Indigo Grill

Just meh. For the prices I expected something much better tasting. Has a swanky hipster atmosphere.

The staff is friendly and atmosphere is awesome. Expensive place! Beer is $ 8. And food is just not awesome at all. Looks beautiful and tastes disgusting. Ribs have yucky sauce like a canned sweet sauce with some pepper. Very bitter with no flavor. The steak is not good at all. My personal opinion you DO NOT marinade meat for a good steak. No need! Just bring me fresh grilled steak! The steak tasted like washed socks. I’ve never tried those but just guessing. I bet I do much better steaks at home. So I do not recommend this place for food!

Good dining experience. Ceviche and the butternut squash soup were delicious. Good service and beautiful décor. Husband was disappointed with Ahi Tiradito. I was equally disappointed with both the Mahi tacos and the Tofu/​Mushroom ones. Nothing special. The portions are enormous. I would definitely suggest sharing even the «platos pequeños.» More is not necessarily better.

They changed their menu since I have been here last. They need to bring back the pork chop (the giant one). I asked if they would have it again and they said maybe on special occasions. I’m sure if we request it enough on Unilocal it might come back.

This place is absolutely awesome. The server we had the past few times, Natasha, is GREAT! Can’t say enough good things about her.
Food is not something you would see at every restaurant and is absolutely delicious. My favorite is the cheesecake which comes plated unlike any other. Probably one of the best desserts I’ve had too! I’ll definitely be coming back. :)

My first time dining at this place was years ago. I remember not liking the food, and have stayed away ever since… until last week. I still didn’t want to go, but it was a group event and I didn’t have much of a choice. However, I was very, very happily surprised and pleased with my latest visit!
The staff was excellent, accommodating our large group, to include an infant. Chef Deborah Scott even made the rounds and we got to chat with her for a minute. Most importantly though, was the food. It was so savory! The prices were reasonable considering you’re in the middle of Little Italy.
Thankfully, I’ll add this place to my rotation of restaurants.

Amazing!
Indigo Grill should be PROUD of the job/​service provided to us tonight! Everything was literally PERECT! Food, wine and especially the service!
5 Stars
5 Stars
5 Stars!!!
This team should be proud of what they have created.
Mark E.

I have been here twice and the food was great! I took my dad here the second time for his birthday because he wanted a good steak. I got the ribeye special this time. Worth every penny. Ribeye steak 2 large shrimp and a corn tamale.
There is also a good selection of beers. For me its wheat beer with dinner works well.
You wont be disappointed

My family stumbled upon this place while walking around San Diego’s Little Italy and thought the reviews looked good. The restaurant is decorated beautifully with modern Mexican décor. The service was very good and they were very welcoming and accommodating to our child. I had their flatbread daily special that had tomatoes, cheese, and pesto on it. The flatbread was good, but wayyyyy overpriced at $ 16! In fact, I thought that most items on the menu were overpriced.

This place is a must try! Excellent atmosphere, service and food. I love the fire pits they have and my favorite thing on the menu was the Brie cheese appetizer. Enjoy!

The restaurant ambience is gorgeous and warm, we sat outside and felt the charm and coziness even outdoors with the setting. We had the swordfish and ceviche as an appetizer, big portions with both and super tasty. Also great service and right in the heart of Little Italy. Yum.

We had some new coworkers in town, so naturally we picked somewhere we hadn’t been for dinner. Enter the Latin-​infused cuisine of Indigo Grill.
We had a reservation at 5:30p, sat immediately, and realized that Happy Hour was going on until 6:30p. With one glance at the HH menu, I told the waitress, «We’ll have one of everything,» running my finger down the appetizer list. I ordered a Mule, while my coworkers had a Tomas Colina (spiced infused rum) and a Tangerine Sour.
Salt n Pepper Shrimp: meh.
Chef Deborah’s Pipian Crusted Brie: Cheese sex on a slate. Combine with jalapeño jelly. Reordered so we could experience this naughty dish again.
Kung Pao Calamari: meh.
Fig & Walnut Flatbread: YAAAS. Ordered this again, too.
Jalapeño chicken wings: not spicy.
Potato taquitos: meh.
I ordered the 3 for $ 30 and chose the shaved pear salad, skirts on fire, and finished with churros. Salad was very good portion, the skirt steaks were PERFECT, and the churros were fresh, but overcoated with sugar.
Next time, I’m trying the Tomas Colina.

