The Fleetwood

Cute waitress was the only redeeming quality about this bar for watching football on a lazy Sunday. The one star is for her. Thanks, Casey.
The «fleetwood» burger wasn’t good. A piece of the meat fell off when I picked it up. The cheese wasn’t melted. The bun was torn, like someone had stuck their finger in it. The table was wobbly (though the base was fine), like it hadn’t been screwed on correctly. Multiple bar stools were broken. Bathroom had napkins in place of paper towels and was not clean. Beer selection is limited.
This place is okay for one thing — being a bar at night. Don’t come here expecting anything else.

There are three things I remember about this place… being VERY thankful that I had a Groupon to help pay for the very average and very overpriced drinks, hanging with people not much older than my oldest kid, AND having my credit card temporarily lost (there went any argument against my German boyfriend’s horror that one’s credit card leaves one’s possession in a restaurant). The only good thing was our server… yep, the same one who lost the card. He worked his butt off… to serve all his customers and to find my card (going so far as to chase us down the block when he found it and sweating out his apologies).
Months later, I was finishing up a great dinner (complemented by great service) at Muzita Bistro in Uni Heights. As we chatted it up with our awesome server at the end of the meal, I asked him where his other job was. It was him!!! I’m happy to report that I did not require any chasing that evening.

I would give this place 5 stars based on the mac and cheese alone but I’ve only been a few times and never late enough to enjoy the «bar/​lounge» aspect that it seems to try offer.
The first time I went it was a Wed. and there was a special for 50% off all bottle wine (thats 1 star maybe 2, if you share my love for wine). I was with a group of about 7 or 8 so half priced bottles were great for sharing and not to harsh on the walet.
As I looked over the menu to order I saw they have truffle oil mac and cheese. Having just moved to SD a little over a year ago and my fav restaurant back home served a similar dish I had to try it. Not as good as back home but damn close!(the other 3 stars). It was very delicious and did not disappoint. I’ve gotten it every time I’ve gone back (usually as an appetizer to share)
Most of the entrees Ive had are delicious the salmon is pretty good. Nothing really stands out to me other than that mac and cheese.
Their happy hour is pretty excellent. and the service is always very friendly and attentive. Its a little on the pricey side so I always try to split or share a meal.
But all in all a pretty decent restaurant.

Went here on a Saturday night because the people with us didn’t like the techno stuff at Altitude. Fleetwood had hip hop all right. but old school stuff. Blah. It was okay. The bartenders are not attentive at all. We had to make sure we were standing in front of their line of vision — even so, we got ignored. I left… and let my friend wait to order drinks. It’s a good alternative from the other gazillion techno clubs (no cover either), but I am still in search for a club that plays good hip hop/​or even variety of music rather than that techno-​shitz. Oh, must have a good, mixed crowd rather than playahaterz and cattyhoochies. I don’t do drama. :-)

In gas lamp you need to be a bar or fine dining. This place tires to be both.
As a bar it seemed mildly successful but if you dare drink any non house wine be prepared to pay $ 15+ per glass and $ 6 for a guinness.
For dinning the prices for a nicer place seemed on par $ 16 – 24 mains and $ 6 – 8 apps and salad.
One thing I was quite upset about was how the menu neglected to note the pancheta in the mixed veggies that came with the salmon. The cheese and potato crust on the salmon was great, however that means the salmon it self lacked a proper crust, and the color was of a farm raised fish. The potato was a bit dry too.
The mixed greens farm salad was decent but the dressing was a bit overpowering.
Overall I was unimpressed but they were able to seat our large group in their back room.

The drinks were good, and although I didn’t eat any food, the food looked very tasty, but the bar tender was not friendly. It seemed like we were bothering him by being there.

