AVANT Restaurant

I love this place. Great food. They changed their menu. I think they changed their chef. I liked the latin influenced dishes better but the new menu is good too.

Sooo, you think you go to Avant for the food and service, but after finishing your dish, you realize it was a couples art making experience where every piece is one of a kind/unique. Who needs pottery making when you can go to Avant!!!

We used to come here often and then kind of forgot about it. We visited again tonight when trying to find a place to celebrate our anniversary. Beautiful restaurant at RB Inn, wonderful service, great wine and amazing food. Happy hour is a stellar deal. Favorite place in RB/Poway area.

Awesome dining experience. Stand out items were the beef Wellington, all of the fish crudo small plates, the Parker house rolls and the brown butter cake. The raviolo was also cooked perfectly.

I have been to Avant before, and this time we went to do the chef's tasting menu. It was $95 a person and another 55. If you wanted the wine pairing. We decided just to get a separate drink. The tasting menu was an 8 out of 10. In my opinion. The things that were good were really really good. The only disappointing part for me was the sculpin which was my main entré. Unfortunately. It was under seasoned and the relish style side was not complimentary to the fish at all. It was very bland as if the fish was not seasoned at all. It was however, cooked perfectly as was everything else. Everything on the menu was beautifully plated, thoughtfully crafted and we really had a wonderful time. The German chocolate cake dessert was amazing. The rhubarb dessert left something to be desired. It was essentially some fruit scattered on a plate. In comparison to the German chocolate cake log, that had a chocolate mousse under the chocolate shell, it really needed something else to even be on the menu in my opinion. Before we left they brought us a spiced rub to take home and use on fish, chicken, steak, etc... I use it on salmon and it was absolutely incredible. If that's how the sculpin would have been seasoned, I would have lost my mind in a good way! Thanks again to the chef!

Everything was great. Daniel Suggested a great wine from the Alsace region of France which paired well with the carpaccio’s appetizer as well as our Secreto and Branzino entrees. Josh was great will definitely be back

This place is a great experience! Their menu is a unique blend of fresh garden produce, experimented with some exotic vegetables and edible flowers. Their dishes are really creative and amazingly tasty! This is my first time trying the truffle butter and bread, I was absolutely amazed by the taste. Being a vegetarian, there are not many food varieties one can have. But this place has done a great job of serving well cooked vegetarian dishes. They have some turnip and daikon based dishes which I highly recommend to try. Don't miss the desserts. They are very artistic, unique and a prefect end to the dinner! The ambience is beautiful, perfect lighting with a fireplace, green view outside.

The food is quality and the service is personable and warm: from Katarina the hostess, Dalton the server and Tyson the manager (...and the kind bartender else granter I didn't get) ...and even the regular patrons like my bourbon expert friend, Al. You'd expect this place to be stuffy, but it's just classy without the arrogance. The food is beautiful. Eat with your eyes first, then delight your senses with flavorful layers. Bon apetito!

Had a lovely brunch here to celebrate my birthday, and it was very satisfying! The inside of AVANT is classy and ample, with great natural lighting! There were more than enough options for brunch, ranging from traditional American breakfast foods to Crudo Bar, Dessert Bar, Omelette/Hash station, and a great Fruit/Salad bar! Oh, and don't let me forget the bottomless mimosas (servers were the OPPOSITE of stingy with the champagne, and would re-fill my glass just when I needed a refill)! The service was super attentive from everyone there, which made my experience a pleasant one! The complimentary dessert that I received for my birthday was delicious, and definitely stood out compared to other desserts (which were still delicious). I believe there are coupon codes for Buy One Get One online, which makes it fairly priced for two people (or more)! I would definitely recommend checking them out for brunch, especially for a quieter, more "classy" and "adulty" vibe than other restaurants in central areas like Downtown or Hillcrest!

