Bernard’O Restaurant

I hate to give this place 2 stars, but man… I was super underwhelmed by my whole experience during restaurant week.
We had reservations for 7:30 and were seated around 7:35. There was a pretty good crowd at the bar, different ages. I could tell who the regulars were… and there were a lot of them.
We were seated by a window, so I was cold the entire meal. The entire restaurant was cold. Our server commented how the owner had the door open.
Our meal consisted of:
Appetizer:
Endive Salad
Pan Seared Scallops
Entrée:
Sole (which came highly recommended by our server)
Dessert:
Crème brûlée
Lemon tart
2 glasses of white zin
The biggest problem with our meal was the lack of flavor throughout all three courses. The entrée portion of sole was super small. I’m totally onboard with smaller portions if the food is magical, but this wasn’t. The best course was the scallops (and this is coming from my husband who doesn’t particularly enjoy scallops).
There really wasn’t a difference between SDRW menu and their regular menu except for the price. I was super disappointed with my SDRW experience here and would’ve been even more bummed if I paid full price for this place.
Won’t be returning.

Made reservations for SD restaurant week. I ordered from the prix fixe menu: scallops appetizer, duck confit entrée, and strawberry Melba dessert. Food was cooked and seasoned nicely and arrived at a good pace. Service was friendly and prompt. Definitely would dine here again.

My family and I made a reservation at 7pm, and when we arrived at 6:55, they told us we would have to wait 15 minutes before we could be seated. That was kind of off-​putting, but at least we got seated by 7:05. Other than that the service was great. The waiter was pretty attentive and very friendly.
Truthfully the appetizers were better than the entrees. The mushroom raviolis were awesome, and the filet mignon tartar was good too. I was disappointed with the gnocchi. It tasted great, but had no truffle flavor whatsoever, which I was looking forward to.
Our entrees came and were presented beautifully. The food was high quality too, but there just wasn’t enough flavor. Maybe the food needs more seasoning or something, but nothing really wowed me. I had the featured entrée: scallops over butternut squash risotto. The scallops were cooked perfectly, but again the flavors (like in the risotto) weren’t that impressive.
The chocolate coulant was delightful! It came with a crunchy hazelnut chocolate bar and raspberry sorbet, which all paired well. The chocolate oozed out of the coulant — it was perfectly done. I took a bite of the baba au rum only to taste no rum in the cake at all. Very disappointing.
Overall the meal was okay, and if I were to come here again, I’d stick to the appetizers and maybe desserts.

We had a nice family dinner at Bernard’O. It was our first dining experience here, and we were happy that it was a very family friendly restaurant (lots of people had kids with them!) since we had our daughter with us.
The ambiance was inviting and the live music was a wonderful touch. They had great holiday décor up and since it’s not a huge restaurant it was not too noisy (but also wasn’t so quiet that you felt out of place with a baby!).
All of the wait staff that we encountered were great. Our server was so personable, knowledgeable and you could tell that he had been working there for a long time. I found him to be attentive and not at all pushy. Great service!
The food was very good also, with a few minor exceptions. My husband and I both ordered the bacon wrapped prawns for an appetizer, which were delicious, however, one of the pieces of bacon I received was a little bit under cooked. It was, however, seasoned very well and the spaghetti squash that it was served with was also excellent. I really enjoyed the scallops with polenta as an entrée, and the port sauce was superb! I wish there was another scallop or two, the entrée was 2 large scallops. Dessert was good, but not awesome (we had the eggnog crème brûlée), since I was expecting it to taste like eggnog and it didn’t really. Still good, just not eggnog tasting. Overall all of the food was really good and had great flavor, but there were just a few things that could be improved.
We definitely left happy and would dine here again!

We are regulars here partially because it is so close to where we live, but also you can go sit at the bar for a killer happy hour, or you can have a lovely meal — best food for miles literally. Love the service, it is always top notch, nice neighborhood feel. The food quality dipped a little a while back but I am not sure why it is had come roaring back. My family is going for Christmas Eve, because I know they are such pros, they will be handle 12 with no problems.

