Tommy V Del Mar

I want to like Tommy V’s, I really really do. .. but it’s hard to.
We’ve been a couple of times this year (2011) once with our daughter and once on a date night.
1) we found it not very «kid friendly» (even less than some of the other «nice» local restaurants), the staff was not very accommodating, and made it seem like a «HUGE» problem to put a small portion of pasta on a plate. That being said, my wife and I did enjoy our entrees that night, which led to our choosing it for a date nite…
2) second chance — date nite — no kids — plenty of time to relax — the problem is you just can;t relax there — we were seated inside this time and it was terribly noisy. Again the staff was lackluster, slow and non-​attentive. It was10 minutes before we were even asked if we wanted a drink — uhm, hello — 2 adults alone = drinks. Food this time was a let down.
All things considered, it’s hugely overpriced, the food is hit or miss, the staff is pretty weak, it’s noisy. .. just not worth going back for a 3^rd chance IMO

MEHHHHH.
Food — meh
Service — BLEGH
Location — eh???
Ambience — meh
So you drive like, through the woods along this narrow winding road and end up at a small set of really random office suites and Tommy V is tucked in the back, up a flight of stairs.
The interior is bland. It’s not beautiful, it’s not chic, it’s not quaint — just really boring. My boyfriend and I were seated against a wall, surrounded by empty chairs and tables.
Our waitress was disinterested. Her only glimmer of enthusiasm was when I was choosing between the veal chop and the pork chop and she gushed emphatically about the veal — which was subpar and left me feeling both overstuffed and undersatisfied, and was nearly $ 10 more than the pork chop. Blast!
The prawns for our appetizer were also uninspired.
I don’t recall anyone checking on us during the course of our dinner.
In conclusion! Spend your time and money elsewhere. =)

A restaurant worth my time to write a review for.
I’ve been wanting to take my girlfriend on a date to Tommy V’s for the longest time, and a 7:45 reservation last night made it happen. We arrived a little early to have our car taken by the valet Dusty (whom works for tips), and we headed upstairs. We arrived a little early so the ladies in the front suggested we head to the bar to wait for our table to become available (as we wanted the patio). We did so, and was promptly greeted by Mark the bartender. He was a great guy, super socialable, and quick to our attendance. I told him that we wanted «something light and summery» before we ate dinner. He talked about champagne with watermelon and peaches and after about 2 minutes brought out a concoction of fruity bubbly deliciousness worthy of a long stem glass. Nothing but positive vibes so far.
As we enjoyed our custom drink Mark goes ahead to say «and the next one will be even better». Wow! Alright!
Our table on the patio was ready and I closed out my tab at the bar, which was for only one round of drinks. We were seated outside and before we knew it Mark was there with a comped appetizer of pancetta-​wrapped king prawns (a $ 12 value). Those were absolutely a symphony of flavor in our mouths. Granted there were only 3 pieces on a bed of greens, the presentation and taste outweigh proportion here. Besides, I didn’t want to become full before dinner. When our waiter, some Italian-​native came by, he asked my woman what she wanted to eat. She ordered the Lobster and King Prawn (some pasta) and I had the Lamb Oso Bucco and the Butternut Squash Ravioli. After we had ordered our food, Mark from the bar came by to check on us again and kept his promise of «the next one will be better» as he set down another pair of fruity bubbly glasses, except now much larger! soweeet!
We thanked him and I kept talking to my beautiful woman. Our Antipasto and Soup of the Day (Lobster Bisque) came out and we had a good time feeding each other. A little time went by and it allowed our stomachs to digest our appetizers, then our main dishes came out and O-​M-​G were they heavenly. Lamb didn’t require a fork, as it fell right off the bone. My gf’s pasta was crawling with huge chunks of lobster and prawns and the butternut squash ravioli… now, I’m not a big fan of butternut squash, but this place made me become one! Everything was fresh, full of flavor, decent portioned, and the presentation was fantastic. I think we always had like 2 or 3 waiters aside from our main guy come by our table to serve us.
My girlfriend and I were full, holding hands on the table, talking to one another, enjoying a romantic date on a top floor patio in Del Mar, and our Italian-​born waiter (whom still holds his accent) comes by and exclaims «VIVA AMORE!» and places his hands on our of ours, tightening our hands to ensure the bond isn’t broken. That was the highlight of our evening, coupled with complimentary desserts of cannoli and tiramisu of course *wink*.
Our bill got cut down, as I had a $ 50 gift certificate from
but the service was SO FREAKING AMAZING that I tipped the waiter 20% on the FULL PRICE of the bill and my gf left a little note on the receipt to thank them for the fantastic service and food. As we headed out with our doggie bags we wanted to thank Mark again for our drinks. Our waiter happened to be next to us at the register and he exclaimed to Mark «this couple is so wonderful I want to buy them a round of drinks!» Mark responds «would you like to buy them two? (referring to the bottle we were about to receive) and he exclaims «sure! this couple is in love and they look so happy and wonderful together. Look! I’m even having a glass of wine, too!»
haha I love this place.
I have nothing but good things to say about this place. Gents, take our woman here. Treat her good, hold her hand, kiss her at the table. Always say «please» and «thank you» when being served. Chivalry will never die.

