Fort Oak

Wanted to try this place last minute so I called on a Saturday around 6pm and they were able to make a reservation for 630pm. Cute date night spot or dinner with a small group of friends. Only street parking available which is super difficult, had to drive down quite a few streets until we found a spot — make sure you get there 10min early to find parking and walk to the restaurant. Here’s a review of everything we ordered for 2: - Sourdough: 4.2 stars. Came out warm with whipped butter. Would’ve been great if they had flaky salt to add on top. - Charred Caulilini: 5 stars. A must order. I think it’s Chinese cauliflower, like the broccolini version of cauliflower. The char adds so much flavor and the sauce and toppings really finish the dish. - Hearth Grilled Branzino: 4 stars. Better than a lot of other branzino I’ve ordered at restaurants, but I didn’t love it. The topping and sauce overpowered the fish for me. I wouldn’t order this dish again. - Heritage Pork Chop: 4.5 stars. Really great pork chop, very tender. Sauce went well with the pork. The shishito felt a bit random, but still good. - Cookies and Cream Beignets: 4.3 stars. Delicious! It didn’t quite seem like a beignet to me, but you can’t go wrong with fried dough balls. The Oreos were a great addition, some of the cookie toppings got a bit soggy but still yummy. Overall 4.4 stars on food. Spent $202 pre-tip (includes 2 cocktails not listed above), it was the perfect amount of food for me, but my husband was still a bit hungry. Next time we’ll order 1 more veggie or raw dish.

Ordered 18 Happy hour oysters and it felt like a 7/10 on the freshness scale which to me is pushing it a bit too far to safely consume. The oysters came out within seconds of ordering which makes me wonder have they already been open and sitting on ice? Which then I guess would explain it tasting a little funky. Overall ambiance and the natural lighting is nice.

Fort Oak has a great atmosphere and interesting menu, but the experience was mixed. Some dishes were excellent while others felt a bit underwhelming for the price. Service was okay but not very consistent.

Very disappointing experience. We clearly mentioned that we do not eat pork, yet we were still served a dish containing pork. When we asked the manager if the dish had pork, she said she needed to check with the kitchen, which was shocking for such a simple yes or no question which was honestly a very disappointing response. Thankfully, our waitress was excellent, very apologetic, and attentive. The food and cocktails were tasty overall.

I went to this restaurant for a business dinner, and every dish was outstanding and we had a great experience with service, food, and atmosphere. Will definitely go back with my family.

This is one of our favorite restaurants in San Diego. Their food and service is superb. Of all my times eating at Fort Oak I can recall only one dish that was not great. We like sitting inside at the restaurant, it is perfect for date nights. The area is small so you will need to get your reservation ahead of time.

Love everything TRG and Chef Brad do! Their cocktails are so fun, the bar is such a vibe and the food is amazing. Easy to see why they got a Michelin nod. Can't go wrong with brunch or dinner!

Went here for a birthday dinner and it absolutely delivered. We started with a mix of East and West Coast oysters, which were fresh and thoughtfully presented. The ahi tartare was the standout—bright, flavorful, and easily the dish I’m still thinking about. The lamb merguez kefta was creative and well-balanced, and the 40-day dry-aged ribeye was perfectly cooked with that ideal fire-grilled depth. Everything is served in a shareable format, and portions felt just right for trying multiple dishes without overordering. We also tried a couple of spirit-free cocktails, and they were genuinely impressive. The Tourist (ginger beer, pineapple, lime) was a highlight—super refreshing and well-crafted. Service was excellent—attentive, knowledgeable, and genuinely warm. They even gave me a birthday card, which was a really thoughtful touch. The space is beautiful, open, and comfortable. It starts off quiet earlier in the evening but definitely picks up into a lively atmosphere. Overall, pricing felt appropriate for the quality and experience. Definitely a place I’d come back to.

Not awful, not great. Food was delicious and high quality, our server was polite and helpful. They brought us bread without asking and then charged us for it. We came for a birthday with 15 of us, and we had to choose to either commit to a $125 set menu for groups, or split the group up. So we didn’t even see the birthday boy because they wouldn’t move our table close to theirs, as if they were making us prove we weren’t a group to avoid their set menu. The hostess out front was rude, on her phone and disinterested. Our food was great, our table server was great, but disappointed in how they handle larger groups and the unnecessary attitude from the hostess. For these prices, I can find somewhere else to spend my money.