The Patio on Goldfinch

This is my favorite place to go with girlfriends right now! Great drinks & appetizers, and wonderful on happy hour! The ahi tacos are my favorite! The atmosphere is jammin.

Came here last Thursday during San Diego Restaurant Week. What a perfect choice! My husband surprised me with a day off and a lunch with our son to celebrate my birthday in my home town Mission Hills. This street had so much potential and I’m happy it’s finally shining with brilliant establishments like this one. The lovely hostess sat us in the first area near the wall of luscious greenery. Our server Deirdre was superb, I wish every server could be like her. She had lovely manners, patient, and knowledgable. The food runner, busser, and staff all were accommodating.
The SDRW menu was an excellent deal for lunch. The cocktails were a little pricey. But hey it was my birthday and I deserved something fun. I ordered the citrusy Pacific Classic garnished with a slice of orange rind. My husband had the Goldfinch Mule-​it was perfect all the way to the square ice cubes. My second drink choice was the Chai This (like nothing I’ve ever had before with that mezcal tasted very oaky and garnished with orange glass candy). The bartender working nailed our drinks they were perfect and so unique and garnished to perfection. could chose 1 app, 1 entrée, and 1 dessert. We both enjoyed the Shrimp Bisque soup of the day which was delightfully light and there were no actual shrimp in sight. They came with the finest crunchy bread sticks.
For the entrée, I chose the Fish of the Day which was Yellowtail served with red potatoes, green beans, citrus slices, and a tasty sauce for the fish smeared under the stack. It was filling and so healthy. I consider that a dinner menu item so for the price of only $ 20/​person that’s a deal already. My husband ordered the Braised Short Rib which came on top of a smeared mashed potatoes and a few Brussels sprout leaves. I had a bite and it was really tender and juicy. And our son had the Cheeseburger with fries off the kid’s menu-​it looked so fancy and super cute.
Last but not least, I had the carrot cake that came with a caramel to dip each bite in. I’m not a carrot cake fan and I thought it was palatable. Deirdre came back with a surprise birthday candle and gourmet fudge dessert. Sweet!
Overall, come during SDRW or even happy hour to save on food and drinks otherwise get ready for some extra spending. The ambiance is upscale casual and like you’re dining on a well, patio in someone’s garden in Mission Hills. Great place for a business lunch and meet for drinks at that beautiful long bar.

The Patio has been a place on my list to try for some time now and I decided to have breakfast at their Mission Hills location one Sunday morning. While I’m more of an early riser, the Patio doesn’t open up for breakfast until about 8. While 8 is still early for some, I personally enjoy eating earlier. At least opening this early will still allow you snag a parking spot in the busiest part of Mission Hills. The first thing I noticed when walking up to the Patio was their cool looking exterior and nice dining outside area. This restaurant is one of the better looking places I’ve been to with their great interior design. The inside is quite big and open with that sparkling clean look. The wall of plants (
) added a neat touch to the dining area. I sat down at a table next to the fireplace which was very warm and felt good for this cold morning. After sitting down my server grabbed some of their hot coffee, which tasted delicious. They use local roaster Swell Coffee here.
The cinnamon roll (
) is something I really wanted to try after looking over their menu. I really despise raisins more than most things. The server informed me that they bake the rolls with raisins already in them but she wouldn’t add any golden ones to the top. The roll came out hot and already had melted frosting on top. It was great to see they didn’t go overboard on the frosting like so many places do. The pastry (
) was soft, flaky and had great texture to it. The sweetness was a bit mild which I really enjoyed and it had a lot of cinnamon kick to it. It went together really well with their coffee and served as a sweet but not overly sugary way to start the morning.
For an entrée I had ordered the Patio Breakfast combo (
). This plate comes with two eggs anyway, bacon or sasuage, patio potatoes and a cheddar biscuit. Unfortunately for me, my server notified me that they had not made the biscuits yet so they offered to sub with sourdough toast or a muffin. I decided on the toast instead of another sugary muffin. The toast turned out to be pretty good sourdough bread. They also didn’t smoother it in butter and toasted it great. The scrambled eggs were a bit on the buttery side but still tasted delicious. They cooked the eggs dead on perfect. The applewood smoked bacon also had great flavor but was covered in a lot of dripping grease. Even though it was cooked crispy enough I couldn’t get over the drippy fat on it. The potatoes were the star on this plate because they were seasoned really well and had a nice soft texture. I’m not usually a fan of o’brien potatoes but this place made really good ones.
I didn’t have the best time with the Patio for their «brunch». I kept saying breakfast during my review but they do have two different menus for brunch and regular breakfast. While I don’t know if you are able to order from either menu, on the weekend they only serve brunch. It was a bummer that their biscuits weren’t ready, even though they were open. I can never understand places that are open, but really aren’t ‘open’ for business quite yet. If you have something on your menu that is only ready during certain hours you should list it next to the entrée. While my food was kind of a hit or miss, I really enjoyed the cinnamon roll and potatoes. Also the service here was absolutely exceptional, my waitress was awesome. She checked in to make sure things were okay and had no qualms about keeping my coffee mug full. My food experience was kind of meh, but my friend saw their menu and wants to give them a try. The patio does seem like a place that serves great food, but I think I just had bad luck. So I will come back with my friend sometime again to try something else.