Overpriced, noisy, poor service and really bad food. I was hoping for a nice Italian meal after a friend told me about the place.
We arrived to a place that had loud disco music playing, no one at the front desk, and saw all the wait staff hanging out in the kitchen
It was Friday at 9pm.
If the food was good I would write a better review, but I have nothing good to say, even about the $ 15 Martini…
Avoid this place

The food was ok and views were overlooking busy Villa De La Valle street.
I was happy with the service but found it overpriced. I could have spent the same amount of money at a restaurant in La Jolla overlooking the ocean.

I was so excited to eat here… disappointing! It was our anniversary so I was ready to eat good food and enjoy every bite… eh, not so much… Made reservations on line — very convenient, but I don’t think they READ them. I made a note that it was an anniversary, but no one even congratulated us. Another reviewer mentioned being treated like a rock star… I think the hostesses were more concerned with NOT falling in their 5in stilettos than being friendly.
I will start by saying that I am VERY glad that we had a
coupon ($ 75 off $ 150) b/​c I would have really felt ripped-​off if we’d paid full price. We started with cocktails, salad & salmon appetizer. Salmon was really tasty and made me excited for what was to come. We ordered a bottle of wine with dinner. I ordered fillet mignon med-​rare. Our server (who admitted to «feeling spacey») said it came with mashed potatoes & steamed vegetables she «thought». My husband got veal osso buco (sp?) over risotto which he loved. My fillet was over cooked, but I didn’t want to send it back since my husband was already halfway through his meal :). My potatoes were sweet potatoes, which I like OK but was not expecting. My whole meal lacked flavor. Hate to say it, but it all need sauce or salt or SOMETHING! I figured that since they have «steakhouse» in their name, fillet would be a good choice… blah.
For dessert we ordered an almond-​topped mascarpone thingy. It was tasty. We also ordered coffees — when we poured the cream in it CURDLED! Ick. Very nonchalantly, we were re-​served coffee w/​milk. The full bill came to $ 162… SO glad we had the coupon!
One more thing, there was music — a girl with a guitar. Kinda just OK.

Went to celebrate a friends birthday. Made reservations on-​line and got a welcome e-​mail back. Called and asked a question. Got a call back with answer. There is NO CORKAGE fee up to 2 bottles, if you bring your own bottle of wine,. Amazing!
Night we went hostess greeted us by name. Cocktail waitress and waitress (Christina) both excellent! We stayed 4 hours and they never gave us the impression they wanted us gone. We wined and dined, had three appetizers and 2 enrees, all very good! ah yes, teh chef gave us a treat as well. some tastey treat. Free dessert for the birthday girl, and we shared one. Delectable. The table next to us, even their food smelled good! Wonderful night/​time!
Only minus is the martini’s were good but I think over priced $ 12.00
DEFINATELY PLAN TO GO BACK.

still love going here! i feel like a rockstar when i go… they really treat their regular customers right!
we had pizza again! really, not the greatest pizza i’ve had but really really good…
service is 5 stars by far!
oh…and i guess the female i server i negatively mentioned in a previous review is no longer there (nothing to do with me… but i guess they realized she wasn’t a good fit)…glad to hear guys. thanks!
thank you Tyler, thank you Mark, and thank you Christy or christina? i always feel so welcome here!