Came on a Friday night around 8:30pm and there was no wait for a table of 4.
Pretty large restaurant, very well decorated in the heart of little Italy.
For appetizers, we shared:
— oven roasted mussels and clams (3.5÷5). Good broth! Dip your bread it in!
— the waitress highly recommended chef Deborah’s pipian crusted brie (⁵⁄₅). So happy we took her recommendation. It was amazing and a definite must try! The brie is served warm and the jalapeño jelly is a perfect blend of flavors. I’m not usually a fan of mole but it paired well with this dish and the flavor was not overpowering.
For entrees, we shared
— Baja gold spotted bass (4.5÷5)
— anchiote marinated prime flat iron (⁴⁄₅)
Portions are fairly large and if you’re ordering appetizers, may want to consider sharing an entrée.
Can be pricey but worth it for the atmosphere and quality of food.

I haven’t been to this classic in many years but recently decided to retread after a suggestion by Chef Deborah Scott herself to try their «Good Things Growing Entrée.»
Ordered it, and specified my Vegan preference. I received a veggie friendly smörgåsbord. Indian corn pudding, roasted poblano stuffed chili, baked butternut squash, roasted garlic flatbread, tofu & mushroom skewer, guajillo mole. Amazing tastes and a remarkable portion of food, at very least enough for two. The staff was cheerful and even suggested I complete my meal with a custom sweet finish. A vanilla bean cookie drizzled with a strawberry syrup and loaded with plump, sweet strawberries.
An amazing dining experience and a reminder that there is a reason for longevity in the fickle restaurant business.

Food was amazing as was the service. They were late on seating us for our reservations and offered to comp our appetizers and desert. This was beyond going over and beyond for their customers and a reason why I would highly recommend this place to anyone who enjoys fusion type good. Their rib eye and tamales were amazing and the next day we were still talking about the food. Drinks were good as well, with lots to chose from. Will be back here again for sure and make the drive from Los Angeles to San Diego again for the food.

We weren’t able to get in to the restaurant our first night in San Diego because they were booked and busy when we wanted to «drop by.» However, we were able to get a reservation two nights later.
The ambiance is cozy, modern and cool. The service was friendly yet professional. And we LOVED their food from our starters, entrees down to our dessert.
They also have this AMAZING «date night» on Tuesdays. You get two entrees (same portion versus smaller portions for the offering) and a bottle of wine or carafe of sangria for $ 39.95. The savings is about $ 20+ for the package and it was an awesome deal!
The rest of our table ordered off the menu and we THOROUGHLY enjoyed our selections. I loved it so much, that I returned my last night in the city! I would definitely return here again and again! Besides, it was a great option to the crappy Italian restaurants we went to in Little Italy.
QUICK FOOD REVIEW:
1. Grilled Romaine Salad — just the right amount of smokiness, the romaine was wilted yet crisp, and the dressing helped to clinch the selection. A parmesan crisp with chili is also an added touch if you can handle the heat! The salad is a medium sized romaine split and grilled served as two halves.
2. Tacos — this was a deal with 3 choices for $ 16. The portions were generous and it comes with a side of beans.
3. Alderwood Plank Salmon — This was a generous portion priced at $ 29. I split it with a friend being that we had a late lunch. It was perfectly paired with a cucumber moleto that was refreshing and tasty. Rather than having the squid ink pasta, we subbed it with a salad. Much like the Grilled Romaine Salad, the salmon had the perfect smokiness from the cedar plank
4. Kemo Sabe’s Potted Brownie — the decorative dragon shaped chocolate is gorgeous! The dessert is also complete with peanut butter ice cream so it is the perfect blend of taste and aesthetic.
5. Fresh Churros — Although it was a lovely preparation, it was a bit too oily for me. The churros come out hot and crisp, but for some reason, I felt that it was overly soaked with oil.