Nothing wrong with this restaurant. It just doesn’t stand out. Charcuterie was fine, though my s.o. commented on their cheeses being cold and hard. In proper French restaurants, the cheeses arrive on the runny side. But that’s in France. Maybe regulations here do not allow that.
We enjoyed the seafood fettuccine.
We brought the average age of the diners down by a decade or two.

Amazing food, slow service! Our reservation was at 1830 and we didn’t get or until almost 2200! My kids were falling asleep at the table.

The food here is delicious. I notice a lot of low star reviews. I am guessing the people that left those reviews are probably good critics that know a lot about French food and might be expert cooks.
Let me tell you there is no restaurant from North County to Poway that offer French style food as good as Bernardo restaurant.
The food here is amazing and the service is excellent. Family owned business in the heart of Rancho Bernardo. You will have a great experience and enjoy the food.
Some of the menu options are small portions so better ask the cook before ordering. You can’t go wrong with any of the items on the menu. We love this place.

Came here for restaurant week with my boyfriend and it was our first time eating here. This place is hidden in the corner next to Haggens and Starbucks. We did the SDRW menu which was $ 40 per person for a three course dinner.
Food:
–appetizer: I got the organic green salad in a citrus vinaigrette that came with a goat cheese crostini. It was a little dry and bitter to me and I would’ve liked it if there was a bit more dressing on it. However, my boyfriend got the mushroom ravioli. And I definitely recommend that instead! It’s decadent and full of flavor. It had a truffle taste to it and the mushroom filling was so delicious. This was perhaps the best thing I ate that night! To accompany the appetizer, we also had a glass of white wine recommended by our waitress.
–main course: I chose the beef duo which consisted of braised short ribs, grilled iron flank steak slices, potatoes, and green beans all in a peppercorn sauce. The meat was so tender and the sauce was a great compliment to it. I also had a glass of zinfandel red wine to accompany it.
–dessert: I had the apple tart tartin which had a scoop of ice cream on top. It was almost like an apple pie but it had a crisp cookie toping and the filling was filled with apples and other fruits. It had a good balance of crunch from the pecans and sweetness from the apple filling.
Service: was pretty good and our waitress was nice and knowledgeable about wine pairings.
Ambiance/​experience: The place has a very relaxed atmosphere with neat French decorations. My experience here was good and I would say you get a decent and filling meal for the high price you pay.
*Tip: they also have group on deals to take advantage of!

It was my first time eating here as I have never heard of this place. It is tucked away in a small corner next to an Albertsons. I came here for a dinner with my girlfriend for San Diego restaurant week because they’re fixed menu looked appetizing. As for the food :
Appetizer — I chose the wild mushroom ravioli. This was my favorite course from the meal. The ravioli was perfectly cooked and had a nice chew to it. The real star was the filling and the cream sauce that doused the little bites of heaven. This dish was simply divine and was a sure treat to my palate. We also ordered a nice white wine that paired along with this dish. It complimented the earthiness of the mushrooms.
Main course– I chose the oso bucco. I was craving a braised meat dish and this hit the spot. The lamb was as tender as can be and was covered in a tangy Demi glacé. Underneath the meat was a creamy polenta that had baby grapes which was a sweet surprise. Overall a well balanced dish that was complimented by a spicy and dry Zinfandel from Northern California.
Dessert: I chose the strawberry parfait. This dessert was very sweet and satisfying. It consisted of a Layer of chopped strawberries and a vanilla wafer to separate the the layers. Hints of basil and mint can be found in the cream. A really nice way to end dinner
Service/​ambience/​overall experience– Bernard’O is a nice restaurant that has decent food for a high price. The ambience is nice and romantic with a some nice French decorations. The service was decent, not bad. Overall a GOOD experience

Boy, have they gone downhill. High prices, small portions, and bad quality. The boullabaisse portion was very small. The steak special — most expensive item – came out undercooked and when sent back it came out second time more than well done. Never again.
Lou Rich

I have eaten here several times. I always experience great service by the dining room staff. The restaurant is very nice, clean, and has a cozy ambience. All of their food on the menu is delicious, fresh, and cooked perfectly. I recommend the crème brûlée for dessert.