Not a 5 star due to service and one atrocious drink. Will have to give this place a second chance. Came here for and evening drink with friends and were debating partaking of food or heading to another location. It was decided by the attitude of the staff.
I can understand being attentive to your patrons and making sure they are well taken care of but being pushy about ordering food/​drinks makes me not want to order.
Still did and had the 2 different mules at our table and another cocktail. I had the Moscow mule and a friend had the Mezcal Mule. I appreciate a tequila, I can more so appreciate a tequila that’s Ben aged in Oak barrels to enrich it with a smooth smokey finish. But when combining that and the flavors of a Moscow mule it just ends up like boot leather at least for my pallet.
Will say this though that the House Made Ginger beer on its own is delicious! The food did look appetizing and I am sure I will want to come back and give them a second shot. Atmosphere is comfortable as I like the outdoor feeling inside. They score in that sense.

Based on reputation, we had high hopes for The Patio during Restaurant Week. Unfortunately, some execution failures marred otherwise great food.
+ Most dishes we tried were well conceived, with balance of flavor.
+ The venue and atmosphere is energetic and pleasant.
+ German chocolate cake was highlight for dessert — chocolatey without being too rich.
+ The server (Emily) and manager (Christina) did their best to make up for shortcomings we experienced.
Here were the major issues:
— There were very long waits for food — timed 25 minutes for starters to arrive and 20 minutes between clearing starters and mains arriving. Keep in mind this was a party of 2.
— Mushroom agnolotti was the vegetarian main course option, and it was delicious — flavorful, creamy, and delicate without being too rich. However, the portion was pathetic compared to the other mains and didn’t pass the laugh test. If you order this, make sure to get some sides or another main.
— Fish of the day came with squash polenta, but the polenta was crusted and congealed, maybe from being under the heat lamp. Creamy polenta or polenta cakes are both great, but this did not turn out well.
— The blood orange and beet salad didn’t have noticeable blood orange taste, resulting in a completely uninspiring red beet and spring mix salad.
We hope they can improve on some of these areas — especially ensuring sufficient portion size on mains!

The food lacks taste. The brunch menu isn’t appealing and I don’t understand why it’s all the way until 3pm. I wish they had a better selection because the brunch menu is very dry.

Came here after hearing about the cheese plates and ambiance. The décor is super nice, when you walk in they have a gorgeous inside, with bar seats, high tables, the back has an outdoor feel to it and we sat right there!
Ordered some white wine which was pretty good, They do a half of glass which is nice.
Cheese Plate (2 stars) — Not the best I’ve had, my dad has better cheese at home, the pairings weren’t great either. Boring jam, nuts, chocolate etc. They were out of one cheese we really wanted and didn’t have as many options as we thought. Everyone said the coconut was so good, it was actually quite gross. Also came with some bread, we we asked for more, they brang it out after we finished.
Got free desserts with check in which was def a plus and made me feel better about the bad cheese plate.
The Elvis (4 stars) — With an extra scoop of ice cream, banana bread, peanut butter, foster sauce, and some caramelized banana. Lots of banana, different textures and def worked out for me! Delicious!
Carrot cake (3 stars): Good carrot cake, came in a cute jar, with pecans and golden raisins which was nice. Pretty simple but good.
Anyways again here with the flies, but not as bad, little tiny ones, but I guess there was something growing behind us, so kind of hard to get rid of them.