I don’t get why some of us do reviews on Night Clubs. Most of us don’t remember the place. Or the night for that matter.
Well, despite my three stars, I actually had a great time last night at this club. From what I remember that is… But it was more so the company and being drunk that did it in for me. The place itself is pretty small. But the size of the place is never the deal breaker. And for a small place, I remember having just the right amount of space to dance.
Anyway, the dealbreaker? The music. I remember the music being a hit or miss. I know the deal is all about the techno/​house etc. But I just can’t dance to it. I was probably dancing half the night and the other half I was sitting talking to a girlfriend.
But all in all, great times. Great vibe. Loved the look. And had a good amout of space. Music? It wasn’t horrible. We’ve all got our own taste in music. The dj played a good mix of the top40 and techno type music.
I see some of the food pics. and it looks really good. I may want to come back to try out the food. =D

My best friend took me to the Fleetwood for dinner since we had a Groupon. When we stepped into the restaurant I was surprised as to see only two other people dining at 630PM. Perhaps it could’ve been because it was a Wednesday night.
We were starving but the entrees didn’t seem too appealing at the time so we ordered a bunch of starters a ceasar salad, lettuce wraps, calamari, and ahi poke. The food was good although the lettuce wraps were salty and very soggy perhaps from the type of lettuce they used since butter lettuce usually when I get it is softer than romaine or ice berg? I really did enjoy the ahi poke which was really flavorful you could really taste the sesame.
Our server was very accommodating and very nice. When our bill came and we used our Groupon we didn’t spend enough money because apparently we came during happy hour and all the starters we ordered were 50% off. We ordered extra food to go and at the end of the night our bill came out to $ 6.33. We were just surprised that we were able to use the Groupon during happy hour. The Fleetwood seemed a bit pricey for how the atmosphere was inside. It almost seemed as if they were undergoing some sort of renovation since the floors looked really dusty/​dirty? The food and service were both good but to be honest there was nothing too spectacular about my meal to make me drive out of my way to come here for another dinner.

Came during a special event (UFC 140 on PPV) for the 1^st time. No cover. Kids were allowed up to 10pm. Several groups had reserved seating throughout the lounge. Ordered their meatloaf dinner entrée, tomato bisque soup, & well vodka sodas. This venue is obviously one of the happening spots in the Gaslamp during UFC events based on the attendance.
PROS: No cover, Ambiance, waiter/​waitress service, number of TV monitors, food quality.
CONS: Cocktails were unusually weak, food selection was limited for a lounge which served more than ‘bar food’, a bit pricier than most bars in the vicinity.

I had a Groupon for this place which we used last night.
First of all, I noticed it was pretty empty for a Friday night. In contrast, Bub’s across the street was packed with people out to the sidewalk. We were seated right away, but that’s where the speedy service ended. Our waitress, although a sweet girl, was such a ditz. She brought our drinks and tells us, «here’s your mule and your mohito». We told her we didn’t order those and she responds, «Oh yeah, sorry you’re right these are what you ordered, I don’t know why I said that». Huh? Anyways, we remained skeptical since all drinks seemed to be served in glasses with a miller lite or padres logo on it. Definitely a sign of a classy place. I ended up sending my drink back and ordered a glass a wine.
We ordered the following to munch on…
*Ahi Poke: nice chunks of ahi and avocado sprinkled with chopped green onion served with fried wonton chips. This was okay.
*Steamed Mussels (in a white wine, lemon, and chorizo sauce): These were really bad. Overcooked, dry, and chewy. The flavor also wasn’t there.
*Sweet Potato waffle fries (with blue cheese and green onion). These were crispy, but were definitely dressed up frozen fries.
*Stuffed chicken (with goat cheese, red pepper with sides of green beans and mashed potatoes). The chicken was overcooked and chewy. Flavor was also lacking.
Overall, the food is downtown prices but the quality and taste isn’t there.
The place looks nice, but they do seem to be having an identity crisis. All of the flat screen TVs make it look like a sports bar, but yet they are trying to be a nice restaurant/​lounge. They are dog friendly, but no thank you, it’s not for me.

