Red Light District

First time here. Down from LA and found this spot in gaslamp district. Food was terrific! Get the mussels. They were delicious, and the sauce was out if this world. Dual beouf (filet & short rib) was also yummy.

This place is an undiscovered gem. There’s nothing sleazy about this Red Light District in San Diego! I would describe the cuisine as American fine dining. I’ve eaten here for dinner a few times and it’s never packed. Great place for casual conversation or a romantic dinner.
RIP Foie Gras. Red Light District did a 5-​course foie gras tasting menu the last few days before the ban. I ate at three other tastings and this was definitely, by far, the best.
The menu does a good job at combining ingredients you wouldn’t normally expect to be found together in a dish.
Unfortunately, I cannot remember any particular dishes, except, the majority of what I’ve eaten has been exceptional!
I owe it to Unilocal to update this review with some dishes the next time I eat here. To be continued…

Went here with a great friend who scored a TravelZoo voucher for a prix fixe meal. They also let us claim the Unilocal check-​in offer (a free appetizer – a GREAT deal considering we scored a $ 15 appetizer for free) in addition to the TravelZoo deal. We were able to sample quite a few delectable dishes and I was quite impressed with the flavorful, thoughtfully-​prepared food and attentive service.
Most wines here are available by the bottle only, but there are a number of by-​the-​glass options to choose from. I tried both the Paro Pinot Noir and the Trethefon Merlot – both were winners.
I love that the chef sent out amuse-​bouches; we got to try a bite of fried ahi served with a sauce and herbs. For starters we had the «Bacon Fat Mac and Cheese” – how could you NOT!? – which was toe-​curlingly yummy, and the «Hawaiian Ahi Tostadas.» These mini-​tostadas were delicious and came recommended by our server. The menu does not state that this is a raw fish dish (think poke), so be aware if that’s not your thing. The short ribs were very tender and flavorful, and the sea bass was well-​cooked but perhaps a tad bland. For dessert we shared a chocolate bouchon which had great texture and was not overly sweet.
Ambience-​wise this place works. Little touches like the pearl-​handled steak knives and the playful red ambient lighting do make a difference. The music selection was on-​point for a fun evening, too.
It’s pricey without the vouchers and deals, but I’d happily come back here for a special occasion.

Went back again last night to try out the new menu. Love, love, love it! The corn chowder was a perfect summer soup. A great way to start off my meal. Then we had a the heirloom tomato salad with avocado, simple and fresh… and just delicious. Ended my meal with the fried tofu/​eggplant. I absolutely loved it! My husband had the Ahi Tuna and said it was excellent. I just can’t say enough how great the new menu is. I feel like there were a lot more options of things I could eat. I am quite the picky eater :)
I didn’t have any of the cocktails, but would like to go back and try some of the new ones they have for summer.
Overall, another great experience. This is becoming my new favorite spot in SD.

Hubs and I went to Red Light District on a late Friday evening so that we could partake in the Comic-​Con revelry.
We sat at a dimly lit table in the corner next to a window, which was a great location to people watch. Our server was attentive and pleasant — but I can’t say the same for the hostess and one of the bartenders.
We started with the Bacon Fat Mac & Cheese (with aged white cheddar and herb crumbs) and the Spicy Braised Pork Belly (with Kimchi stew, scallions, sesame seeds an prawn meatballs). I thought that the pork belly was fantastic whereas hubs preferred the decadent mac and cheese.
For my main entiree I had the Miso Glazed Striped Sea Bass with spicy prawn potstickers, bamboo, hot and sour broth, and charred snap peas. This was a smaller dish, which was perfectly fine, and the flavors complimented one another quite nicely. However, the fish was overdone. Hubs ordered the Duo of Prime Filet & Short Rib with horseradish whipped potato, farmer’s market baby vegetables, and maytag bleu cheese — which was delicious and surprisingly a very large dish.
For dessert we had the Trio of Sorbet, which was refreshing after such a heavy meal.
Two beers, two glasses of wine, two starters, two entrees and a dessert ran us about $ 135 before tip.
Three and a half stars. I can’t help feeling like something was a little off…