Been here for snacks and drinks plenty of times, but New Year’s Eve was the first time I did dinner. Aw man, it was so incredible! For two of us, we did small plates to try numerous things. It was so good we kept trying to rate our favorites, a nearly impossible task.
The grilled octopus. Eat it. I’m serious. It’s that good. Braised ribs. Ugh so freaking good. Pumpkin curry mussels – I was dubious. I LOVE mussels, but pumpkin? Yeah, it totally worked. Very subtle. The crab and ahi poke tower is always outstanding. The surprise was the summer squash! We begrudgingly got a vegetable and it was a top favorite for both of us!
The waiter was knowledgable and informed, passionate (verbose…) about cocktails.
The staff is solid. The location is convenient and fun with a great ambience. It’s boisterous without being so loud you feel harangued (that is my age showing, perhaps!).
So bottom line, my advice is go, eat everything, and drink a wee bit too much (über or hoof it, safety first kids!). You’ll be glad you did.

Where do we start? My wife and I discovered The Patio on an pet dog event that catered to the outdoor seating for your pooch! The food is always made to present and looks tasty. Portion sizes are what you’d expect for a Hillcrest/​Mission Hills eatery. Service is always top notch with attentive servers and great bartenders.
They have a «craft» tequila selection that includes a somalier.
Try the $ 30 buck burger for an experience in prime rib and Kobe beef patty and delicious toppings!

Patio on Goldfinch is just as good as Patio on Lamont, if not better. It’s far more spacious which I love and it has great ambiance. The faux outdoor patio has nice light and creates a cool atmosphere. While I went for brunch, I think this would be a great spot for a date or happy hour.
I ordered the Ranchero Skillet but it was disappointing because they put way too much chorizo. The dish was essentially two eggs and a plateful of chorizo. That being said, my friends liked their dishes and we also liked the Unilocal Check-​In desserts we got. Service was quick and friendly.
Parking sucks, but they have a valet outside for $ 3 if you don’t want to circle and look. I’ll definitely be back!

The Patio on Goldfinch is 10 times better than The Patio on Lamont in my opinion.
Better food, menu, drinks, service, décor
Brussels sprouts on the dinner menu were AMAZING, must order. Shepherd’s pie was pretty good. Haven’t had a chance to try the steaks and whole fish yet, will do that next time.
Good selections of beer and cocktails. Very nice bar area.

I went here with a group of girls and it was adorable. The place it pet friendly so if you have a dog, great place to go.
I ordered the French Onion Soup because I wanted something light and comforting. The onion ratio was perfect for me, I was worried I might have to fight off the bad breath monsters if there were too many. I ordered a pear salad that had the right amount of pears and the right amount of gorgonzola on it with a perfect amount of cheese.
We plan to come back here soon for a brunch where I intend to try the chiliquilas.

Well, looks like I couldn’t stay away. A couple months since my last visit, here I am back at The Patio with my husband for a much needed date night. We had previously gone to The Patio for drinks after having dinner in the area and thought «we have got to eat here next time!» And eat we did.
The Patio really has their dining experience down to the tee. The lights, the ambiance, the music, the botanical accents. And we’re not even talking food or drinks yet. For drinks I had the Pacific Passion (name?) and the Goldfinch Mule — both amazing. I especially liked the Pacific Passion. For small plates I highly recommend the Pumpkin Curry Mussels, it is phenomenal. We also enjoyed the short ribs and the crab/​ahi tower. And dessert, duh?! The chocolate tart is the perfect small sweet ending. I may actually dream about it.
Congrats The Patio, you’ve got a pair of regulars on your hands.

Gorgeous restaurant! Gives you the feeling of being outside… but not! Spacious. Ambiance is really the reason I rated it 4 stars.
Cheese plate (3.5 stars): Needed better pairings. Hate when they count a pairing as almonds… boring. The plate wasn’t as pretty as other pictures on Unilocal.Kinda disappointed. Tried the Truffle cheese, St Angel, Coconut cheese, and Gouda which was really good. The coconut cheese was not my favorite. It was well paired with chocolate but just wasn’t as good as the other cheeses.
DESSERT
The Elvis (4 stars): Great combo and really good ice cream! We added extra ice cream :) lots of banana flavor so don’t order this if you’re not a banana fan.
Carrot cake (3.5 stars): Good cake, standard, nothing special.
SERVICE (3 stars)
Slow. Cheese plate took forever to come! And we asked for more bread with the cheese plate which finally came when we were done with the cheese.
ATMOSPHERE (4 stars)
Love the ambiance. The bar area is nice also. Only problem we had sitting in the back against the leaf wall was flies! They need to get the flies out! I get you want to make it feel like you’re on the patio, but flies do not need to be there.
PARKING
Street parking.
The Check In offer says free dessert but they wouldn’t let us use it on the Elvis :/​they should write that in the check in! We got ordered it anyway because it sounded like the best dessert options, and it was :)

Taste– ***
Ambiance– *****
Service– ****
Parking– ***
When I walked it I was pretty much already sold by the ambiance. The open kitchen, the «patio» look was very charming and the perfect way to spend a quiet dinner with a friend.
I ordered the Cioppino, and she had the octopus, (from the appetizer menu) an oyster and the market crudo. The cioppino was good, not great. My dish had one shrimp, and a few very small mussels. The broth was also a lot chunkier than I would have preferred; so not a winner for me. The octopus though, was perfectly cooked and very delicious. The market crudo was also well balanced. I would love to come by another day to try the happy hour everyone raves about.