Went to the Sunday Brunch for my birthday with an online 2 for 1 coupon. We frequent the bar fairly often for drinks and appetizers but this was our first experience 'down the steps' into the restaurant. In summary the food and service was excellent and couldn't have been any better. Our table of 4 enjoyed absolutely everything we true. From the omelette station, to fruit/salad, raw bar, and various sides and entrees each was excellent and delicious. While I first thought the spread out layout was weird, I soon realized it was such a great idea. Omelette/desserts in one area, raw bar at the raw bar (this is their standard location at the end of the bar), and all the rest in the seating area. The genius of this is there is hardly any wait for anything you want and the restaurant was completely full. The raw bar had a line at times but that was it. Servers regularly checked in, remixed plates and our champagne glasses were never empty! Ever! We enjoyed a relaxing time (2+ hours!) and never felt rushed and always with plates removed and glasses full. In my opinion, while the food was fantastic the real star of the show were the attentive servers. They had a live musician playing really nice easy going music that was not too loud, but loud enough even though we were sitting just below a speaker. Really nice that you could listen, or have a nice conversation. In the end, we can't wait to go back. Thank you RBI!

Food: nothing was spectacular or even really good, especially for the price. We ordered the duck and wagyu and both were okay. The meats were a bit tough. Service: sub par. Our waiter hardly came by and didn't really bother to introduce the menu to us. Ambiance: located at Rancho Bernardo Inn, the setting was nice. I wouldn't recommend this place because my priorities are taste and quality of the food and service.

Disappointed on our one-year anniversary dinner on 7/13/24. Let me begin, the two premium vodka martinis we were served were not very chilled and were served in "old style" champagne glasses. The french sorrel 'ceasar' salad was not even close to being a 'ceasar salad.' It seemed they used somewhat older spinach/lettuce, and it was not very tasty. The grimaud farms aged duck breast was a very small portion and somewhat over cooked. The wild blu bass dish was tasteless. On a good note, the charred broccoli rabe was simply excellent. Also, the waiter and the two hostesses were great and very attentive. We will not be returning. Steve G.

Quite a beautiful setting, not just the restaurant, but the Rancho Bernardo Inn at night is wonderfully romantic. We were greeted by two gracious and giddy hostesses who were enjoying their evening even during a busy time of service the restaurant. An impressive seating at the table with menu presentation, wine list on an iPad, one of the most decorative cocktail lists I've seen (looks like each cocktail was hand drawn by an artist with colored pencils), and finally an announcement and special offer (oysters, caviar, and champagne) that the restaurant was recently recognized and awarded 4 by Forbes Travel Guide. It was a dreamy and exciting start to our meal, but it was a roller coaster of an experience from here. We perused the extensive wine and cocktail menus for quite some time. Moments went by with no waiter or service. Upon arrival, our server seemed rushed (and maybe tired), quickly took our drink order and we inquired about water. Little did we realize that 'water' would be a constant theme (struggle) throughout the evening. In short, I've never experienced difficulty or the longing or need for water service from any other restaurant. I'd anything, water is refilled almost too frequently at many establishments. At Avant, lack of service especially water, distracted us from enjoying our dinner experience. As a diner, you want to be seated and let the dining experience unfold. All you have to do is enjoy. This was not the case with delays in our cocktails (my Smokin' Diamond cocktail had a single diamond ice cube that had melted and lost its shaped by the time it was brought to our table). A delay in our entrees (server apologized and told us 5-6 minutes) that really took another 15-20 minutes extra from when the server acknowledged the delay.The presentation was amazing (see photos) but the temperature was lukewarm, which doesn't give the dish full credit as how the chefs have intended for the diner. The Parker House rolls, Iberico Pork, and foraged mushrooms, were the highlights of evening. Forbes Travel Guide rate and award with a primary emphasis on service, then food, ambience, etc. Presenting and celebrating their recent award is exciting, but now the bar In order to retain the recently awarded 4-star rating, Avant will need to ensure consistency every service every night moving forward.

My wife and I took advantage of an online deal for two for one Sunday brunch to celebrate our anniversary. Service was very slow in bringing us champagne refills and our check but the rest was self serve at the different buffet stations. They have a weird setup where the bulk of the food was in a corner area of their dining room, while the cold seafood was in the bar area and a third section in a different room altogether for the waffle and omelette station and desserts. We liked the fact that they had some expensive seafood being served by an attendant. It kept the wackos from ruining a good thing by dumping all of the crab on their plate. A bit of portion control let's everyone enjoy the lox and ceviche. Speaking of lox, very odd that they serve it, but not a bagel or cream cheese is served at a Sunday brunch? We still had a great meal for a fair price.

