James' Place

Review summary

1. k

   karen

   Chicago

   3 reviews

   2.0

   3 reviews

   Dined today

   1. Overall 2
   2. Food 2
   3. Service 2
   4. Ambience 3

   It feels like the quality of the food service has dropped. The staff were very friendly but spread too thin. Three of our entrees were only lukewarm when served (and we were not there at a super busy time). Rather than feeling like the food was prepped to order, it felt like chafing dish buffet food, but at 4 star prices. Too bad because we used to like this as a pre-theatre option. Maybe the menu needs to be pared back to a smaller number of dishes that can be better prepared and served hot.
   

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2. M

   Maria

   San Diego

   2 reviews

   3.0

   2 reviews

   Dined today

   1. Overall 3
   2. Food 2
   3. Service 4
   4. Ambience 4

   I ordered a bun-less kobe beef burger and asked to be cooked medium well, and it was overdone. For the price of the meal, it was disappointing. The location ( for the theatre ), service, and ambiance were good.
   

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3. c

   chris

   San Diego

   3 reviews

   vip
   2.0

   3 reviews

   Dined 2 days ago

   1. Overall 2
   2. Food 1
   3. Service 3
   4. Ambience 3

   We’ve dined here and had great experiences but last night was horrible. The salad was passable but the main course was barely edible - the short rib was dry and chewy with no sauce. We will not return, which is very sad because there’s no other fine dining options in the theater district.
   

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4. M

   Michael

   San Diego

   6 reviews

   vip
   1.0

   6 reviews

   Dined 2 days ago

   1. Overall 1
   2. Food 1
   3. Service 4
   4. Ambience 3

   We have been coming to James’ Place for drinks and dinner before the show for years. Let me start by saying that the service was good and so were the drinks from the bar. But that’s where it stops! The quality of their food has gone down and this last experience was the worst yet. They have taken the sushi off the menu which was a disappointment, but I ordered one of my past favorites - the Miso Chilean sea bass. I knew something is wrong because the fish was so stinky and you could smell it as she was delivering it to our table. Just a terrible smell. The side vegetables were bland with no taste whatsoever and completely mushy. Needless to say I only tried a few bites quite worried about the stink, and I still got sick. My wife ordered the shrimp and lobster fried rice to share with my daughter. The lobster tail was uneatable! Too hard and too chewy, we couldn’t even cut through it, like leather!!! The lobster tail also was left behind. The three of us all just ate some of the fried rice and some of the rice side dish of the sea bass, leaving most of the two pretty expensive entrees behind. We had shishito peppers as appetizer, and also ordered desert which were ok. Unfortunately, all three of us have been sick all night!! A terrible experience and now ruining our Thanksgiving day. We go to LJPH regularly but this is our last time eating any food at James’ place! What a shame!
   

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5. S

   Susan

   San Diego

   2 reviews

   3.0

   2 reviews

   Dined 6 days ago

   1. Overall 3
   2. Food 3
   3. Service 3
   4. Ambience 1

   Wish James had the sushi menu still. Other food is just average. Nothing special
   

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6. L

   Leslie

   San Diego

   3 reviews

   vip
   3.0

   3 reviews

   Dined on 22 November 2024

   1. Overall 3
   2. Food 2
   3. Service 4
   4. Ambience 4

   Though the location is convenient, there is no longer any sushi on the menu - making this destination less exciting and with less of a draw than in previous years.
   

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7. O

   Olga

   San Diego

   2 reviews

   5.0

   2 reviews

   Dined on 21 November 2024

   1. Overall 5
   2. Food 5
   3. Service 5
   4. Ambience 5

   We eat here often on our way to the theater. We are always impressed with the quality of the food and service. We enjoy the meal, and are always served and finished in time for the show!
   

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8. A

   Ann

   San Diego

   34 reviews

   vip
   5.0

   34 reviews

   Dined on 20 November 2024

   1. Overall 5
   2. Food 5
   3. Service 5
   4. Ambience 5

   Favorite place to dine before seeing a wonderful performance in the La Jolla Theater district. Atmosphere is quiet with an elegance. Varied selection of entrees with a decent wine list.
   

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9. E

   Ethel

   San Diego

   7 reviews

   vip
   5.0

   7 reviews

   Dined on 20 October 2024

   1. Overall 5
   2. Food 5
   3. Service 5
   4. Ambience 5

   Love the restaurant. Delightful atmosphere, good food and excellent service. Perfect place to dine before theatre.
   

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10. M

    Mike

    San Diego

    11 reviews

    4.0

    11 reviews

    Dined on 20 October 2024

    1. Overall 4
    2. Food 4
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5

    Disappointed the sushi bar wasn’t open. We enjoyed everything else though.
    

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