I very rarely leave a negative review; however this experience deserves one. Went here today for lunch to celebrate my husband’s 40^th bday. Service was very slow (only 2 other tables taken). That isn’t what bothered me so much. All the servers, workers and owners were just hanging out at the bar (it is a very small restaurant) and talking loud and very inappropriate. The owner or manager (not sure his role) was telling someone how he is like the guy who helped crash the plane to save people in ⁹⁄₁₁. He then proceeded to yell across the room at guest asking g if she wanted a glass of wine. Flirted with her quite awhile, came back and then was very critical about her. After she left, he really criticized her even more.
Food was ok. but definitely not worth the very expensive price tag. When our lunch finally arrive, my quiche was so burned that the crust had fallen off and broke into pieces (that is how it was served to me). It took another 15 mins for the waiter to come and check on us. He acted very surprised that it was burned. It looked badly burnt and was broken when he served it. It had been reheated in a microwave as it was completely dried out (it was far from fresh) — it was inedible. He did take the amount off the bill. Like I said, service was very slow and never once offered to refill drinks. But he did hover when the bill was brought and he quickly charged my card.
It was like we were imposing on the staff and the restaurant. We arrived at 12:45 and left at 1:50pm (they closed at 2pm) — it took that long to be served lunch and I ordered the «express lunch». When we left, it was like they couldn’t wait for us to leave and they quickly closed and locked the doors. I have always wanted to try this restaurant. Now that I have, I won’t be back and would definitely warn others from dinning there. There are dozens of other restaurants in the area that are far more superior.

I had dinner here tonight with a friend, and I thought it was disappointing. My steak-​which was close to $ 30-​was a little tough & hard to chew all the way through– and my friend’s $ 25 salmon entrée was a little undercooked. The food otherwise tasted good, the way they prepared it with the sauces, but all-​in-​all I would NOT consider coming back, especially for those steep prices. I would have expected the food to be really fantastic and perfect. The portions were also on the small side. The restaurant itself is small and heavily air-​conditioned. Service was okay, not great.

Chef Craig and company created and amazing dinner. Got the special appetizer which was foie gras stuffed ravioli with a port wine reduction. My wife got the special sword fish with sweet white corn polenta topped with a zucchini salad and I got the Moroccan Lamb Chops. Everything was amazing!

Came through a Groupon. We made reservations for 6:30. Arrived around 6:05. It wasn’t overly packed at all and there were a lot of open tables. But the old guy in front said it’s too early and to come back. We sat outside waiting and didn’t even see anyone else going in there while we waited 20 minutes. Oh well, I was early, so, ‘my bad’.
Anyways.the exterior of the restaurant looks nice and classy, but inside def needed updating. And def a restaurant for the much older crowd. Food was good.
We ordered the pork belly, beef tartar, endive salad, and seafood fettucine. Everything was flavorful and well made. But nothing else stood out for me here. Service was OK.

Overly priced, decent food. The part of this restaurant that stood out to me the most was the service, really top-​notch and friendly waiters. The food, however, was mediocre and way too expensive. My favorite dish of the night was the escargot — delicious, rich, and just perfect. My short ribs, however, were too dry and nothing that really stuck in my mind to be honest. Then the dessert — crème brûlée is the running favorite in my family, so we ordered one to share, which turned out to be amazing, delicious, close to the likes of Carver’s. So good, in fact, that we ordered a second, which turned out to be disgusting, undercooked, and sour. It honestly tasted like it was going bad, and we could not finish it between the 4 of us. So overall, inconsistent food with few standout dishes, but overly priced. What saves this restaurant is the friendly, great service.
doggy review: The second factor that saves this restaurant is their dog-​friendly outdoor seating. My family and I went on a fairly chilly (by SD standards) night in Winter, but were not cold at all on their outside patio which was very nicely heated. The servers were great with our dog, who can sometimes be a handful (he’s still a wee pup!), and even brought an extra chair for him to sit on. There was also another couple there with their dog as well when we arrived. So in terms of dog friendliness, I’d say top notch and would not hesitate to bring my pup here again. (Food, however, is a different story).