After reading great reviews on Unilocal,especially for the restaurant week we decided to head out to indigo grill. Obviously being a Saturday it was a super busy night … So service was super slow .I will give them benefit of doubt this time, but I wish they could have been better. Our server was great, don’t get me wrong. But probably too busy night or shortage of staff? We received our first course after one hour of arrival on the table. That is not a good sign.
Moving on the food, the menu sounded delicious. So our group of friends decided to mix it up. Some got the pre fixed menu while some of us got a la carte… Overall all the dishes including the dessert were on the overly sweet side for all 7 of us. The ravioli dish was delicious and the soups were flavourful. Other than that. Just ok. !
Was disappointed little bit !

Restaurant week destination. $ 30 for a three course meal. While I enjoyed all the dishes, the restaurant week menu seemed limiting with only three options per course. I felt like they could have better show cased their menu by providing more options (at $ 30 without any upgrades). Regardless, my main squeeze and I had plenty of food and, in the end, we opted to take the dessert to go since we were stuffed out of our minds.
Highlights of our meal:
–Salt and pepper shrimp: Slightly stunned at the Asian-​esque flavors provided by the side of fish sauce. Shrimps were also very plump and didn’t have too much batter. Batter was also flavorful.
–Hickory smoked pork ribs: Pleasantly smoked; oaky flavor mixed with some sweetness. Sauce reminiscent of mole.
–Pork belly: I love me some pork belly and these did not disappoint. Melted in your mouth after that burst of juicy fatness. Just wished I could of had more, but it was nice to sample two of their other meats regardless.
I’m slightly upset we took our Fresh Churros to go as those would have been glorious served warm. I did have them later and they were delightful, just missing that freshness of course.
Great place, but I’m sure it’s hard for them to stand out in the heart of Little Italy.

Delicious and then some! I loved everything about my experience here (with the exception of Little Italy parking). The restaurant is cozy, but with a vibrant vibe. Our server, wonderfully friendly, and the food deserves the 5 stars.
I got to enjoy the restaurant week menu, but really loved what I was seeing on the regular menu. Started with the tortilla soup and it was hands down the best I’ve ever had. I loved the spice and heat of it. Perfect! Next up was the Good Things Growing platter of food, which I highly recommend to anyone.
Typically, I’m more of a meat eater, but the description of the different elements of this dish sold me. There’s Indian corn pudding and roasted poblano stuffed with cheese, roasted squash and a sweet roasted garlic bulb among many other flavorful items. The corn pudding was amazing and the food comes out beautifully presented. Sad I got full so fast.
I ended my meal with the cake and peanut butter ice cream and was satisfied and already craving the exact meal again. Can’t wait to eat here again!
They do take reservations, but require a credit card to hold it in case you cancel less than 48 hours in advance.

First time here for Restaurant week. I liked it. I love the décor. The food is excellent. The Cheesecake Tower is delish. I usually don’t like blueberries but this dessert was exquisite. I also had the wine pairing which was worth the extra charge: Ramon Bilboa, Carmen Reserva, & M. Chaportier.

So amazing! The food was beyond spectacular. I went for restaurant week and got salt and pepper shrimp, good things growing vegetarian main course and churros for dessert. All our meals were cooked to perfection. They were a little unorganized because they had just opened but once we sat down service was very attentive. It’s a must go place for celebrations!