Lovely Sunday brunch buffet at the gorgeous Rancho Bernardo inn. Such a beautiful ambiance with stunning views everywhere you looked. I thoroughly enjoyed the bottomless mimosas! At first, the servers were really great at ensuring my mimosa was bottomless. As the brunch service ran busier, I found that my mimosa was constantly hitting bottom, and I was getting out of my seat to request a refill. That I didn't like so much since it made me feel like a bother to the servers. The food and options were terrific, although I would have liked to see a carving station for the price of the buffet. In comparison, Tom hams has a Carving station and crab legs and their Sunday brunch is under $70 whereas this brunch cost over $80. Still a beautiful experience and would love to come back in the future.

We went for the Sunday champagne lunch. This is a very relaxing place with huge spread of food and bottomless champagne to spend your Sunday morning. We enjoyed the atmosphere, food and amazing service.

My friend and I came here on a travel zoo deal to try their new Sunday brunch and it was really good. The ambiance and set up was nice. The inside was nice and spacious and the outside seemed to be spacious too. Initially we were sat in the middle of the dining area near the patio door which was really cold and windy. Since they were unable to close the door, they promptly accommodated us by moving us upstairs to some warmer seats. The service was top notch as our server Christine kept the champagne flowing. The food was delicious. I had hoped for more bang for my buck though food wise. The seafood station served the shrimp and fish tapas style but there was plenty of food in the other sections of the restaurant. There was no carving station either. I would have loved to have seen more of a seafood selection considering the restaurant is located in San Diego, near the ocean. All in all, we had a great time and especially enjoyed the asparagus, fresh fruit, seafood, and the dessert options. If you like champagne and golf, AVANT is the place for you!

As always, Avant serves up the best ambience, amazing, cocktails, and a retreat for the locals in the area to enjoy a neighborhood gem. Resort guests are equally impressed by the grounds, the service and the attention to details. The RB Inn is a mainstay in this community, and for those of us who live close, and do not utilize the lodging, Avant is a place we all can enjoy. We have spent many evenings, special events, golf, lunches with friends, brunches with family, etc... at Avant, Veranda- and all the RBI has to offer. I always want to give them five stars. The reason that I am leaving a four-star review is that Avant, specifically, has advertised deals on Fox5 for over a year or more. Because we are locals, and we dine, and spend time here often, I always take advantage of whatever savings they offer - to make our evening dinners a bit more palatable on the wallet. Keeping in mind that Avant has obviously made a deal with Fox five to advertise these savings, each time I have gone and dined at the restaurant, I am treated like an alien when I present the coupon. Tonight was no different. We had exceptional service from one of our favorite bartenders named Greg, the food was lovely, and Michael - who is the new addition to the seafood bar is nothing short of exceptional. I'm not as impressed by the current manager. Not only did he reluctantly take our hundred dollar certificate which I paid $50 for- he then made me feel like it was an inconvenience to have presented it in the first place. When I challenged him on this, and explained to him that the restaurant should be well-versed in accepting these coupons that they have clearly made public- he insisted that this was very easy, but that he hadn't seen one of these coupons in quite a long time. On a sidenote, I purchased this deal on Fox5 less than one hour before we were at the restaurant dining. He took my certificate, made me feel like a total asshole, and then never returned to follow up with us. We saw him rushing around the restaurant and not once did he come over and explain to us what was going on. We sat there long enough that we were comped a couple of drinks- Meanwhile he still never came by. Luckily, we had a great bartender, who figured things out and settled the bill so that we could leave. This review does not mean that I won't visit Avant again, it's one of our favorite places. We spend quite a bit of money there and it's basically in our backyard. This place has had many ups and downs in the last 10 years. We have continued to be patrons here and we are happy to support . This is simply a suggestion to anyone who might be using a coupon or any sort of offering that they have put out publicly, be prepared for a song and dance. I'm not sure that the manager we dealt with is material for management. I'm sure we will be back at the restaurant next week, but hopefully they streamline the use of promotions that they offer to the public. No one needs to feel "less than" when they produce a coupon. Being as Avant has had their own struggles and has had some difficulty surviving - they should be more supportive of their local patrons. We will keep you in business.

