay a cover.
Turquoise is probably my favorite place in PB. The tapas are perfect for indecisive diners like myself who can't usually choose just one dish. They have a good wine selection, great sangria, and the meat and cheese platter is wonderful. You can't beat the live music, from Celtic to blues to jazz, and from what I remember Tango lessons are offered on Sundays. The staff has always been pleasant. I love its tucked-away romanticism, a truly unique place in PB.
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i am absolutely head over heels in love with turquoise.
i love the music, the food, the staff, the ambience, and the walking distance from my apartment. nothing like a 2 am walk home with a head full of wine, ears full of good tunes and a stomach full of food.
the saturday night jazz band plays some great r&b/cuban mixed jazz, and on other nights you can expect some more low key jazz. everyone here has been very friendly, visitors and servers alike. there is a decent variety of wines to choose from, and a great selection of spanish tapas. the sangria is quite tasty, and the owner is hilarious.
it is a nice change from the typical pb scene on garnet.