A group of friends and I were invited to try out Red Light District, tasting menu style. The décor marries understated, low lit sensuality with the expansiveness of RLD’s well-​windowed, corner location. In the heart of downtown without imparting a sensation of sensory overload, the restaurant is set up with an open floor plan to accommodate diners and imbibers with equal ease. Resist the urge to jump on the well-​polished bar countertop for a jig or a slide and instead order a cocktail. A ginger lover to the endth degree, I enjoyed the Green Light. The Stamped Strawberries seemed an odd combination at first, with the smokiness of the Mezcal blanketing the sweet and tart flavors of the other ingredients. But, the end result left the palate intrigued.
Onto the food. While I am traditionally an entrée kind of gal, the tasting menu offered us the opportunity to experience a broad array of RLD’s delicacies, something which may otherwise require multiple trips, paychecks and a balloon dress for ease of continued noshing.
–House bread — jalapeño cornbread
–amuse-​bouches — potato spoon and a shot of starch based soup — potato leek, I believe
–composed melon and mint salad
–the rock shrimp and lobster tempura
–duck three ways
–duo of prime meats and potato
–chocolate buchon
The house bread was fantastic. I love carbs and few things makes me happier than a bread basket or a re-​imagined carb offering at the beginning of a meal. The jalapeños had just the right amount of kick, although it should be noted I have the spice tolerance of a bowl of plain white rice. The amuse-​bouches were a nice touch — the potato spoon bite was not inspiring but the soup shot was a perfect balance of creaminess that left me discreetly licking the interior of the shot glass for every last slurp.
The main courses were superb — each meat was tender and packed with flavor. The duck was positively decadent. The only item which left me (and several of my fellow diners) cold was the melon salad. While an interesting concept, it simply didn’t fit the evening’s comfort food theme. Red Light District appears to excel in richer fare — both diners and chefs would be wise to lean into that strong suit.
The one area for improvement is their customer service. The restaurant was rather empty, save for a few couples and one other group, and yet there was an extensive wait time for the food. The server appeared frazzled and it was often difficult to flag her down for assistance. Considering both the competitive nature of the downtown restaurant market and the higher price point of RLD’s offerings, this arena will likely be a make or break point for their success.
Here’s hoping for a win — I’ve been thinking dirty thoughts about that duck…

We bid «Farewell to Foie Gras» here in the best possible way.
This restaurant is a gem. A ruby, to be exact. It pulsates with allure and anticipation. Sexy sells. And the small tables demand intimacy here, in what seems like a Euro styled bordello.
The six course foie gras dinner was divine. Rather than make the reader jealous for something that can never be recreated here, I will simply applaud the chef’s creativity in incorporating the delicacy. He used foie gras shaved over oysters, julienned over melons, swirled with chocolate a jam, and, of course, simply over a burger and seared as a whole. This varied use shows that the chef fundamentally understands the function, limitation, and power of ingredients.
I was impressed by the variety of rare and gourmet foods on the menu. Besides a standard seared foie gras (no more), they feature truffles, shishito peppers, and several types of wild game. The shishito peppers here are large and unripe. They don’t fry the peppers as long or salt them as much. You end up tasting the actual juicy fresh pepper meat, which is actually refreshing. The melon salad is also light, refreshing, and exotic. Such small but powerful portions beautifully presented are exactly the type of dishes you find in L.A. and N.Y., but, which, have been sadly missing in S.D. until now.
Big ups to the entire staff, which really brought their «A» game too.

I’ve been meaning to write a review about this place but didn’t have the time. I’m bumbed out because now I can’t be as descriptive as I want to be. Anyway, I was invited for a tasting and boy was the food delicious! I think we had a total of 16 dishes being served to us. The flavors of each dish definitely blended well together. No over kill of flavors. Looking at the pictures I took, the bone marrow was my favorite dish.
Staff was friendly and knowledgeable about each wine we wanted to pair with some of our dishes. Parking is was hard to find. Unless you do not want to pay for parking at Horton (past two hours), you’ll have to find street parking.

