Babcock & Story Bar

I visited the Del Coronado hotel on Thanksgiving day and it was a beautiful experience, nicely complemented by the food at Babcock! We tried the Bavarian pretzel and the veggie pizza (more like foccachia bread), both were good for a quick evening bite. The restaurant is located inside the hotel lobby and has a great holiday vibe with live music and lights!!

First off, incredible location and view. Great people watching and over chilling by the beach spot. I highly recommend checking Babcock out. It was super fun to have live music. Food was pretty good and servers were hustling but overall slow bar and kitchen. That said the atmosphere out shines the slowness.

The Baseline: For a in hotel restaurant lounge it must have a good drink menu, excellent appetizers, and a stellar staff to bring out the experience. Food: The food is good here but it is good food for a hotel bar lounge. I had the Meatball Sandwich, the pork chicharron, and the Caesar Salad. The meatball sandwich was good and substantial and it came with the house made kettle chips. All around good. The chicken Caesar salad was huge and phenomenal (highly suggest this). The pork chicharron was skin and no fat with a verde dipping salsa so I appreciated the crispy treat. The only ding is the prices, but you are at the Hotel del Coronado so you are paying for location in the price. Service: Top notch service from our waiter. Full water glasses and fast, efficient service. No complaints. Ambiance: Bar lounge in the historic Hotel del Coronado with open doors bringing in the San Diego bay sea breezes from the Pacific Ocean. On a summer day it makes for an incredible experience. Great atmosphere and place to hang out.

We were staying at the shore house for the weekend and we explored all the restaurants in the main hotel Dell Coronado area. We came upon this place and the atmosphere was super fun! It's got an old-fashioned vibe and it's open to the outside, but you can also sit at the bar and inside. The drinks were fantastic, the service was great, and the food was delicious. However ... When they are serving a $26 Old fashioned, and their burgers are as expensive as they are, they darn well better be delicious. Lol be prepared to pay a lot for this historic hotels atmosphere!

I love the classic feel of this bar, and what a perfect location: almost right on the beach. Great history, too. The drinks are spendy and small, so be prepared for that. I got the blood sage smash, which was refreshing and perfect. My parents got Moscow mules, and they were terrible - the ginger beer tasted flat. I didn't know you could have a terrible Moscow mule. It was tough to get service at first, but our server was very nice once we got going.

Good for small bites. But the cocktails are on key. Full bar so you can order other drinks not on the menu. Perfect for sitting down and sipping on a cocktail while people watching.

Fun little bar to grab light bites and a drink while enjoying the hotel property. The service was a tad slow, but overall I had a good experience. The pretzel bites were super yummy!

Babcock & Story Bar is a really fun spot with a great atmosphere, especially given its location inside the iconic Hotel del Coronado. The drinks were really good, well made and enjoyable with a nice variety to choose from. The service was friendly and made the experience even better. It does feel a bit over-priced for what you get, but that is pretty expected given the setting. You are paying for the location and the experience as much as the drinks. Still, it is a cool place to relax and take in the historic vibes, especially if you're already at the Del.

We came here for a quick drink and app while waiting to check in to the hotel del. It was around 3 pm and busy but not terribly so, we grabbed a table and found they had a $75 minimum which seemed like an absurd thing to enforce for a bar and was quite high. We ordered drinks which were ridiculously over priced at $22 bucks. I requested a boulevardier which was on their menu, but what I got was an old fashioned. Not even an orange peel or cherry to go with it, crazy for that price. Drinks were good but nothing special. You're mainly paying for a nice ocean view and to be at the Del, I don't think it's really worth it. For food we got the crab dip appetizer. It tasted like dipping bread into bread crumb and cheese. It had no discernable crab in it other than a slight crab aroma. Again for $29 not even close to worth it. The service was not good at all. Our waiter would walk away before I even finished making a request. Ask for a drink, he's running off before I can even ask for water. Had to flag him down for another menu and to order another drink. He didn't check in at all to see how things were or if we needed anything else. We waited 15+ minutes to get a check and he was nowhere to be found. I had to eventually wave him over from across the bar. Again it's not like it was that busy, he seemed to just not even be around half the time. For these prices and the caliber of the hotel, the service should be much better.