Came here for an impromptu dinner! Ambiance was really lovely, and service was good! The food was a hit or miss! We got the wagyu strip loin and the meat was absolutely delicious.. perfectly cooked.. fabulous... drinks and dessert were great also, but the side dishes were lack luster at best (the twice cooked potatoes and broccoli rabe). Overall, it was a pleasant dining experience with decent food and good service!

If you're looking for fine dining in Rancho bernardo, look no further. We stayed at RBI and made reservations for dinner at Avant. The service was impeccable and the food was amazing. We started with an amuse bouche, then parker house rolls, wagyu beef tartar, a truffle raviolo and cocktails. Each item was very well done. The wagyu beef tartar was my absolute favorite. Then we had a bottle of zinfandel and our entrees, the halibut and the duck breast. The duck was perfectly cooked and the halibut was so fresh. The chefs' preparation of these two dishes were amazing. We ended with a chocolate cake and glasses of port wine for dessert. I highly recommend Avant if you're in the area or staying at RBI!

This review is specific for their Sunday brunch they now offer. It's always nice to find a new brunch spot, especially when you know it's going to have great views. Located at the Rancho Benardo Inn, AVANT is a high end restaurant which has just begun serving weekend brunch. When you walk in and sit down you are seated in front of multiple large windows that open up to the beautiful scenery of the Inn and its golf course. There is a constant breeze coming through the windows which feels great on the warmer days. Thr brunch offers a variety of food from scrambled eggs, potatoes and sausage, all the way to braised beef and other cuisines. The service was good when we first got into the restaurant as there was hardly anyone there. Once the restaurant filled up, I did notice that service for drinks slowed down quite a bit, but it was so bad that I had to constantly flag down someone. Overall this is a nice spot for brunch with some delicious options. I do feel that they charge a bit much for what you get however. At $85 per person, I would expect a lot more options such as a carving station and seafood options such as crab legs. The price is something that would keep me away in the future simply again because for the price, I do feel there should be more options. The service and views are awesome though.

Went for the Sunday brunch with a Travelzoo deal - the brunch is regularly $85 per person; I think without the deal I thought it was a tad overpriced for what we received. However, we had a great time and I would recommend it, especially if you can get a discount. With the discount - you received basically 2 for 1 but you had to pay 20% service plus the tax (so about $50 more on top of the $85). We actually tipped more as the service was outstanding. Pros: Excellent service! I can't say enough about the 5 star service. The wait staff was extremely great. They pour Chandon sparkling wine - should I say more? Very nice and again 5 star. The food for the most part was tasty. I liked the seafood bar, which had nice size cocktail shrimp, ceviche, crab claws, ahi tuna, smoke fish and more. That was very nice and all was good and tasty. This really made the brunch for me. The omelet station had a good variety, though the chef was a bit slow on the orders and actually put my husband's omelet in a bowl instead of on a plate (new one for us). There was a waffle station as well and in the same area a large table with multiple desserts. The other main area had hot and cold food. There was a nice selection of salad items, fruit, rolls, cheese, etc. coffee and tea. There was a soup, lobster mac and cheese and another pasta dish. The asparagus was delicious. The pasta dishes just so=so. I was looking forward to trying the trout, but unfortunately it was just flavorless. Too bad. There was mashed potatoes and some short ribs. a chicken dish that did not look appetizing. There was a paella which was decent. Also some scrambled eggs and bacon/sausage options. What I thought was missing for the price - some sort of carving station - turkey, ham, roast beef, etc. Usually you expect something like that for the price. The setting was nice - the Rancho Bernardo Inn, set amongst a neighborhood and the golf course was nice and the interior was comfortable. The room we sat in was super loud - I'm sure the combo of freeing pouring sparkling wine contributed to that atmosphere. We were seated next to a party of 6 ladies, who were having lots of fun. There was some live music - guitar playing, which was nice, but hard to hear over the noise at times.