So everything here at Tommy V’s Italian Chophouse was A+ except the freakin hostess and speed of service, but we didn’t mind the speed so much since we were catching up with friends, but just fyi.
I made a reservation through Unilocal but the hostess gave me a hard time about it so we waited at the bar for 30 minutes. The bartender was phenomenal and hooked us up with free beers and pizza slices. I must have looked pretty damn good…
I got a
gift certificate that gave me 50% off if I spent $ 200, which was easy since it included alcohol. The four of us got anything our heart desired. The parmeasan crusted steak was by far in my top 5 steaks I have ever had the pleasure of putting past my lips. The food was far less expensive than I thought. We each got a dessert and they were all great. The pistachio one was my fav.
Overall, fantastic and I recommend it. The front door was hard to find, but its inside and upstairs. The night we went it was gorgeous out and we had a nice patio seat where we could still hear the live music but talk. There are alot of hungry cougars at the bar and some creepy middle aged men, but they didn’t hurt me. Next time I would sit at the bar and enjoy the generous barkeep some more…

Date night lead led me and my plus one to Tommy V’s on a Saturday at around 9:45.
The live music was awesome and all the Del Mar cougars were LOVING it! Sitting at the bar, we had a great view of the dance floor that simply begged for all the tipsy white people to come dance. And dance they tried!
I ordered a delicious martini, and received something with lychee and cucumber – and yes, it was delicious. My date ordered a Manhattan – and we both agreed that this bartender wasn’t playing around! Yeah, he was super nice, personable, knowledgeable – but did he have a hidden agenda? Was he trying to get us wasted? No, probably not, but we did end up with shots of tequila that we didn’t pay for. Nice!
Complimentary bread with amaze tomato garlic dipping sauce was bomb.
Beef Carpaccio with arugula, Parmesan, and capers was delish. Highly recommend for the slightly adventurous.
Shrimp cocktail was very standard, so I would pass on this next time and go with the prosciutto wrapped prawns. You get 3 and it comes with a salad.
I had fun, and it wasn’t just the company. The atmosphere, drinks, music, and food all had me smiling. Even in the midst of all the terrible dancing and cougar grinding – actually, it made it all the better.

I was told by my friend that this is her favorite Italian Restaurant so we gave it a try and met up for dinner to celebrate my friends birthday. As you walk in the ambiance is welcoming and very spacious. The temperature of the room wasn’t hot nor was it cold but just right. Very clean and comfortable feeling.
Our waiter Eduardo receives a 5 STAR for service. What a personality. He had us laughing throughout the night. We ordered a couple of appetizers and what stood out to me is the steak bruschetta. I’ve never had it before but I must say GREAT CHOICE.
For dinner we all ordered different dishes: Bacon wrap seared Scallops on Hazel Nut Risotto, Braised Short Ribs and Herb and Cheese encrusted Chicken Breast. YUMMY! The chef gave us a sample of Gnocchi (and OMG it was so good that I wanted to lick the plate). I’m glad we were there during restaurant week because the wine bottles were 50% off. (We had two of them) I’m not a fan for desserts but my friend ordered tiramisu and she enjoyed every bite of it. Our waiter gave each of us a complimentary glass of Moscato. My favorite dessert wine.
Overall, the ambiance was great, our server was AWESOME and the food was tasty. Although I had a positive experience it wasn’t the WOW factor for me. It is a nice restaurant but pricey.

Went for dinner on a Saturday nite. Why I gave it 3 stars:
Service 5: my server was actually Italian! and they gave us each a sample of the gnocchi with 4 cheeses… best gnocchi I’ve ever had
Atmosphere 4: piano bar was great; but ppl tallking was really loud and the restaurant was not full
Carparccio 5: no words can describe how awesome this plate tasted plus it was HUGE
Lobster, crab & shrimp risotto 4: loved it except that it had imitation crab. they could’ve left that out.
Rigatoni with meatballs 3: where’s the pasta??? it was practically a meat plate
Soufflé 2: NOT a soufflé… I was bummed

Went here with my BF to use our groupon that was $ 20 for $ 50 or something like that. Made a reservation but showed and the place was empty. The hostess sat us next to a wall in the middle of the restaurant with a tiny 2 person table. Why on earth would you sit us next to a wall when the restaurant is EMPTY! So we asked to move, no big deal.
The food was OK. Service from the server and busser was OK.