Located on India Street in the heart of Little Italy, Indigo Grill is a few blocks from the trolley stop, new parking structure, and the Little Italy sign. We arrived early on the first night of restaurant week and were quickly seated. Reservations are easily available through Open Table. Indigo Grill is decorated with funky chandeliers and brightly painted art. The restaurant week menu is $ 30 and also has an optional wine pairing for each course for an additional $ 10. We normally wouldn’t have selected the wines chosen in the pairings, but were really glad we did because each one was the perfect compliment to the dish. For the first course, I had the tortilla soup. It had just the right amount of spice and was so good I gobbled it down quickly. The main I selected — the anticucho board — had three skewers (chicken, beef, and pork belly) with hummus and bread. It was so filling and delicious. The pickled veggies were ok. I chose the kemo sabe’s potted brownie for dessert. It was the perfect end to an amazing meal. Since it was the first night of restaurant week, the kitchen was slammed and we spent nearly two hours there for dinner. Both our waitress and manager came by multiple times offering apologies, which we appreciated.

I love the décor! The food here is really good! For appetizer lobster ceviche and salt&pepper shrimp. The ceviche was good I felt it was a little too much to eat. For the s&p shrimp they were nicely crispy and perfect flavor. I also loved the lime sauce that comes with it. Wish they added 2more on a plate. They were that good. Entrée got 3 tacos mahi mahi, and jalapeño chicken. They were all pretty tasty. My husband got the bacon wrapped steak. The meat was nice and tender. It was a fairly large size meal. For dessert churro. They were soft and crispy. The nice and cinnamony. It came with 3 dipping sauce strawberry, Carmel & chocolate. All very good. Our waitress was very nice and accommodating. Service we overall good.
One thing I did notice inside kind of smelled like moldy rags. I’m not sure if it was close to closing time. But overall I would more than likely be back.

I’ve visited a few times but I wonder what happened to my review.
This is my first time returning since the renovations. I like what they did and the menu is definitely much better than the past.
It was a great experience for me and my friend. We sat out on the heated patio. It was comfortable however it did get quite HOT at one time since all the heaters were going. Thanks to our server who turned one off :).
Food:
salt & pepper shrimp
anticucho boards 2 with 3 choices of meats: pollo, slow cooked pork belly and beef filet. My favorite was the pork belly. The board includes trio of hummus, (garlic, cilantro-​jalapeño, sesame-​sweet pepper), flatbread, chimichurri, spicy pickled vegetables (loved the pickled vegetables.)
Reasonable priced wines and during the week there is Happy Hour and Specials happening.

It’s always the good place to go. The food, drink are good. Service is sometimes slow especially around 8−9pm. I usually go to this restaurant only for dinner so that I can’t say it would be good for lunch.
It is fusion Latin foods. I can say Mexican and Brazilian based fusion foods.
This is not the place for family with kids. If you have kids, I recommend to go to the patio.
There is a valet parking. If you don’t want it, the parking would be somewhat tricky. You should either park on the street near the restaurant, which is challenging. Or, you should park on the public parking and have a short trip on foot. But it’s the pretty good place to stroll around the little Italy before and after dinner.

This is my second review for indigo grill, and I felt it needed updating. My first review was 3 star because I thought it was average, but for my second visit, indigo grill deserved an upgrade.
Short story — perfect experience for a busy night from our hostess, to the waiter, and they food was spectacular.
Long version — We came here last night on New Year’s Eve and had reservations for 8:15 for 4. We walk up and our table is ready to go upon arrival.
We are seated for less than 2 minutes before our waiter shows up. His name was Miguel. Let me say that he was the best waiter/​waitress I’ve had that I can remember. He knew his stuff, made personnel recommendations and gave just the right amount of detail for each menu item. His demeanor was like your friend that just happened to be your waiter that day. He was around when needed without asking questions every minute.
I ordered the margaritas, and they were the bomb. I might came back some time just to go the bar.
We all had butter quash soup — if I was at home, I would be licking the bowl clean. That’s how good it was.
The main entrée was perfectly cooked Salmon with a nice fresh salsa topping thing and noodles. The portions were a good size also, so they don’t skimp on the food.
Dessert was a brownie injected with caramel and topping with ice cream. This was delicious but I think one two of the bites the brownie might have been a little burned. However, the remaining bites were spectacular.
My only complaint is I’m not a fan of the chairs they have outside. They don’t take away from the experience, but I think they could be better.
Overall this was a flawless experience for a very popular and busy night.
Thanks indigo grill.