The service was impeccable. They were accommodating when I asked for a seat change (outside is prime) and the server was knowledgeable, attentive, and kind. The food was great. I would say my only complaints would be portion size for the price. The beet salad had very little beats. My husband ordered the wagyu and it was two tiny pieces of steak -- so that's one of the reasons I'm not giving this a 5. The decor inside could use an update as well, which is why I asked to be reseated.

Some of the best customer service and dining experience I have had in a while. Our server, Chris was spot on with menu item recommendations and extremely attentive. The appetizers all the way through to the desert was absolutely outstanding. My wife took me here for my birthday and I left a very happy camper!

So impressed with everything! The food was on another level and we'll be making this our next go to spot. For sure a top 5 of all San Diego.

Ok. Yes it's $15 dollar bread, but it'll change your life. The descriptions on the menu didn't do the food justice. We had the market fish and the duck. Both were fantastic. The ambiance felt like a private club.

We enjoyed dinner here on our last night in San Diego. Sergio, our server, was friendly and patient as we perused the menu. The dining room is beautiful and the fresh flower arrangements are gorgeous. The a la carte menu sounded so delicious it took us a while to decide what to order. The Parker house rolls are delicious and the wasabi butter it was paired with was so good. Hamachi was touted as a restaurant favorite but underwhelming to our table. The chef's garden salad and the voluete were very flavorful, and my dad enjoyed his pork belly for its richness and depth. One of our two octopus dishes were over cooked. The star was the branzino and that delicious sauce And definitely leave room for dessert! The tres leches flan was amazing. We left full and happy

Another great dinner at Avant. The chef continues to innovate and impress. You'll love the pre and post dinner surprises from the chef. We both ordered the Heirloom Tomato for starters ( btw, the bread was a horrible chewy disappointment considering the beautiful custom butter served with it) BYOB bring your own bread. I digress. The Heirloom Tomato was fabulous. We also ordered identical main dish of Rosewood Wagyu Striploin + onion + Idaho potato + caviar. It was exceptional!!! Our server Chris was a cut above. The best. Rich was interested in making sure our visit was the best. Thank you Chris.

Located at Rancho Bernardo Inn. We were celebrating a special occasion midweek. The dinner crowd was modest, and we were seated at our 6:45 reservation time. The vibe was upscale, and the service was courteous and friendly. The presentation was excellent, although our entrées were barely lukewarm. We advised our server, who was very apologetic, and promptly took away our plates. He came back with a complimentary blue fin carpaccio (excellent), and shortly thereafter, brought our newly-prepared entrées. Again, beautifully presented but just slightly warmer than the initially-served items. We chose not to bring it up again, as the evening was getting long. After a shared tres leches dessert, the server brought the check, and the entrées were comped. We left a generous tip based on the original order. So... maybe an off-evening. Everything looked and tasted great, however, having entrées die in the pass was a bit disappointing. Too bad, as everything else was very nice...