I definitely can appreciate some of the items on the menu. I am a bit sad I didn’t op for any foie items and will never get to again in California. The presentation was on point and there was definitely some original thought put into the dishes. My buddy and I opted for some of God’s personal butter stash aka bone marrow for an appetizer. The marrow was roasted beautifully, but the croutonesque bread accompaniment was overly salted and more crunchy than bready. A softer baguette slice would be way better for scooping up and sopping up some of that residual marrow left in the bone.
My main dish was «meh» in terms of taste. I opted for the mullet and nothing really wowed me. If its any consolation, the fish was perfectly cooked and the dish was freakin’ pretty.
Nice upscale/​trendy ambiance overall with an interesting theme.

According to my Four points system (Food, Ambiance, Service and Price) here are my comments
— Food, great quality! I don’t like raw fish but their Ahi roll is GREAT! so fresh i didn’t even think about it being raw. Good duck fat fried and muscle dish flavorful. Drink are ok, i’m a little spoil with great drinks so, I’m gonna give it an OK: D
— Ambiance, typical downtown lounge feel nothing OUTrageous, classy, chic eater
— Service, was pretty bad, we waited too long for our food and the waitress wasn’t as tentative
— Pricey!!!
I would said give it a try for food but don’t expect much

I believe chef Jason Maitland just might have created his «Sistine Chapel» built on a foundation of sexual innuendos and smooth libations. As soon as glided my way inside this place with my lovely girlfriend I knew right away that the proceeding few hours would either be a night of pillow talk and sensual cuisine to match the encouraging atmosphere of this place, or it would be like walking in to a sex shop and finding your old fat high school teacher browsing the dominatrix isle.
If you’re like me and you love to make friends wherever you go then make sure and befriend Nick, one of the bartenders. He was such a pleasure to talk to and I loved his taste in the bottled red stuff. Our waiter, Matt was a great and polite young fellow as well but at times I wanted to give him a «good game» slap on the ass and tell him to loosen up because I left my «bad service» machete in the car.
Things to eat:
If you’re legally registered as a male and have any testosterone flowing through your system at all then you’re obligated to order the Wagyu Bone Marrow for the table. I’m pretty sure God declared that on the 9^th day of the creation of the world after all the other shit was created that he was like «Since those Japanese cows have way smaller appendages than the other ones I’m going to make the liquid inside their bones taste freaking amazing when someone finds out you can cook it and eat it».
Bacon mac n’ cheese cooked in duck fat. Yeah, it has bacon in it and therefore I could end this review now. However not only is this dish as amazing as Olivia Wilde in a bathing suit but it’s cooked in the body fat of Donald Duck which makes this extroardinary.
Do eat here, do drink here, but most of all do tip well because its good karma.

Hot spot in San Diego. A must see-​eat-​drink!
Lately, this has been my go to place when I have friends visiting from out of town. Other than the great food and drinks, It’s the perfect place to meet (not crowded) and mingle (no yelling involved).
The food has been SPECTACULAR each time. I love their Brussel sprouts and Risotto (I ain’t a fan of risotto, but Oh my gawd!!) I enjoy their Papardelle pasta and Marinated Prime fillet. Delicious!
They have a very interesting drink selection. I’m looking forward to trying them all. So far, my favorites are Violet and Cherry (a little on the sweet side, but the ambiance calls for it.)
Shout out to their General Manager, Jeff Bloom. He’s accommodated my last minute, big party, reservations the past few times. *Thank You!
Excellent service. Nice open layout. Sexy, erotic décor. We’ll be back!