Let me start by stating the obvious, the prices at Babcock & Story Bar are very much in line with the overall vibe of Coronado. You are paying for much more than the cost of materials. There's not much real estate, it's in a breathtaking corner of the world and as a result, it's going to cost you. I say that first because there's a number of reviews here focusing on the price. As if the bar itself isn't situated in an historic hotel, on an historic beach and on the edge of a historically expensive neighborhood. We probably visit twice a year, just to take in how wonderful the Hotel Del is, and this is where we come to sit and have a bite and enjoy a few drinks. When you consider that the food is actually very good, the drinks are excellent and there is usually a very decent musician playing, it's worth every penny. The people watching alone is probably worth the price of admission. Or the sunsets, especially in December and January. Our service is usually good, but frequently outstanding. Our sever this evening was Pepe, and he was friendly, attentive and helpful despite a massive holiday weekend crowd. Babcock and Story is timeless; and worth every cent.

This is a nice bar with a beautiful view of the Pacific and Wi-Fi. My husband likes to come here and work whenever he's with me in San Diego and I'm on NASNI for work for the day. They have a smaller food menu but fries are very good and staff is attentive. As expected, for a bar at the fancy Hotel Del Coronado, it's classy and elegant and prices are exceedingly high. Like a club soda is $7 high. Still, a beautiful place to spend an afternoon or sunset.

Originally, we had gone to the Hotel Del for the Christmas Light Show and had dinner reservations afterwards. But we ended up heading to the Babcock Bar instead. I had the crème brûlée trio which was pretty good, but the service was horrendous. Probably the worst service my friends, and I have ever experienced! 1) It took our server a very long time to come to the table. 2) We had asked for water, he did not bring it. We had to call someone else's attention to get some water while we waited for our orders. 3) The table was very dirty, I had to clean my own chair. There were grease and crumbs all over it. Not what you'd expect at the Hotel Del, and not what you expect when you pay Hotel Del prices! Extremely disappointing.

Nice bar inside Hotel Del Coronado. We had spent the afternoon walking along Coronado Beach and were thirsty, so we stopped by for a drink. I took a timeout from alcohol and opted for a soda with cranberry and lime. $7 for a glass of mainly ice! I thought that was rather expensive! My guy ordered the Boulevardier whiskey for $22. The place was loud, and I can't really say I loved it or that I would be back. The waiter wasn't too nice since we did not order food. I'm glad we saved our stomach because we had an incredible dinner afterwards.

A view to sip for. Such a great view to sit in the front while the gentle breeze off the coast throws kisses all over you. Well that's just my first impression which is not enough or complete until you experience Babcock and story bar. Simply put, walk in take a seat order the menu and chillax. Give in yourself.

Came here for cocktails and coffee after having dinner at another place. Atmosphere wasn't what we expected. It was louder with live music and sports on tv vs an intimate space. Service was good and the boulevardier was excellent. As an added bonus I was able get an overpriced not so good cup of coffee next door and bring it over, lol. As for the cocktail, resort prices but we'll made.

Food and drinks were good but expensive. Enjoyed the view and people watching. Service also could have been better. Had to ask for utensils and napkins and had to flag waiter down for our order.

Great for cocktails but the bar food is trash. They have the worst bar food options and they're around $20+ each. You'd think a place that has absolute PRIME location would have desired food choices -- WRONG. It's absolute garbage. Don't eat here. Drinks are fine tho. Ambiance is wonderful. Food is garbage. Feedback for owners: you have tons of foot traffic here -- want to increase it even more? Get real food items. Pizza, burgers, fries, fish, etc. No one is inclined to spend $20 for bar peanuts

Mannnn, came across this bar after dinner at Peohe's. Stopped in to check out the beautiful hotel and we wanted to have a shot of Clase Azul. The bartender was an older man that wasn't friendly at all. Didn't even bother to tell me how much each shot was. I did expect to pay a bit but not $77 a freakin shot!!! He handed me the bill $250 for 3 shots! He didn't even ring the bell! I was so000 mad! Paid the bill, will never be back! Not even for a glass of wine! That is CRAZYYY! A bottle is $155.

Got 5 mixed drinks and a Crème Brûlée... $200. Wow. Do not waste your time with this place. Many, many, many more options for the money. Huge ripoff.

Ive been coming to del Coronado for some time heard about their remodel and decided to do a stay-cation . So we booked a room and had lunch at their Babcock restaurant ,food was just ok ,mussels needed lots of flavor, oysters were not chucked , burger was cooked great but can you really messed this up , lol tacos were ok . We tried a little of everything on this menu and was not impressed basically it's the Del coronado and it's expected to have great views ...but guest with not palette ? See my only available option on this menu taco burger and bland oysters (not chucked ) is this the best the iconic Del coronado hotel has to offer ??? At some point the legacy of the hotel has meet dining experience, im a bit lost . Raúl was excellent extremely attentive.