Great food and ambiance however my biggest peeve are the underutilized long bar tables.
These great tables would be awesome for groups but have a shelf built on top of them right in the line of sight of the person sitting across from you… LOSE them immediately…

Indigo Grill… Deborah Scott (Executive Chef)… and the staff at Indigo… you made a girl go weak in the knees.
I didn’t have the BEST experience on Restaurant Week for my first time here, but jump a few months later, I am starting to believe two could be my lucky number.
Deborah Scott (Executive Chef), the Manager at the Indigo Grill in San Diego and the Marketing Manager, all reached out to me personally in response to my review. They let me know that they took my review seriously, and they were there to improve. I believe in second chances, So I took them up on their opportunity to give them another shot.
I walked in on Friday night with no issues getting seated, and I didn’t want to make it known that I was back for a second chance, so I could review fairly.
Service: ⁵⁄₅ I am hating myself for not getting the server’s name but he was amazing. He had been there for 2.5 years and raved about their process for cooking, their menu, the food, and his recommendations and knowledge of the menu was on point.
Food: ⁵⁄₅
Roasted Butternut Squash Soup — TO DIE FOR! Good portions, nice butternut squash flavor and a nice splash of pesto and cream with the addition of roasted corn really gave it excellent textures, and a nice unwrapping of flavors.
Chef Deborah’s Pipian Crusted Brie– Oh .my goodness. Chef… this is a huge hit. I tried so hard not to eat this whole thing before my entrée got here. The crusted brie was warm, ooey gooey and delicious. The jalepeno jelly and the addition of the roasted garlic on top… was excellent. TIP: Put everything all together!
3 Tacos + Beans: Choose the carnitas and crispy jalepeno chicken. The presentation was awesome. It came with taco holders. The carnitas was by far the best one, the nice addition of crunchy pickled veggies on top added to it very nicely.
Salmon + Squid Ink Pasta: Didn’t have this, but my companion enjoyed it so much! Salmon was cooked perfectly.
Fresh Churros– Abuelita chocolate sauce, dulce de leche, chef’s seasonal purée. Ah!!! These were made right this time. Super fresh, not like bricks at all. They were crunch and soft in all the right places and I loved the choices of dipping sauces. I enjoyed the caramel sauce the most.
Ambiance: ⁵⁄₅ — Sat outside on the patio this time. Loved that it was covered but had the out door feel. Very nice set up.
Thank you guys for giving me the opportunity to try this place again. I will definitely be coming back.

Surprisingly quite impressive. We loved the vibe of place overall and the foot was mostly very good.
The fried chicken bucket with pickled veggies and other Asian flair was delicious. The roasted poblano bisque with tortilla strips and corn was complex and very flavorful. Pork «riblets» were also decent.
Rock cod was the main let-​down, just a little boring. The churros with the dessert were also a bit stale, although the Mexican hot chocolate was great. We also enjoyed the creamy goat cheese flan.

Not sure what all the hype is about. Salt and Pepper shrimp was good but not mind-​blowing.
Mark at the bar is a highlight though drinks were just ok.

Really enjoyed our meal here. I remember the shrimp (with head on) being my favorite, as well as the fish ribs which were absolutely outstanding. There is essentially something for everyone and I highly suggest making a reservation just so you know you’ll have a table when you arrive.
The restaurant gets really busy during dinner and weekends, but that’s understandable being located in the prime of San Diego’s Little Italy. The restaurant has a great atmosphere — hustle and bustle with a vibrant energy.
There is valet parking for your convenience.