I feel a little embarrassed giving 2 stars to a place I’ve been to like 4 times. I don’t know how I end up here that frequently, but it happens. The service here is friendly, and it gets pretty packed on weekends. The clientele is not a bad group, if you’re looking for someone to hookup with.
However, the place just doesn’t leave that much of an impression. Like most downtown places drinks are crazy expensive. Last time I went, didn’t hear a single song that made me want to break out into dance (and believe me, I’m not picky about dance music). To be fair, there’s nothing really wrong with this place, and it’s nice that there’s no cover.

Considering the location and all, you would think a busy restaurant would be READY to be busy. Went there after Giants-​Padres and the place was moving, but only two servers and one bartender in the whole place. Food took awhile as well, same problem in kitchen perhaps?
Despite the waits between courses the service was good, and it was nice that you can get happy hour prices for drinks without being in the bar area. Asian chicken wraps were good and so were the stuffed mushrooms (though a little small and only 5 in an order) as apps, and the goat cheese-​stuffed chicken was juicy and big enough to split, but it came with a mushroom sauce that it didn’t really need, salty and on the thin side.
We’ll have to come back for the music nights but like what I see so far for the most part.

Reviewing this as a club.
Had to result to going here because Altitude had an impossible line. haha. This is really close to Petco Park and it’s actually really nice looking. They were playing all the good songs that you want to hear when you go out too :) That’s all I need — to go to a place with good music. There was no cover charge, that Friday night which is always nice! The well drinks are like $ 8 which is good for a nice place in DT SD. I didn’t like that there was too much smoke, because it was ruining the look of my pictures on my camera, haha.

I’m reviewing The Fleetwood for the dinner I had there tonight.
When I first walked in, it wasn’t what I was expecting. it didn’t look like a restaurant. The tables were sparse, and the place looked more like «just» a bar. The digs were cool, though. It’s got a warm but modern feel to it.
Service was good. We were seated promptly by the hostess. Our server came out to greet us shortly after, and had a very nice demeanor and style to her. (As a side note, my brother-​in-​law said she reminded him of the orginal pink Power Ranger. My sister said Denise Richards. I thought neither.) Another guy, who I believe was a busser, brought us waters. (As another side note, it seemed like it was his first day of work… EVER. He came across as shy or uncertain. It was endearing. Nice kid.)
The food reads amazing off the menu, but the execution didn’t live up to the set-​up. Everything we ordered was good, but not amazing:
* Stuffed chicken breast — a bit dry, but had good flavor
* Chicken pasta — a bit short on flavor
* Stuffed jalapenos — tasty; my favorite thing we ordered
* Truffle fries — beautiful, but the parmesan cheese clumped together and made it hard to eat
* Crab cakes — A-​OK
* Chili mango margarita — plenty of spice, lacking mango
* Beer — it’s hard to mess up a beer
That food fed three of us, and the bill ran just under $ 85 for dinner. Overall I think the service outshined the food. I don’t think I’ll be back for for another meal here, but maybe drinks sometime.

The bottomless Mimosas drew us is. Did you hear me? BOTTOMLESS MIMOSAS! However, I don’t think the bartender quite understood that a Mimosa is OJ and Champagne. I think he understood a Mimosa to be Champagne. But ya know what? I’m ok with that. In fact, just nix the OJ altogether and keep the Champagne flowin, sir.
We ordered the Jalapeño Artichoke dip and we couldn’t stop talking about it for weeks. AND, they have Ginger Beer. I can only find Ginger Beer in the Bay area.
Great service. Great ambience. I’d definitely go back for more… and you should too.

Been coming here off and on for a few years and surprised to find out that I’ve never reviewed. So, based on a few years of experience:
Great restaurant-​turns-​club in the heart of East Village. Good food, lots of people watching, big footprint with a couple of different dance floors, close to the ball park.
Can trend towards douchey at times, but overall it’s a solid place. Gets busy on the weekends!