What a lovely place! It's not only a gorgeous setting but the food was good too. I had a late night meal at the bar with a lemon drop martini. The martini was as good as they get. The burger was excellent....Brioche bun, large patty, toppings were on point. Bartender was friendly and attentive. Would be a cool place to say for a few days. Coronado is a nice quiet community.

We went last night, it was a chilly night as common on the island and we ordered the tomato soup and grilled cheese. It was delicious, it was not inexpensive but fairly priced based on portion and based on restaurant pricing due to food and service costs these days. We really enjoyed Cathey's service as well as the bar's ambiance and food. Gonzo was playing his guitar and singing on the patio, we sat outside with the heaters. We would definitely go again for the soup and grilled cheese and may try the tarts that are actually like large flat breads, the Caesar salad looked good, too.

We arrived at the Hotel after a long drive and headed to the bar for a quick bite to eat. The cocktails were very good, we ordered an Aviation, Bees Knees, and a Boulevardier. The doors open up wide to the outside and on this breezy evening, it would have been warmer sitting outside under a propane heater. It was a Tuesday evening and the place was bustling and might have been under staffed. It took longer than normal to get cocktails ordered and for them to arrive as did ordering food and for the food to arrive. At one point one of our knives fell on the the floor and we couldn't get anyone's attention to get a new one and ended up sharing knives between us. We ordered meatballs, salsiccia pizza, Emcilia salad ( Caesar) and the cheese board. Everything was very tasty and well prepared. We were surprised how good the salad was. The pizza was delivered a little warm and the cheese board was just dropped without any explanation of which one was which. The jams were very well paired with each cheese. There aren't too many onsite choices so we ended up here again a second night. A Thursday at about 8:40 pm. We wanted the salad again and to try another one of the craft cocktails we enjoyed earlier in the week. The Chocolate martini was good and boozee, the chocolate we suspect was of lesser quality, two other vodka based drinks were ordered and everyone was happy with their drinks. We ordered the salad and were told they had closed the kitchen early because they were so busy. We begged, to check on a salad, it doesn't need to be cooked and the salad arrived. Had I just flown in and arrived tired and hungry and was told the kitchen was closed .... holy cow, hanrgy would be an understatement. There is currently no room service, so you would either have to leave the property or Door Dash. The menu is good, but they could use a few tweaks and refinements. We visited during the first week of June , during June gloom, so bring a jacket if you want to be comfortable.

Best oysters and ceviche around. Everything was super fresh with robust flavors. Quality is worth the price tag and the views are stunning. Definitely recommend if you are visiting Coronado.

Amazing atmosphere, service unparalleled, food is great, drinks are even better! I never regret going to the Babcock!

LIVE MUSIC at the Babcock & Story Bar!! This was truly one of the best finds in San Diego! Live music with great food too. We ordered the hearth baked meatballs with this beautiful sauce . Hubby's pizza was excellent . Also ordered the flash seared ahi tuna with edamame and it was super fresh ! Fir drinks we had red wine and cocktails ! Customer service was 5 star we ended up shutting the place down .. look forward to coming back and enjoying this place even more !

We had lunch here our first day after checking in. I had the burger which I thought was well made, as did my son. It was certainly poshed up with the brioche bun, truffle vinaigrette, and the aged cheddar. My mom had the dozen wings and loved them, she normally doesn't eat much but she cleaned up half and had my son demolish the rest. I loved having a nice glass of Prosecco before. It's definitely resort prices, on par with other places we've stayed like Pebble Beach and the Grand Wailea on Maui so you can't have too much sticker shock if you go in expecting it. Service was fine, seemed a little stretched with full seating at the time and the atmosphere is definitely lively.

Worst service ever! No one came to our table...had to go get a menu myself. Finally flagged down a waiter to place an order. Food came. Waiter disappeared!! Can't even get the bill.