I am totally a fan for this place! My family visited during the restaurant week and it was one of the best restaurant week experience that I have ever had. To start, the reservation was very easy to make and they served as table right the way without wait time. That was a really good start because many restaurants will make you still wait even with reservations. The ambiance of the restaurant was rustic yet with modern touch. It has several sections, including bar, patio, and dinning area. It’s a big beautiful place. With their restaurant week menu, there were many options to choose from in each course.
For appetizer, we had Salt & Pepper Shrimp, Tortilla Soup, and Little Italy Farmers Market Salad. Their salt and pepper shrimp is amazing! The shrimp was cooked perfectly and the seasoning and sauce were well made for the shrimp. It is a must try! The tortilla soup was really good too but it was pretty heavy and creamy. I am not very good with creamy food so it was not one of my favorites. The salad was very good! They used fresh ingredients tossed with the lime-​agave herb vinaigrette which just lightly dressed the salad. It was refreshing and perfect start for the meal.
For entrees, we had Good Things Growing, Hickory Smoked Pork Ribs, and Anticucho Boards with pollo, pork belly, and beef filet. The good things growing has various items of vegetables, which were cooked very differently. They were grilled, stuffed, baked, and mixed with different styles. I love this dish! This is one of the most creative dishes that I have encountered. This dish alone wins 5 star already!!! The portion is HUGE! It can literally feed more than 2 people. I recommend to share it if possible. The smoked pork ribs were wonderful too. It was well seasoned and smoked with hickory. Anticucho boards was also a great dish. It served with skewers of pollo, pork belly, and beef filet. The skewers also came with various sauces and hummus trio. For the entrees alone, the value of our meals already passed the restaurant week price. They served full size entrée despite the restaurant week. I am very impressed with them.
For desserts, we had fresh churros and Kemo Sabe’s potted brownie. By the time we got to dessert, we were very full already. But, both churros and brownie were pretty good. I am not a dessert person so really can’t give more in depth comments.
If you do not want to read anything I have to say about this place, get this! you must check this place out! It is amazing! Definitely wowed me with their food! You will be wowed too!

Indigo Grill is our regular neighborhood «Go To» spot. The menu is creative, the food always delivers, and the service is consistently great!
My wife says the bartender Mike makes the best Martini on India Street, I say Mike’s the man with his Tequila knowledge.
The bar area is fun and the Happy Hour menu runs til 6:30p.

Another outstanding dining experience from the Cohn Restaurant Group!!! Upgraded to 5 STARS!!!
From the moment we walked in, and were graciously received by the hostess, and then escorted to our table by Jason, the GM, and then receiving professional attention by Lindsey, our server, and enjoying delectable dishes from the kitchen, and finally a warm goodbye by all staff, we felt truly catered to and most welcome. We also left fully sated, contented and satisfied.
The four of us shared two generous and delicious starters: Salt & Pepper Shrimp, $ 14, and the Fig & Walnut Flatbread, $ 16. The flatbread was so good, and filling, next time I might just order that as my main, and not share!!!
Our mains were: Spotted Bass, w lobster & corn risotto, $ 32, Skirts on Fire, $ 28, Good Things Growing (veggie plate), $ 24, Anticucho Board (1 skewer each of beef, shrimp and chicken), $ 21 (see menu for full description). Photos attached. Everyone exclaimed delight on their dishes. Portions were ample, allowing some dishes for further enjoyment at home.
Our wine of choice was the India Ink Cab, and it went down so easily with our starters, we ordered another bottle to accompany our mains, $ 44.
We all shared one generous portion of the Cheesecake Tower (layers of cheesecake, praline crisp, and blueberries) and we were fighting over the last bites, $ 8.
This was our 2^nd time here, and am glad it’s walking distance in my neighborhood, for easy return visits.