Ahh… the Fleetwood… I have no words. That’s a lie… I have lots of words… but after a night at The Fleetwood, it’s unlikely that I can combine them into a fully coherent sentence.
Delightful. Sweaty. Dancing. Drinks. Cab.
There you have it.

Please, Fleetwood, improve your food.
We decided to do a girls nite out here last Fri. Got there early and the place was empty (minus for a few guys sitting at the bar). Hostess was super nice and let us pick out a table we wanted.
Not sure how to describe their specialty drinks. Nothing to really hoot and holler about I guess.
But their food — I told my friends the food here wasn’t great but they all still wanted to go.
We had:
Braised Beef Short Ribs: onion rings, garlic mashed potatoes, baby carrots, red wine reduction $ 23: REALLY really dry. If anyone has ever had Chinese Beef noodle soup and the beef was dry, tough, and hard to eat, well, this dish reminded me of that. It was a fist size, super dark looking, dry piece of meat sitting on top of veggies. Was served lukewarm, like they just put it in the microwave of something?
Grilled Flat Iron Steak Salad: arugula, pickles bell pepper, cucumber, red onion, sherry vinaigrette $ 14: my friend said this was terrible. Steak was cooked well done and also served cold.
Grilled Lamb Rack: butternut squash risotto, fried sage, pinot noir reduction $ 28: Friend didn’t say anything about the dish really. So perhaps it was good
Fried Chicken: creamed corn, buttermilk mashed potatoes $ 17: friend thought this would be true, authentic Fried chicken. But nope, it was breaded, boneless chicken meat, deep fried.
If you notice the prices of each entrée, you’d expect something pretty decent. Even for downtown/​Gaslamp standards. But unfortunately, the food was just terrible.
What we all DID agree on was the vibe of this place. We’d come back to hang out and have drinks but that’s about it. Lots of tvs and the clientele seemed like young professionals.
So I hope they do something about the food — I’d definitely come back if they improved their menu.

Nice, mellow, cozy bar in the Gaslamp area.
I just missed happy hour, but still Im glad I came in. Sat at the bar and had a pretty conversation with Jimmy the bartender dude. He told me the history behind the Fleetwood name… and no its not from Fleetwood Mac, but actually named after a baseball player from the Negro league even way before Jackie Robinson named Moses Fleetwood.
He also recommended his favorite restaurants and bars since I told him I was doing this 100 bars in 100 days challege.
I tried the Negra Modelo — a dark beer from Mexico. Bitter, tasted a little bit chocolately, but it was pretty good. Left a chocolate like after taste that was pleasing to my palette.
Ambience was again relaxing, and mellow. They were playing songs from the Eagles, the 4 tops, Neil Young, Jackson Browne, and Fleetwood Mac too.ha.
Seating is nice, leather high chairs, leather sofas, and outdoor seating is also available.
It was a Monday night, so yah, the mood was mellow, but on the weekends, this place can be really busy and they have more upbeat music.

I have to write this review RIGHT NOW because if I don’t I’ll put it off and then forget what I was going to write about in the first place: P
Anywhoo…came here tonight for the Michael Jackson Tribute Event
and arrived an hour early because I thought it started @ 8pm.
They were serving $ 2 mimosas which tasted absolutely awful (I think it was the OJ) so I just waited around ’til Danny and Nicole showed up to order a vodka cran (or 4) and a cheese tray.
Met Beverly and friends, Stephani and Brian as well as Ace and we sang karaōke like nobody’s busina** (more like they sang like pros and I was just the backup)
Before we left, I sang «Can’t stop the moonlight» and I think my voice cracked– that was awesome
The cheese plate was a-​ok and Nicole really liked the brie (which Danny killed)
Travis (our bartender) is cool and I’m sorry I didn’t stick around to hear his next song, They regularly do karaōke and the MC is a really nice guy.
For Brig– they carry Belvedere *HOLLA!* ;)