You seat yourself. This place was ok. Not amazing and not the worse. Prices are $$. This small beef plate was 29 dollars. Small menu. The hamburger was 29 dollars as well, but the spicy aioli sauce is awesome

We live here at the Shores for the summer. Our favorite thing to do is to walk down the boardwalk to the Del and have some food and drinks. A tiny perk we've had for YEARS is that we get 10% off for living here. Today we were told that the Del will no longer honor that discount. It seems small but when you're spending at least $100 every time for food and drinks at LEAST once a week for 3 months, it adds up. Hotel Del is SOOOO greedy. It makes me sick. I was upset 2 years ago when suddenly they would not let us bring our own bottle of wine (only place in CA that has denied us) and we were paying them a $50 corkage fee (twice as much as anywhere) and that still wasn't good enough! They have the worst wine list and mark their bottles up 4 to 5 times the retail price. Disgusting. We love living in Coronado but we will be walking right past the Del and over to some of the smaller locally owned non-greedy restaurants from now on. Everyone we know at the Shores agrees and will not be back so hopefully someone will feel this loss and rethink these horrible decisions.

Horrible service and really poor attitude from an old bleached blonde female named Jenny. "I've been here 18 years" and is feeling pretty secure in her nasty attitude to her customers. Whether she's been here 18 years or 18 days I'd fire her in a heartbeat if she worked for me.

Whether you're facing the ocean while the sun is setting or the solo guitarist/singer/ukelele player, the ambiance can't be beat. The price of the cocktails are currently $22 and that price is just tough to stomach. The least expensive glass of wine was $19. The crinkle fries were crispy but were served with ketchup and blue cheese dressing - nothing special.

Visited twice. First time no one served us so we picked up our drinks at the bar. Great redemption was the fabulous live music on the patio. Second visit much better service and great drink selections as well.

The wife and I wanted to sit down and have a drink in this historic hotel but sadly it was disappointing. The bar is beautiful and nice to sit at but don't order any of there signature drinks. We ordered the Rye Not?, a cocktail featuring Bulleit Rye. We watched him make the drink and witnessed him using Jim Beam. Wasn't sure if it was our drink or someone else's at first so we didn't say anything but he gave that drink to us. When asked about the use of Jim Beam, the menu said Bulleit, he just said oh we haven't been able to get Bulleit for a while and Jim is our substitute. He and the other bar tender looked caught off guard when asked and after we were served the drink they never came back to check on us. The drink was also still $20. Very disappointed and won't be going back. Do not recommend and stay away from the shady service here. Also, I checked the local liquor store and they were well stocked with Bulleit Rye.

Came here for drinks and the table minimum was $75, that was fine we didn't mind paying that much so we both got drinks and an appetizer. Didn't realize they charged $23 for Jameson gingers at this bar! The crab dip was disgusting, tasted like cold tuna with 4 pieces oh hard burnt sourdough. We barely touched it and the waiter never asked questions just cleared the app after 15 minutes. Would've been nice if he asked since it was $29 and pretty much untouched. 4 drinks and a very underwhelming app later the bill was $160 after tip. Save your money and avoid this place.

Place was packed and wished the staff had told me that they weren't serving food for another 30 minutes since I was starving. Server was great and made us laugh. She also had good recommendations for the menu. Ordered the oysters and the crab melt. The oysters were fresh but not separated from the shell which I always find to be a better dining experience. They were served with a green salsa which surprisingly tasty combo while I tend to favor a tangy mignonette sauce which they unfortunately didn't have. Crab melt was a little on the fishy side for me but others loved it. For how busy they were the service news still surprisingly consistent. Great view either way so that can't be beat!!

Good spot for drinks and afternoon lunch. Great views of the Pacific and live music in the evenings