RLD
SD: Gaslamp
7pm 16 April 2012
Solid Four Stars
Why are Mondays in the Gaslamp wonderful, especially on the day before taxes are due? There are no Crowds, no Wait, no Drunkards, and no ridiculousness. I have been waiting since months to try Red Light District.
The space is inspired: sleek and elegant but with touches of vintage coziness. The giant 25 person horse shoe bar is spectacular focal point– dark, sturdy, and cool to the touch. The center photo does not seem to fit in my opinion because it looks more like a vogue magazine cover rather than the artsy photos that surround the rest of this social drinking house. On the right side, the white framed windows provide that Amsterdam-​RDL-​type feel. On the left side, the booths provide a sense of privacy with the hanging red curtains (that’s the spot to bring a date).
We sat at the bar and were serviced by the bartender John. He made us methodically put together Cocktails: Old Fashion Rye, Apple Cider Soda, Green Light, and Mole Manhattan. The Old Fashion Rye was almost sweet, heavier in fruit flavors, full of soda, but ultimately refreshing. The Apple Cider Soda combined Infused Bourbon, Peaches, Vanilla, Plum Bitters, Lemon Peel into a pantie-​dropping cocktail. The Green Light sported Jalapeño Water, Plymouth, Agave, Blood Orange Bitters, Ginger Beer — the spice of pepper and ginger tingled the back of throat but was well balanced against the sweetness of the agave and bite of the gin. The Mole Manhattan: Blanton Bourbon, Carpano Antica, Chocolate Mole Bitters, and Rhubarb Bitters, and Flamed Orange Rind. This drink was THICK and had a great depth of flavor — Chocolate-​y, Orange-​y, Sweetness.
The Food was spectacular in flavor but there portion sizes are small (Four Stars instead of Five). To start, the chef prepared a complimentary Amuse Bouche of Watermelon and Brown Butter topped with a semi-​sweet white powder resembling grated parmesan cheese. This small bite really gets the mouthwatering more than eating a loaf of bread could.
The menu is adorable in its sexually theme categorization of their food.
«Foreplay» Cast Iron Baked Escargot De Bourgogne ($ 15). It comes in 5 inch cast iron pot — which was small but sufficient. Basically, you should think of some amazing Mac n Cheese cooked with ricotta, butter, garlic, shallots, bread crumbs, and parsley and now replace the pasta with Succulent Snails and Meaty Mushrooms. This was hands down, the most delicious thing I have eaten all year. The creamy and savory Truffle Béchamel was potent but not overpowering; The combined texture of the perfectly cooked Snails and Roasted Mushrooms provided t
«Down to Business» Duo of Braised Lamb and Rabbit Cassoulet ($ 29). It comes out like 2 different $ 15 dishes. The Sous Vide Lamb Belly had Three Different sauce components; Green Chimichurri-​like, Brown Demi-​Glacé, & White Cream. The meat was good but it did not excite me. On the other hand, the Braised Rabbit Cassoulet with White Beans was amazing. The dish came in the same cast iron skillet as the snails. The lapin was tender and juicy but not overly fatty like most cassoulets. It played a great contrast to the richer snail dish.
We were still hungry, so decided to move onto Dinner #2.
Overall, the food is worth the price but it comes at a high price. Our Bartender was friendly, knowledgeable, and hardworking.
Note: They gave us a 5% Check-​In Discount!

Walked in on a Friday night around 8:30pm and asked for a table for 10. There was one long table for 12 available. After we sat down, I looked around and it didn’t seem like there were any other options if someone else had snagged this table. So I recommend reservations.
The good:
–Seared Ahi: pretty tasty and artfully presented.
–Mushroom and Brussel Sprout Hash: by far the most flavorful brussel sprouts I’ve ever had. Really good.
The less good:
–Shrimp Tempura: We didn’t actually have this. My friend asked the waitress how big the portion was (it was listed as an appetizer but $ 16, which is the same amount as some of the main dishes). The waitress told her it was a «good sized portion» and would fill up one person. When the dish arrived, it was really tiny. You would need two orders to fill one person up. My friend had it taken away. The waitress was really nice and understanding about it, so no points docked.
The interior is really great. The bar setup is perfect for dates. I would def come back!

Every time I go back to RLD I like it more, which is convenient given that it’s in the center of downtown. I was going and «checking in» so often that my friends started to wonder if I was sponsored!
Lately we’ve used Red Light as our kickoff spot for a night out downtown, and it’s perfect. My experience has been that recommendations help, but if you’re waiting at the bar for your table to open, the bartenders are extremely friendly. Talk about something new for San Diego.
Last week we went for a girls’ night out — we started out by ordering almost every appetizer (no joke). Good thing I don’t eat bone marrow, bc when I looked up from my plate, the girls had finished it. They were too busy enjoying to stop and ask if I wanted some! So I guess it’s good.
The appetizers were all flavorful and filling, and that plus our delicious (and generously poured!) cocktails kept us busy until our entrees arrived. Oh boy.
I had the surf n turf dinner entrée (my eyes were hungry, I guess!) and was surprised by how generous the portion was. The meat was tender, the plate came together deliciously. I was slumped in our booth with happy food coma by the end of the meal.
The booth made for a cozy reunion space for the girls, where we could gossip and catch up freely. It was a great vantage point to enjoy the décor and watch the young, busy crowd rotate through the doors. And our server was attentive, patient, and great with recommendations. I’ll be honest– I felt a little gangster sitting in a booth in the back, being treated so well.
–yelper to the stars,
lilly capone