Most of the reviews I’ve seen of this place have been about the excellent *pasta*. So what do the three adults there order? 10oz. filet cuts.
How was it? I’ll put it this way — I’ve been to most of the so-​called top steak places in San Diego, including nationally-​known Donovan’s in UTC. Tommy V’s was the *best* steak I’ve had in San Diego. The only place that I can think of that rivals this is Vincent’s in Escondido, CA (North of San Diego about 25 miles).
I rate steaks largely on price. And all I can say now is that Tommy V’s set the bar pretty high for a filet cut in the mid-​$ 30 range. I paid more for my filet at Donovan’s and it wasn’t this good.
I’d probably rate the service about 4 ½ stars — the staff was very courteous. And they were always nearby in case we needed anything. If I were really nit-​picking, I would say they could have brought their excellent bread out a bit quicker than they did for our table.
Keep in mind that it is a piano bar scene so it’s probably not the best place to go if you are looking for something quiet and romantic. Maybe out on the deck things would be a little quieter… but I’m not so sure. But if you’re looking for a place to go with friends to enjoy some great food, this is your place — very nice without feeling stuffy.
We took our 7 month old along as our ‘4^th party’…and they were very courteous and accommodating to him. The background noise from the bar was probably a good thing, in that he could throw spoons on the ground and it wasn’t too much of a distraction (I don’t think??) to the people in the tables near us.
Dress is mostly sport casual, but we were pretty dressed down… and that was fine. Wear any kind of pants, a simple polo shirt, and even flip-flops…and you’ll be fine.
Definitely a place to go back to. Be sure to check out the coupons at
, which saved us some nice change for our tab!

It’s alright. Unless they have happy hour or bar specials, the place is overrated and overpriced. I guess it’s expected from Del Mar.
I enjoyed their seafood risotto and wine but you can get it anywhere.
Overall, it is nice. Has some kind view on a field (either soccer or horse).

Food: 4
Service: 3… ish
As a big foodie and Food Network fan, I was really excited to try Tommy V’s Steakhouse last night. I had pretty high expectations, and the food definitely measured up. From beginning with the asiago/​gorgonzola cheesy butter that comes with their phenomenal crusty french bread, I knew I was in for a treat. We tried the filet mignon tartare with a quail egg on top, which was something very different and quite tasty — though maybe a bit too citrusy; I lost the steak flavor in the orange zest. However, it was still delicious so consider this a statement, not a complaint. The trifecta of pastas did not disappoint, and we used our remaining bread to sop up the sauces.
Our service moved about the speed of a turtle. The view and the bread were lovely enough and we weren’t in a hurry, however I was surprised never to have my Arnold Palmer refilled — especially after the water guy asked me if I would like a refill and I said yes. We also received our neighbors order, which they flagged down and sorted out. Then we received our neighbors’ bill, with the same result. I understand they are new and working out the kinks, but it was a bit disappointing to have multiple server errors and no new beverage.
Can’t wait to try it again and get a main course, not just appetizers. Love the décor and the ambience, and hope they sort out their server issues soon!

Simply put — Tommy V’s is a sure bet for a nice dinner out.
And, since many may be coming from the track, a sure bet may be needed.
The idea of this restaurant is not just a place for food but rather an experience. From the moment one walks in the door and is greeted by a competent host staff to the leaving and «good nights» by every employee one is transported away from the outside world to a little Tommy V world. Well executed sense of place.
The drinks/​bar area: strong pours and comfy place to drink. I’m very willing to pay $ 10 for my vodka rocks and the pours here will probably entice me to either drink two before dinner or order more at dinner (unbeknownst to me). There is something to be said in this wisdom of strong pours at nice restaurants. If I am planning on such an evening chances are I’m expecting to drink all night. If I know that the restaurant is gouger for pre-​dinner drinks I am much more likely to visit a bar nearby for said drinks. A smart restaurant will view the strong pour as a loss-​leader but, honestly, the mark-​up on alcohol is so high that even strong pours have good profit magins. Plus, like I said before, I’m more apt to have two, and maybe drunkenly order more grub later. Mission accomplished here.
Grub: well executed and tasty.
Apps: The Crab Cakes are done very very well and are worth eating every time. The Prawns are not overwhelmed by pancetta and good perfectly. The Calamari is actually delicately breaded… thank god… no need to dredge those lil’ bastards… squid is actually tasty folks. The Kobe Beef Stacks are a meal in of themselves and a bit rich. The Mozzarella Tastings may have been better during my visit with tastier tomatoes, but, the Burrata was on point. Lastly, get the Lobster Bisque. One can dine on apps alone here and have all sorts of great options.
Main: The meats and fishes are seasoned exceptionally well and the cooking is technically spot on. When I order medium rare I actually want medium rare. And, I’m a big fan of the mushroom risotto. It was a bit rich but I like it that way so be warned if you tend not to like richer sides.
Staff: All very friendly and knowledgeable. They are there when you need them and also not there to hold my hand through dinner, i.e., constantly checking in.
Ambiance: From what I understand the prior restaurant was something of a shitshow. They have made many strides from that standard but maybe a little attention to the flow of servers into/​out of kitchen seems a little wonky. Nice lil’ innocuous jazz band playing on the weekend was a nice touch. Feels like a destination.
Again, a surefire bet for a nice dinner out in Del Mar.