Christmas day is probably not the best day to review an experience at the Hotel del Coronado [affectionately known simply as the "Hotel Del" by generations of San Diegans], as it may well be their busiest day of the year, not in room bookings, but in use of the restaurant and bar facilities. But there I was at the Babcock & Story Bar. It was packed with people, and any available open table was ominously marked with a "reserved" sign, which was strange, since there was no host or manager present and no one was monitoring the entrances, so who on earth was doing all this "reserving"? In any event, it didn't matter to me, since I was headed to the bar and there was one seat available. It took about 15 minutes for the harried bartender to get to me [more on that later]. The wine list offered at the bar is ridiculously overpriced both in pricing by the glass as well as by the bottle. Nonetheless, I found a relatively affordable Wente Chardonnay [I used to visit this winery in Livermore when I was a student at Berkeley, so I have a special affinity for the brand]. Likewise, the bar's food menu, which the bartender stated was the ONLY menu available---one cannot order off the adjacent café's menu---was tiny and uninteresting. Nonetheless, there was a $28.50 hamburger everyone seemed to be ordering, so I did, too. The bartender takes your credit card "as hostage" when you are seated, a practice I vehemently dislike, but I understand it on such a frenzied day, so I gave up my card without the usual protest. My neighbors at the bar were from Barcelona [they were American, so they could not vote in the recent Catalonian election]. They also ordered a hamburger---two of them--- one medium and one medium well. When the first hamburger was delivered to our section of the bar by the kitchen waiter, I inquired of the temperature, and he stated "medium", so it went to my neighbors, despite the fact I had ordered my medium rare hamburger ten minutes before they did. I did not care---I was happy sipping the wine---but the bartender caught sight of the glitch and disappeared into the kitchen for a bit, and before I knew it my medium rare hamburger was being served. As he set the hamburger down in front of me, he said "after your initial wait and the problem with the hamburger order, I assure you that you will not be receiving a check today". He thereafter returned the hostage-held credit card to me with a gracious smile. That was a nice Christmas present, as the "cheap" wine I had ordered and the hamburger would have come to $100.00. Of course he received a twenty percent gratuity as if I had spent $100.00, along with a firm handshake. His name, by the way, was Dan, tall and mustachioed, and I will return to see him on a quiet, non-holiday winter day. Parking at the Del can be up to $70.00. When I arrived, the man in the parking lot cautioned me that the hotel will validate "as long as you spend $50.00", which, of course, is a breeze at these prices, so be sure to validate, and the price dropped to a most pleasing $5.00 for three hours.

This was a very beautiful and classy bar that i really enjoyed. The view is very beautiful and its definitely right in the middle of all the entertainment. My friend and i walked in and found a seat right away, service was fantastic the entire time. The place was very large, spacious, and clean. I really liked how they provided complimentary snacks for the table. A very nice touch. The only downside about this place is how pricy it is. I ordered a $20 margarita and the glass was hardly half full (see pic). Overall, definitely a beautiful place for a nice drink if you're in the area.

We actually just grabbed brownies and snacks from their little counter to the left of the bar. It was pricey. $50 for 2 salted Carmel brownies, 1 iced tea, 3 izzy sodas, 2 bags of chips. The brownies were delicious and the presentation was beautiful. I'd pay the price I did for the brownies. The rest was a joke. Izzy sodas and chips for so much is highway robbery. Considering we pay top dollar for food crafted at the Del, I would think they would focus pricing on that and not on items that aren't theirs. Stick to the brownies and pastries!

The live music was great and the service was awesome!! The menu changes frequently, based upon fresh availability of ingredients. The servers are typically quite attentive and expeditious- 5 star service for certain. Considering the sliding wall is typically open dunging the bar business hours, be certain to take a jacket at night, or a heavy coat in the winter months- it's very cold at night by the beach when sitting still. There are a few heaters, but the placement of the heaters will not keep you warm. The food is usually very good, but not always. I'm here monthly for business and return to Babcock & Story for the atmosphere and cocktails more so than the food. However, I will say, the brussel sprouts with bacon, goat cheese dip, and artichoke dip are always a crowd pleaser.

I'm betting the beer lines are original. Delivered by horse and buggy based on the murky "bud light de' cream" texture of the $8 libation. They did kindly replace it with a bottle. When a seafood salad on the bar menu is $40, it should be a reflection of the caliber and quality of the restaurant, not a prediction of how many water spots are going to be on the beverage glass I'm being served. Please excuse my frankness, I'm a little irritated as I just got back from the bathroom where I wiped my butt with a toilet seat protector made from organic, vaporizing rice paper since there was not a single spare to share anywhere! No toilet paper in ANY of the 5/6 stalls. Luckily I was able to jimmy the lock of the toilet paper closet and put TP in all of the stalls right before returning to a table topped with water spot laden glassware, a $30 shrimp cocktail and a Diet Coke garnished with a yummy paper straw. The small appetizer of oven baked peppers with chicken ($22) is ok. But I would never eat here again. This place is definitely more suited for the rich and dumb.