I was a bit incredulous when I walked in, as the place resembled more of a nightclub than a restaurant. But the food was actually very good. We tried a bit of everything. I’m a huge fan of blistered peppers (whether padrones or shishito) and these lived up to my expectation. The ginger glaze on them was a nice touch.
Risotto was really decadent. I may have shortened my life by a few weeks by taking a couple bites. Very tasty.
I had a salad, and it was enormous. Probably should have just stuck with my entrée. Enormous, but very good. And easy to share. Probably best to just share the salad.
Nice selection of wine/​cocktails, and not unbearably loud either.

Came here on a Wednesday night to celebrate landing a new job (touchdown dance*) so combine that with it being a brand new restaurant, and a rainy night in SD, try not to use this as a deciding factor as to how busy this place gets.
Was a little intimidated by past reviews of it being an ultra-​cool, lounge type of restaurant, but the hostess, bartender, and server were both nice and knowledgeable. We opted to sit at the bar since there weren’t that many patrons there.
DECOR
Gorgeous, sleek, and sexy. A well-​executed nod to the days of prostitution and street walking in San Diego, not cheesy or overly pretentious. *Rumor has it: the models on the walls are actually employees of RLD!* Awesome wall of wines, too! Not too dark or overly bright in there in terms of lighting.
ATMOSPHERE
Hard to tell if it’s like that all the time, but the music was like that LA/I’m-cool loungey type of music. Worked well with theme, and it wasn’t too loud – so great for conversations.
FOOD
Ordered through the bartender, but another server brought it out and explained what was on our dishes without stuttering or any hesitation. Great job on the training, you guys!
Duo of Hawaiian Ahi for appetizer: delicious but barely enough for two people to share. But, in a way that’s great for 2 reasons: get your own and don’t share or more room for your actual entrée!
Surf & Turf: Man friend’s dish-​Seriously so good! The scallops were perfectly prepared and the fries had duck fat on them! AMAZE. Definitely a rich dish but worth every bite. Even the dressing on the arugula was amaze!
Prime Meats & Potato: This was my dish and I loved it. Both the short ribs and filet were perfect and the duck fat mashed potatoes were killer :) The bartender joked that maybe I didn’t like the food… it’s embarrassing, but I can’t help but scrape every thing off the plate lol
DRINKS
Ordered the cinnamon champagne = delish!
I think it works for a great tourist attraction, but also for locals who just want a great drink and some good food. Would definitely come back!

SAD!
So a group of the most deserving people (6) with intentions of enjoying a culinary experience with a touch of sexy overtones gets rocked by a «hot spot» in SD. A 30^th birthday celebration that started out so sweet for such a special woman and ended with my first experience of «class separation». Apparently we were to easy going because the clients to our immediate left were «needy» says the manager at the time. Dinner was awesome, very drawn flavors with hints of things that you would think are surely not compatible. Try the Surf n Turf and the Opah all in the range of about $ 30.00usd. Thats if your the «needy» type. You like the bipolar writing style???
The waiter was so sweet. Beautiful accent, very patient and certainly knew her stuff. We noticed that she was prompt, collective and well travelled over the time we spent with her. So, the food arrives and like an old fashioned magic trick POW she vanished nowhere to be found. Wine is empty, beers long gone and things are forgotten. 30min passes and at this point the food is well gone and still no waiter or any type of service. Mind you the «needy» had a new crowd of help. Interesting term this «needy» isnt it???
Lets end this thing. We decided to locate the guy in the suit, perhaps he will give us direction as to how we can get out of there. It is however a thick Saturday night where Mardi Gras is about to erupt. Kindly he says the waiter had to focus on the table that your seated next to because they were rather «needy». Now we all look over and realize that there was a single bottle of champagne at the center of the table. Little did he notice that we had all ordered over $ 300.00 just in food alone let alone the wine and spirits. Just think of the lost sales between the 30min that we were trying to find our server. Jokes on us right? They were «needy: and he did nothing but say. «its ok everythings taken care of over there now, what can i get you?»
Is this really what these experiences are about? What a shit show…