On Sunday morning we found The Patio on Goldfinch as a dog friendly place to have brunch. Nice ultra modern industrial look The Patio has the front patio for a dog and people area. When we arrived we were seated right away and it seemed at least half of the patio had dogs. The host also gave us some dog cookies and offered water for our chow puppy. We ordered the chop chop salad and the BLT. The Salad came nicely dressed and the BLT had a ton of thick bacon. You get a free dessert with a Unilocal check in. We chose the Mango Penna Cotta which was the highlight of the meal.
Street Parking, Service was very good. Excellent value for brunch.

The Patio is a lovely addition to the Mission Hills area. I popped in on a Saturday afternoon for a late breakfast. Late as in 1:30pm or so. A friend was seated at the bar when I arrived and that was perfectly fine with me.
The bar is beautiful, I think very similar to their PB location. The display of their alcohol case is impressive and always puts me in a trance. It was another abysmally hot day and a nice cool glass of a buttery chardonnay was on my agenda. The bartender picked something that was just the ticket to get things going. I also opted to put in an order of their interpretation of Chilaquiles.
The Chilaquiles were executed flawlessly. I loved the homemade tomatillo salsa that they chips were bathed in. All of the ingredients melded beautifully. A fine dish that is indulgent and hearty that I wouldn’t hesitate ordering again.
Service was on point; the bar staff hover around to ensure everyone is taken care of in a timely fashion. I think I likely came at one of the best times of the day, after the breakfast rush. So if your tummy has the patience to do that I would certainly recommend it.

Nice place for a late dinner. The Patio is comfortable and attractively decorated. The service is excellent. I ordered the seafood pasta, which contained a variety of seafood tossed in a squid ink pasta. It was lighter tasting than I expected, and delicious. I only wish the portion was a little larger for the price.
The cocktail selection here is pretty good, as is the beer selection. At one point the beer we got was not what we ordered, and the waitress realized it before we had even tasted it, bringing out the correct beer and allowing us to keep the one we were originally given.

*** BOGO Entrée with Corporate Passport Card ***
***Happy Hour 3−6pm /​/​10pm-​midnight ***
50% off cocktails and wine
$ 5 draft beers
$ 4 off tequila
Reduced pricing on small sampling of their menu
I stumbled upon this place after dinner and was drawn in by the stunning, open space of this restaurant. I was so impressed that i decided to sit at the bar and grab a few drinks. Luckily it happened to be Happy Hour !
Their cocktail menu is well thought out and very extensive. Whoever wrote the descriptions for the drinks were definitely having a fun time and I respect that ! The bartenders know what they’re doing and the drinks are strong.
Drinks that I ordered:
Mezcal Mule: Smokey tequila take on a moscow mule. Direct after taste but not too overpowering !
Memories of Maui: Fruity and refreshing vodka based cocktail, I enjoyed the infusion of fresh mint
Sangrita: Refined, spicy margarita
I can only speak for the cocktail menu but I have no doubt that everything else on this menu is just as amazing as their spirits. Cannot wait to come back and try everything else!

The Patio on Goldfinch is my go-​to spot for taking out of town visitors as it always impresses and pleases any palate. I’ve dined at The Patio for brunch, Dinner and even just hung out at the bar for some apps and drinks (they have an absolutely amazing hour!). Each time I come, I am never disappointed and I always spy something else on the menu that I want to try next time! This is rare for me because, typically, when I eat something yummy at a restaurant once, I tend to stick to that menu item each time I go back. But not here. Everything looks and tastes just as yummy as the next. I swear if I could eat 3 or 4 entrees myself, I would order that much every time!
The décor in this place is GORGEOUS! They have a live plant wall and it has a beautiful, rustic, botanical-​garden-​like feel. I always feel like the place get prettier every time I visit, which may actually be true as plants are growing and blooming! It really makes you fee like you are sitting outside, even though you aren’t.
Combine the amazing food, the ambience and the drinks with the friendly staff and you have yourself a recipe for a good meal and a good time!