Classy. Delicious. Excellent Service.
We’ll be back again soon!
CLASSY:
This is a place-​your-​napkin-​in-​your-​lap-​as-​soon-​as-​you-​sit-​down place, without being stuck up.
I really enjoyed the atmosphere. The interior lights were dimmed to a calm, welcoming feel. The fireplace was lit. Holiday lights illuminated each window.
The atmosphere was one for soft indoor voices… that is, if you’re talking at all… the food was so good, there wasn’t much dinner conversation: d
The tables were set with the greatest attention to detail. Each table was adorned with candle light and a single flower in a vase. Decorative napkins were a great touch. The tables were even padded, meaning the dishes/​glasses didn’t clink when set on the table; fancy!
DELICIOUS:
My mom and I split a bowl of the daily soup: butternut squash. I ordered the rack of lamb. My mom ordered the short ribs.
We told the waitress we wanted to split the bowl of soup, they were kind enough to serve the soup in two different bowls. It was delicious! I almost wish I had a whole bowl to myself, but I knew I needed to save room for the entrée.
The rack of lamb was heavenly. If it wasn’t such a fansy establishment, I would have licked the bones clean. ;)
The short ribs were excellent as well.
The serving sizes were just right.
EXCELLENT SERVICE:
This staff was professional! No hovering, just fantastic service. Water was refilled quickly, without being asked and without being intrusive. The knife for my lamb was placed at setting with me barely noticing. This was the kind of staff and service you’d expect from Downton Abbey :)
I have nothing but praise for this restaurant. We will be back again soon, and we’ll be bringing friends and family.

The environment of this place seems generally for the older crowd. Very dim lighting with old paintings, pottery, and decorations. Could possibly use an update.
Very large selection of wine and a small list of bottled beers. The food pricing here is definitely pricey. We ordered escargot for an appetizer. It was $ 11 for 6 small pieces. Expensive but it was deliciously marinated. My boyfriend ordered the rack of lambs. The plate was presented beautifully but most of the meat was cut off from the bone leave small circular portions. The sauce was really good but there was barely no vegetables or sides to go with it. This is not a plate for anyone with a large appetite.
I ordered the braised short rib. I was confused when the plate came out because it did not look like short ribs. It looked like a piece of chocolate cake. So i gave it a try anyways and it was extremely DRY. Chewing it was very difficult. For such a «high class» restaurant I was expecting it to melt in my mouth but got the exact opposite. But of course I had to finish my food because I was not about to waste a $ 30 plate. There was Ricotta and Short Rib Cannelonis as my side that was really good.
The service here was average. Since it was a small restaurant, the servers was just a very short distance away if you needed something. Overall, I probably would’ve come here again just because the food was not up to its expectations. Just because it was presented beautifully, does not always mean it tasted amazing.

Excellent French food (with Italian accents I would say) in ‘downtown’ Rancho Bernardo, next to Albertsons supermarket. Today, after long time not going there, we went for a team lunch a group of 11… well the only con is that the wait was long. The pros were the rest of the experiences, from the pretty fresh flowers in the table (hey, some people pay attention to small details!) to the very French style of serving the food (you know, huge dish, little content, but very delicate:) to the food itself.
Bernard’Os has the reputation of being an expensive place. I think maybe for dinner is not on the cheap side, but for lunch it is not more expensive that what you can get at Urge gastropub, to mention some other restaurant in the vicinity (ok, you won’t get the cool factor, but also you won’t get the noise and you will have a big room only for your party).
The lunch menu «Lunch expres» (only in the name) costs $ 17.50, not bad for the quality you get. Most of my team mates and myself choose that option. I got the special soup of the way, very Autumn like, buttery and earthy, delicious squash with the just amount of spiciness. Loved it.
Also the crêpe du jour consisted in caramelized onions, ricotta cheese, some rib meat of some kind (could not get much of that in my bites, though) and perfect mushrooms like freshly picked. Excellent combination. One of my colleagues opted for the salmon dish, I was kind of jealous, the size was American portion and the smell was awesome. I was tempted to take a bite from it but kept the composure this time.
Dessert Baba Rum was perfect awesomeness. The touch of mint oil a superb touch. This dessert consists in rum and raisin sponge cake with added black currant purée, together with some pineapple, vanilla whipped cream and some ice cream too. Perfect to share, so the $ 8 are totally worthy.
I would suggest to change the music, even if it was pleasant (so we could all maintain a conversation without having to be loud) I would rather get some French oldies to create a more authentic bistro atmosphere.