I am with San Diego Foodies and Carlsbad Foodies and our Table of Four. Tonight we are at Avant in the Rancho Bernardo Inn. This is certainly a date night place. Soft lighting and great ambiance. A special Thank You to Sue who gave us these beautiful pix! Gougères arrive as 'first bite'. And what can be any better? A round pastry with a parsnip and brie mousse inside, topped with a gooseberry gel and a Sorel leaf on top. World famous Alain Ducasse creates his Gougères with Gruyère cheese, and each are equally good. There are a few 'stars' in our meal tonight. The first two come in our 'appetizer' delivery. Parker House Rolls and Wagyu Beef Tartare. The Parker House Rolls are with choices of butter: a horse radish crème fraîche and another with several interesting ingredients including honey, anise and fennel. And at this point I am thinking: "If this is what they do with their bread, I can only imagine what they will do with the food". Dari says: "One of the butters has a lemon taste and the other is more earthy. Both different. Both tasty". Sue takes a bite of the Tartare and looks and me and says: "This melts in your mouth". Dari is in ecstasy as she eats some herself. She says: The crunchy rice paper that tops it, which brings the beef tartare to life. Sue adds: "I've had tartare with a lot of friends, but this is just amazing. Dari chimes in: "just melts". Next comes the Duck. "Quack Quack" I say. Lol This comes with some delicious root vegetables. We ordered, along with that, foraged mushrooms. "The duck" Dari says "is amazing". Sue says: "I think because it's aged". Dari says: "I would eat that any day of the week ....... any day of the week" she repeats. So when you come to Avant, please make sure you order the duck. Very impressive that this restaurant grows their own vegetables. Noticeably good. Now we are finally getting to the foraged mushrooms. Sue is talking about trying to cook Lions Mane and how hard it is to bring the flavor out. This foraged mushroom side dish makes three different mushrooms cooked, work perfectly together. "This is lovely" she says. And I agree. I tell them all that mushroom gets a bad rap. In addition to helping with inflammation and providing vitamin D they are also mostly fiber. You can let mushrooms be your Metamucil! Lol Our recommendations for dining: the three things to make sure you order when eating at Avant are: The Parker Dinner Rolls, which are better than any, and I mean any dinner rolls I've had. Good idea to order the side dish, a forage of mushrooms and their duck as a main. Our chef came out to greet us. And we left saying we think this was a really nice Saturday night out with good company, good wine and good food. We recommend that you try a night out here.

We tried out this place for our anniversary celebration and chose three course chef special menu. Their food is so fresh and unique in taste with great service and romantic ambience. They have great selection of wines to pair up with the food and their food is worth the price so I would highly highly recommend trying out this place.

My husband and I had a wonderful experience dining here! We stayed at the beautiful inn for a one night getaway and our evening here was a highlight. Our server Blaine was attentive and friendly, and connected us with the sommelier Joe who made excellent recommendations for wine pairings with our meal. Our food was excellent, and I was especially grateful the staff were so attentive to my gluten allergy. Every dish we had was flavorful and creative. Would absolutely recommend, and we'll be back!

Awesome brunch with delicious food, live music, elegant ambience, bottomless mimosas. The crab claw in Bloody Mary sauce was everything.

First time trying here and food was delicious! Wonderful ambiance! Service was outstanding!

The food was absolutely delicious, I'm pretty sure we licked all the plates! Service was top tier, our server was very attentive and took his time with our table to make recommendations and walkthrough the menu and our questions. The ambiance is great for a date night. Dim lights, but not too quiet for a good conversation.

I wanted to like this place, but the food was a letdown. For the price, it was not worth it. Next time we come to this resort, we will skip this restaurant. Anniversary trip with my wife. The resort, spa, and breakfast restaurant downstairs were excellent, but this fancy dinner was our least favorite part. It was a beautiful day, 92 degrees, with a slight breeze and a spectacular view. The fruit salad was incredible, the best I've had in a long time--sweet, tart, and creamy with every bite. The charred tuna was just burnt. The charred bread was burnt and hard to eat. The Duck Confit was undercooked, almost raw, chewy, and hard to eat. We may try this restaurant again; we hope it was just a bad day.

This was a meal we will remember for a long time. It was a splurge, but completely worth it. Each dish was a work of art and a culinary adventure. The Wagyu éclair was fantastic. I'd never had horseradish mouse and it was perfect. Each dish was absolutely stunning and a treat. The wine pairing was equally memorable

Food service and ambiance were amazing. If you want the Beef Wellington, get there early or ask for when making reservations. I didn't know it was so popular and missed the opportunity to enjoy the dish!