If you’re from San Diego you have to love this place. This place pays homage to the days when Prostitutes legally roamed freely on Earth and more specifically in this part of town. Not a lot of people are really aware of San Diego’s scandalous past, surprisingly to myself not even native San Diegan’s.
It used to be Sushi Ito, but they obviously didn’t do well. Selling overpriced sushi, catering to the Convention crowd and tourists was a major fail. It just felt soulless and out of place. With better sushi joints around, it was only a matter of time before this commercial establishment closed it’s doors.
Thankfully The Red Light District has taken over in its place and thank God! It’s the perfect location for a sexy place like this. It just fits!
Located on the corner of 4^th Ave. & F St., right in front of Horton Plaza’s Parking structure. (3hrs w/​validation) Parking is easy.
Interior has style! Brazilian Granite tables that look like petrified wood and comfortable chairs around a huge U shaped bar, surrounded by a spacious patio and more VIP booths closer to the kitchen because the rich have better taste. They also have a long table for bigger parties. The set up inside is open and nice with great views of the street. Open and airy and far from being cramped like Underbelly, you feel right in the heart of it all.
I can tell you only of the drinks (Having already eaten prior to stopping by I was already full.) But the food on the menu is «New American». Will have to come by for more than just drinks next time. Came by with a couple of friends and ordered the following drinks:
The Green Light (refreshing with a hint of jalepeno)
Blood Orange (freshly crushed peppers as spicy as you want it)
Mol’e Manhattan (harsh and strong, makes u grow hair on your chest)
Great drinks made by great bartenders like Anne Marie who’s drink making abilities are only matched by her charm, smile, and down to Earth personality! No snobby bartenders here! The ladies like Anne Marie & Kelsey make you feel welcome, comfortable and right at home. What great customer service!
Funny thing is I didn’t know what «Going Ham» meant prior to coming here but, later on that night heard a Jay Z & Kanye West collabo on the radio! Now, I know and have to agree, that this place Is definitely going to be «Going Ham!» (off the hook, absolutely nuts). So get in where you fit in and stop by! Bring your friends but please leave the babies at home!

I have to give this place one big eye roll.
Clearly they put a lot of effort into concept – RLD offers such brilliant plays on words as calling desserts «happy endings» (heh, get it?) Pictures of overly zoomed-​in seductive women paint the walls. The staff is above-​average in attractiveness. Lots of black and red in the décor. A glass of orchid petals, among other fresh cocktail ingredients, adorns the bar.
But enough with the upsell people! I get you’re new, I get your staff has been trained to sell, that your bar is made from some fancy Brazilian material, that your menu is prepared by yet another «star chef» using «only local ingredients!» (Quote from the bartender: «You can google him!» Yeah… I can also google my 10^th grade geometry teacher, thanks.) Lay off!
My good friend and I were drawn in by the offer of a free drink, which turned out to be a free taster-​not drink – of one of their signature cocktails (I guess cock (tail)tease is part of the theme). The whole time we were there, various staff stopped by to awkwardly cajole us into ordering more food or hurry up our drink order, even after I specifically said we were in no hurry and the place was not crowded.
RLD, take it down a notch. People don’t necessarily want to connect sex to eating macaroni and cheese with duck fat served in a mini casserole dish and a side of heavily oiled Brussels sprouts. In fact, it made it a bit awkward and uncomfortable. Can’t I digesta bit before you eagerly offer a next course?
If instead of being overly available, RLD played a bit hard to get, I might dig their concept a bit more. Hopefully the early jitters will calm and they’ll realize that playing it cool is more appetizing than not so subtly forcing your wares upon new customers.