MANGA! MANGA! I will have to come back and post after I have dinner, but for now, Tommy V’s gets 4 wonderful stars for a nice bar drink and a little appetizer last night.
Color me disappointed when they closed down in La Costa a couple of years ago… color me EXCITED TO NO END when they moved closer to me!!! YIPPEEEEEE!
ThankyoudearlordbabyJesus putting FLIGHT out of their misery (Steve Finley’s old place before TommyV) Sorry Stevie boy – stick to baseball – it’s been berryberry good to you – FLIGHT – ugh – Can you say Pretentious people?
Tommy V’s is like walking into a very nice establishment and realizing your nana is cooking dinner for your family. It’s warm and inviting. Various people around always greeting you. The front desk girl that seated us in the bar was darling and made sure we had our menus.
People say hello to one another – strangers –really! IMAGINE THAT! It’s just such a nice, friendly place. My husband and I just went somewhere quiet to have a nice glass of wine and talk. We ended up having a mozerella salad that was so fresh! Very tasty. And lobster bisque. Not Red Tracton’s caliber but pretty tasty.
I can’t wait to go back just for dinner and have my lamb chops. Those were my fav’s back in La Costa.
You will love the atmosphere here. It’s large and you have beautiful views of the polo fields and Del Mar.
So – if you like people and actually like someone to say «Hello» and make you feel at home, then come here.
If you like people looking at you up and down then snickering, go somewhere downtown Del Mar. Plenty of places there that will make your insecurites soar.
WELCOME TO DEL MAR TOMMY V!!!

Very nice looking establishment. I went for the live jazz and to watch one of my favorite jazz pianists (Ed Kornhauser) play. The place has potential for locals in the area or those parking or visitng the horse park, however, they should consider serving food later at least during the Del Mar Fair season. When I asked for a food menu I was told that all of the cooks had gone home for the evening and it was only 9:30 on a Thursday night. The pace was pretty empty that night so I guess that was appropriate. Can’t give it any more stars since I didn’t have any food though. I’ll hit them up again a little early when Ed’s back over there. Oh, by the way… they should get that piano fixed. Ed still makes it sound great.

Not bad, Tommy V’s. You actually surpassed my expectations.
For Father’s Day, my f-​i-​l requested a meal at his new favorite restaurant Tommy V’s. Located on Via de la Valle overlooking the polo fields, I heard that this place had its soft opening a few weeks ago. Reservations were procured via
.
Tomasso came out at the beginning of service, and my f-​i-​l asked that he just take of us. First course was a tasting of three pastas: beggar’s purse, raviolo stuffed with short rib, and gnocchi. Second course was a lightly dressed salad of shredded romaine, olives, mozzarella, and dehydrated corn kernels. Third course was filet with toasted breadcrumbs, veal and eggplant parmigiana, button mushroom stuffed with crab and some delicious morsel of shrimp. Dessert was a fresh strawberry stuffed with sweetened mascarpone and chocolate chips accompanied by a rum soaked sponge cake with whipped cream.
Fresh rolls (I counted two types: olive and plain) along with focaccia was served at the very beginning, piping hot.
For our chef’s tasting menu, it was $ 50 pp. The tasting menu was balanced in terms of flavors and did a great job of highlighting key dishes on the menu. For my next visit, I’m keen to have the beggar’s purse pasta again, along with the filet.
We had a great time, and all the employees (from the hostess to bartender to the chef) were personable and friendly and open. The timing of the courses was paced on the slower side and could be tightened up a bit, but I have no doubt that this place can be a formidable challenger to Market down the street when it really gets going.