The only reason I gave this place three stars is because of Jamie the waitress who was so nice and attentive, smiling the entire time and never showing any irritation with us. It's also important to mention that the place is at Del Coronado hotel and the setting and the view are very relaxing and chill. We ordered the crab dip, along with what they called tuna wontons, and some fries. We had an 11 year old with us who wanted chicken strips but they did not have them (at a bar!!!). The crab dip was very good and served with grilled bread which was crunchy and yummy. The Tuna, however, was awful. It was sloppy looking, too salty, and marinated in a jumbled cacophony of spices. It is very hard to mess up Ahi on tostadas but they managed it. We told Jamie about ti and she took it back and took it off the bill (the food is not cheap). Instead, we opted to get the shrimp and scallop skewers, which were also not cheap. We got three skewers of very large size grilled shrimp, wrapped around one scallop each. They smelled funky but we decided to try them. They were very ordinary and the cooling level and size of the seafood were wasted on the lack os seasoning and flavor. Frankly, I am puzzled. This hotel is the closest thing we have here to a five star resort, a destination for both tourists and celebrities. To have food like this served here is really disappointing.

My wife and I stayed at Hotel Del for our 25th anniversary this past week. The day of our anniversary was the one day in Southern California it actually rained...all day. So we headed to the lobby for a great snack at Babcock's and to play some dominoes. Yes dominoes. A great memory for us believe it or not. Our server was very nice and was prompt with refills. We had a great Croque Monsieur and the home made chips were perfection. I wish there were refills... thanks for making a rainy day great.

Babcock & Story Emporium is a great place to pick up some cute home decor while visiting The Del in Coronado. This store is full of pretty wall art, decorative dishes, tabletop books, kitchen items, lamps, blankets, clocks, frames, aprons, and candlesticks. I also found lots of great smelling soaps, lotions, and candles on lovely wooden shelves throughout the store. Everything is arranged in such beautiful displays. While I like the home decor, my son went directly to the glass case with all that yummy chocolate. The salesperson was friendly and helped him pick out exactly what he wanted. He doesn't like dark chocolate, but the pieces of milk chocolate mousse and a fudge were perfect. I even tried the salted caramel. All of these tasted fresh and delicious. This is a great place to shop while waiting for a reservation at any of The Del's restaurants or to find a gift to remember your time at this wonderful resort.

Sadly, this bar did not live up to our past experience at the Hotel Del. Waited 15 mins and no service; not indicative of a 5 star resort or our past experience. Other people were waiting as well, on a VERY slow afternoon. When I'm paying $20 for a drink at a top resort I want at least decent service. Sad, sad, sad; this is my city, love this hotel; hate to see this.

We stopped by mid afternoon on a Saturday at the end of the summer season, so it was packed as visitors were seeking shade. The doors were wide open, and it was a little warm when the breezes ceased. They appeared to have some problems with their fans. You can't beat the views - both of the grounds and beach, and the interesting people who pass by. Service was a bit slow, which was no problem for us as we were killing time waiting for housekeeping to clean our room. I had a tall gin and tonic and we tried their poke appetizer. My husband really enjoyed the poke! Everything was delicious and our server was attentive. The delay in service clearly came from the bar and kitchen staff. Our server had to wait quite a while to get our bill, even though most of the crowd had cleared by then. Definitely on the pricey side, but you are paying for the view! Now, let's get some assistance with the bar team to speed up the service.

Great bar to relax and enjoy the view of the beach or just to people watch. We sat at the bar and it's like stepping back in time to a classy black and white movie with Humphrey Bogart. We ordered dirty vodka martinis with blue cheese stuffed olives and the cheese mezza plate. Martinis were perfect, although at $20 each it was a pretty expensive splurge. Only reason I deducted a star was the price, but it's not unexpected at this magnificent hotel.

Food was great. The price was a little high for what it it was, but to be expected when your eating at a hotel. The only reason I didn't give them a 5 was because the service was terribly slow. The house made pickles and pickled onions on the burger were fantastic. This place is probably the most economically priced restaurant at the Coronado, but if it is, it cannot be by much.

Food was okay, a 7 or 8 out of 10. Service? Well, the best service I got was from the busboy. Open seating, so you have to be quick. I sat down and waited for like 10 minutes, many servers passed by me without greeting, without a word. Finally decided to flag down a guy, and he listened to a very short list of food to order and decided to tell me he was not my server. Finally my server came, appeared to be listening to my order, went to the register, and came back asking me to repeat everything. I only ordered 4 items without alterations, was it really hard? How about get a pen and write it down? During the meal, he only came here once asking how things were doing. I asked for extra dipping sauce then, and guess what? It never came! He never showed! At the end, we asked for check from another guy, he delivered it, and........ endless waiting again. I guess we were the waiter, not him. Paid for the food, not the tip. Sorry friendly busboy.