Parker house rolls are a must!!! Luckily we ordered two for our table and I absolutely loved the presentation and smell of this "bread and butter" platter. However we also had the scallop crudo and many of us tried the green creamy sauce that came with it that completely ruined the taste of the plate. I myself had the pork belly which was crisp and crunchy and cooked to perfection. I also tried the halibut dish although I found it a bit dry and in need of more flavor. Lastly the duck dish surprisingly was my favorite main entree dish as it was tender and juicy and also crispy and very well served for two. The staff were very friendly and helpful and the ambiance of the restaurant reminded me of a rustic barn or southern cabin feel. Lightening was good but the music in the background made the evening. They played contemporary and pop songs through a violinists perspective which I thought was so unique. No live music but very calming and serene type of environment. Would like to come back to see how their lunch menu compares. Plenty of parking and beautiful resort surrounding the venue. Waiters were very attentive in coming around and bringing fresh water. Overall, the service was up to par and what I expected but some of the flavors in the dishes either weren't there or weren't what I expected. Great place for a date night or to celebrate a special occasion. Many couples were enjoying dinner together and it gave off a romantic feel. Stick with the duck and dinner rolls and you'll be fine. I did want to provide a big thank you to all the restaurant personal as we celebrated a big milestone birthday for a close friend of ours and we were treated fabulously and also treated us to a complimentary small starter pie tart from the chef which I though was very thoughtful and unique.

Wow!!! That was phenomenal! Such fantastic people there that made my whole night extra special! Thank you! The Chef (sushi?) is from the Big Island and was putting on a show anyone would want to watch from smoke on shrimp to kumquat fennel oysters. Hot sauce delicious & the Rosewood Waygu made having Surf and Turf raise to a new Level! Mahalo Nui Loa

This place was so good! Definitely fine dining, everything was full of flavor! Even though some dishes seemed a little small, they were very filling. I'd recommend it for sure! Service was quick and friendly. There was a romantic vibe in the place which I loved. Although they do charge for absolutely everything, as I had sparkling water and paid $10 for it. Over all a very nice dinner and I would come back!

As locals to the RB Inn, my husband and I wanted to do something special for NYE. Looking at Avant's menu vs set choices, we decided to book reservations a few weeks before since we could choose our food experience and were excited...we never saw the 6pm message on NYE we couldn't order from their menu and would be served from their prefixed menu with food my husband is very allergic to. Our server tried but the food was a debacle. When the waygu beef course arrived cold and grainy, I asked to see the GM...he was nice (new onboard following RB Inn "celebrity" chef ) and he offered to not charge the full $179 each. Ok. But it wasn't about money. It was a special night we cannot get back. We had a lovely time together...but my husband was so ill that night with the little he could eat. Ugh.

Service was perfect and very friendly. We were not in a rush so the slower pace fit just fine into our evening plans. Food was delicious. I had the salmon, he had the duck breast. We were both happy. Love the ambiance and location and the fact that we didn't have to drive miles for a high-end dinner. Went to the steakhouse in RB last anniversary and were sooo disappointed and vowed never to go there again. Glad to have this place as a new go-to.

Chef Sergio is doing amazing food as the new Chef De Cuisine at AVANT.. came by with my wife and everything we tried was so flavorful and inventive. The cocktails we had were fantastic as well. Staff was very helpful, patient, and knowledgeable. Super excited to come back and eat more of the menu. Well done!

It is a hidden gem. It is definitely no Michelin grade restaurant in terms of service and food- BUT the tastes were great and fun. The dishes were all beautifully prepared and meticulously delicious. There were new flavors experienced and my tongue certainly had an adventure with the samples. Their corn coulis from the pork dish was my favorite part of the whole meal. It was perfect.

Didn't have a chance to try the 4 course tasting menu as we were too full. But we did get two appetizers. The wagyu skewers and seafood dip was good! We also got complimentary nuts and popcorn - popcorn was a bit stale.

I have tried so many times to enjoy the new menu but it's just great, especially for the price. The service has always been great and the ambiance can be either really quiet, or some nights the bar with music makes for an entertaining and enjoyable evening. The drinks are always good!

I'll be succinct. Move on to a serious restaurant. Decor- Classic 1980's. It needs to be gutted and brought to the year 2023. Service- Very good and friendly. We arrived at 6 PM and didn't leave until 10 PM, so the dinner was very very delayed- unacceptable for a restaurant of this supposed caliber. Food quality- They need to fire whoever is running the operation. This establishment is a solid 2 star restaurant immitating a 5 star restaurant. The dishes masquerade as being inventive and cool but its a big fat fail. The portions are incredibly small and the food is mediocre at best. Value- Horrible. Small portions for very uninteresting dishes.

