Best Open Kitchen Restaurants in University City/Golden Triangle

Wow the food here is absolutely delicious . We started with the oysters and the Wagyu tartare, both were incredible and I had the black cod and my husband had the pasta for dinner and it was amazing. Service from Erick was with a smile and very friendly atmosphere. It’s a bit small, with only one bathroom and was busy on a Saturday night, but we’ll definitely be back!

Man, I noticed a few bad reviews for this place but we totally disagree. This is a cool, smaller restaurant attached to the Hotel Valencia. It has a nice u-shaped bar with what seemed to be mostly locals hanging out talking with the staff. Upscale vibe but not "stuffy" La Jolla vibe. The cocktails were amazing and fairly creative. We also thought the food was excellent, contrary to what a few other folks have said. The braised short rib Mao, crispy pumpkin squash, and twinkie ceaser were the standouts. Only minor downsides were that you can smell the seals a little bit and it was a bit chilly inside, as the door was kept open. Overall we really enjoyed our experience.

Last night we celebrated my fiance's birthday and we had a FANTASTIC Time. We checked in with the hostess, she was welcoming and we noticed that special menus had been printed and personalized for our special birthday dinner together; that is ABOVE and BEYOND. We enjoyed starter bread with the amazing dipping sauce, wonderful entrees, desserts and ended the night with cappuccinos. The food was spectacular, the service was unparalleled and the night was very memorable. I am so grateful to Piatti...for a dinner we will always remember. I am so grateful to all the staff; thank you so much.

Amazing food and great service. Fast and high quality authentic food