Accidently ended up here. Enjoyed the $15.00 hummus and soft crackers. $4.00 sodas??? http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/eE6f6wbWwoG_809866rw9w?select=MDt8zxC8QIX4Zmiveo8v-Q We wanted to eat at Sheerwater Restaurant. Missed it by 1 minute, It's OK Besides; I was having such a great time in Coronado. So we snacked here and had a superb time... Jaime and Patricia were great waitresses... Great hummus and soft crackers... View of the beach... Next place to eat later at... ...off I go to Sheerwater... they better be good.... for my wait time... http://www.signonsandiego.com/uniontrib/20080302/news_lz1n2dining.html

Sat at the bar around 130pm on Saturday 12/11/21. We were not helped till 145pm by the bar-back Paul. His look looked like he felt bad that none of the bartenders, specifically Jair who would not help anyone of Caucasian color, so he kindly asked if we had been helped. I said no and he took our order and poured me a beer. There were two other patrons who asked me where to go for a drink and all I could say was "I had a hard time myself getting a drink". One waited for probably 5 mins who was wearing University of Clemson gear and left due to a friend showing up with no drink in hand. He was ignored by Jair, just like us. My wife and I have never felt so alienated having to pay $12 for a beer. Jair should be fired. A terrible look for a "5 star hotel" such as the Del. I'd give it a zero star if I could.

Great bites with with a great view! The hubs and I love hitting up Babcock Story & Bar whenever we stay at The Del. The view is unbeatable (especially during sunset), the bartenders are great, the drinks are stiff and creative, local craft beers on tap, and OMG that Baked Goat Cheese appetizer is to die for!!! A fresh block of goat cheese, roasted garlic, tomato and basil pesto, and toasted ciabatta. Don't hesitate to ask for another fresh loaf! 5 stars for this appetizer alone! The menu is hella pricey for sure, but given the location, high price points are to be expected. In my opinion, the food and cocktails are well worth every penny. Except for the banana and milk I bought for my tot across the way at Babcock Bakery. $5.50 for an 8oz milk and $2.45 for ONE freaken banana is ridiculously overpriced. So, note to parents - bring enough food, snacks and drinks for the kiddos. I would have given Babcock Story & Bar 5 stars, but service was EXTREMELY slow during our recent visit, and it wasn't even busy that day. Our server took forEVER to bring our beers, took forEVER to get our 2nd round, and took forEVER to bring me my 2nd loaf of ciabatta. Although service was slow, our server was quite friendly, as always.

I don't think you can find a better spot for a bar. On the ocean side of the famous Hotel Del Coronado, Babcock & Story has a beautiful view and a wonderful breeze when all the large doors are open to the sea. The decor is masculine mahogany and leather. The service is impeccable at the bar as provided by well-groomed men in white shirts and black vests. The beer selection is just okay with a half dozen craft beers and a couple mass market selections. The acoustic musician was pleasant and not too loud, giving patrons the ability to converse while providing entertainment in the form of classic tunes by the likes of Paul Simon, The Rolling Stones, Jimmy Buffet, and the usual suspects performed at seaside bars. The place is very expensive, which is to be expected for this location and environment, but what brings the rating down from me is the food. Don't bother. The shrimp tacos I had ($23) were more bland than I thought possible. Pretentious ingredients, that were clearly meant to give a traditional dish a twist, just did not fit. Huge slices of carrots don't belong on a taco. Each of my two tacos had a single, rubbery, over-cooked shrimp with the tails still attached. The guacamole had no taste at all. How does that even happen in California? It was only edible at all due to the generous shakes of hot sauce I had to apply to get any flavor at all. For $23 you're better off eating before you arrive and using that money for a couple of drinks.

The Babcock and story bar at the Hotel Del Coronado has been a "go-to" for my girlfriend and I for a couple of years now. While the prices are slightly fluctuated, the views, quality of drinks, and great service makes the price worth it. I would recommend visiting on a warm sunny day as the views are spectacular. I will be a regular here for many years to come. PS Jennifer was an absolute delight as our waitress! MANAGEMENT TAKE NOTE!

Horrible service and bartenders with an even more oblivious and incompetent manager. Waste of time to come here.

This is a cozy place. We have been coming here for years. They have great sliders and French Fries. They have live music even on a Tuesday. It is so festive here. This is the place to be. We recommend it. Family's are welcome. We can watch the ice skating from our seats.