We tried Avantfor the first time last Friday evening with another couple who also had not visited the restaurant before. The main dining room is beautiful and quiet. A nice place for dinner conversation. Our service was excellent, and our meals were very good and beautifully presented. Our only real disappointment was how expensive our dinner turned out to be. Granted we had two salads, four entrees and two desserts, but the total bill was $430! It's really a good thing we brought our wine, or it would have been another $200. We eat out frequently and are not opposed to paying what we consider to be a fair price for good food, but this was in our opinion outrageous. I'm sorry to say we won't be back.

Ok let's get this straight ... you will NEVER receive better service anywhere. The hostess Kaylyn was very welcoming and sweet . Her demeanor is the reason why we ate here !! We had Chris as our waiter and Gabriel as our waiter "assistant" . Chris was an extraordinary help and unbelievably attentive . Gabriel was soooo pleasant it was unreal. They both were such a delight I could go on and on for days! The type of customer service they provided is a definite reflection of the expectation of the establishment . The chef is a genius. The food was so deep in flavor . Rich when it needed to be , decadent when it was supposed to be and a perfect combination of sultry satisfaction. The ambiance is nice with a clean sophisticated look that makes you feel relaxed and welcomed.

The vibe here is awesome. Nice restaurant with really good food options. Our server was knowledgeable and gave us great recommendations. The Halibut was absolutely fantastic. The bread was fresh and everything was delicious.

I stayed at the hotel twice and dined here 2 times. The food over all is very good. The stake was good, churros desert was the best, the German chocolate was very good. The Mac and cheese was okay. The service is great. So here is the verdict 4.5 for Service 4 for food 4 for Desert

Wow, what an utter disappointment... the food was horrible, the service was disappointing (plates not cleared, water not served). Four dinners had to be returned. At the prices they change, this is unacceptable. I do not write reviews like this very often, but it unfortunately needs to be said.

Avant is one of few classy restaurants in Rancho Bernardo vicinity where I would go for a special night. And I say special because I cannot and should not drop $400+ on a dining experience for 2, every week. I did feel like this place is a hub for a much older crowd. It's quiet, classy and you will receive excellent service. At least I did. The staff was super accommodating and friendly. The ambiance is a bit dark but luckily we sat by the window which brought in more light during our dinner. They recently revamp their menu for spring and everything was very good. The different combinations of spring flavor were divine. We decided to opt in for the 4 course meal experience which you don't have to and can just order a la cart. I also added the sommelier wine pairing with my meals which was a delightful bonus. Portions are small (very standard for a 4 course meal experience). But the attention to flavor pairing is so unique that it's worth trying it out.

Good food. Great ambience. I really enjoyed their drinks - Sparkling Apple Cider and Orange Creamsicle. We ordered a dish from each category from the menu and don't regret it. I highly recommend their oysters, which tasted like a punch of freshness. The flower pot was excessively rich for me. No room for desserts. I will try that next time.

Service was great, food was great and tasty ...and came out on time. Try the Aged Duck Breast...

My wife & I tried this place out for her birthday. The ambiance was great, the staff was super nice. We ordered based off the servers recommendation the duck, was definitely disappointed. The portion was a bit too large and under cooked. The cocktail we ordered wasn't good either.

This place was a real disappointment. We went to celebrate our vacation, we made reservations & we're looking forward to an expensive evening out. On arrival we were escorted to an outdoor patio with a fireplace & heaters, never saw the inside of the restaurant??? There were several waiters, yet the service was poor. We ordered French Camembert Chesse, just ok. Ordered the Seafood tower, our used plates were taken, new ones brought, then someone came & removed then. When the seafood town arrived we had no plates or utensils. The seafood was a disappointment too. The oysters were not good, the king crab was fishy, shrimp were fishy & the hamachi was yuk. Extremely disappointed. Oh, they even charged a cover charge??? I do not recommend this overpriced restaurant. After all I read I expected fresh, farm to table food, NOT!