Candor by Giuseppe

Delightful delicious meal at candor‘s. Each dish was unique and worth re-ordering one was a great server with good recommendations the za’atra salmon was fresh and really great. Even the simple salad was not so simple. The dressing was amazing. We ordered the tomato bread with garlic for a starter and it wasn’t too much but really delicious. Even though we didn’t really have room for dessert, we ordered the tiramisu with chocolate mousse complemented each other perfectly. I encourage you to come here for a delicious and special lunch.

Our very first visit at Candor by Guiseppe was perhaps a very good accident. Frankly, getting lost here by mistake was a great decision prior to leaving San Diego! We were in town looking for an infant-friendly place & dish and we didn’t expect Candor would offer the wonderful gastronomic experience for us. Every single food we ordered was beautiful and palatable. The food quality is definitely better than the rest of fine dining restaurants we’ve been. The hospitality experience - Magnificent!

We were treated like family by Matias from the moment we were seated. We had personable, attentive, and very informative attention. The recommendations were spot on, and the modifications we asked for (less spicy on one dish) were readily accommodated. We had the Roasted Branzino and Fisherman's Stew, with the marinated Shrimp Al Ajillo. We finished with a Carrot Cake and 2 Americans. It was all amazing in presentation, flavor, and texture. The ambiance was slightly diminished by being on a main road, but Sunday night even outside was a very nice relaxed, upscale vibe.

We randomly chose this restaurant for a birthday celebration, and it was the best decision. The food and service were fantastic. Our waiter, Matias, was incredibly kind and helped make the occasion unforgettable. I can confidently say it’s one of the best services I’ve experienced worldwide. We returned for lunch the next day, and Matias was just as gracious, with the food being outstanding. We will definitely come back on our next visit to California.

My family and I had an incredible dining experience at Candor The variety and quality of dishes were outstanding. The eggplant, fig salad, salmon salad, lentil soup, and short ribs all exceeded our expectations. The pasta could be a bit more aldente, but the sauce was amazing. However, what truly set this restaurant apart was its exceptional service. The staff and our server, Gurllermo was attentive, friendly, and made me feel truly valued as a customer. From the moment I walked in, I was greeted warmly. The attention to detail and genuine care they exhibited throughout the meal made it a wonderful experience. I can confidently say that Candor not only offers delicious food but also provides a level of service that is truly remarkable

Amazing! We went in craving for pasta and we were thrilled! Their margaritas were so smooth and flavor combination was great (I got fruity) We got white lasagna and meatball and pasta. I still remember their taste after 4 days, truffle in white lasagna was just right amount pleasing all the ingredients! Their tomato sauce was not overwhelmingly tomato but so fresh! Butternut squash soup warmed up from the wind. We would definitely come back next time we visit CA

My sibling and I went here for a nice lunch after walking along the cliffs. We got the tomato bread and roasted cauliflower with pistachio pesto to share. They got the fisherman's stew and I got the jumbo shrimp. All of it was delicious, we are very happy to have gone. I do recommend a reservation, however the bar was open seating while we were there

My new favorite spot! The cappuccinos here are SO GOOD! and the food is absolutely delicious. This is how ALL pasta should taste!! The service is excellent and super friendly, they make many rounds and check in on you! Cozy restaurant, good for solo dining as well as family!!

Today, we had a fantastic 3 course dinner experience at Candor! The food was perfectly cooked and served. Dessert was worth much more than the extra calories! Their martinis and margaritas were experimental crafted. Outdoor seating was quite comfortable. And the service was not only friendly but on top of things. Shout out to our server Guillermo for doing such a great job. Highly recommend Candor. I would be happy go back anytime!

We were treated like family by Matias from the moment we were seated. We had personable, attentive, and very informative attention. The recommendations were spot on, and the modifications we asked for (less spicy on one dish) were readily accommodated. We had the Roasted Branzino and Fisherman's Stew, with the marinated Shrimp Al Ajillo. We finished with a Carrot Cake and 2 Americans. It was all amazing in presentation, flavor, and texture. The ambiance was slightly diminished by being on a main road, but Sunday night even outside was a very nice relaxed, upscale vibe.

Wonderful restaurant! My sister, my husband and I went to candor for Mother's Day today and LOVED the food, ambiance, service and hospitality! We had the hot and crispy tomato grilled bread and the steamed mussels and clams as starters. Very yummy broth on the mussels and clams which goes great with the bread for dipping. Then we had 3 entrees: 1) the Branzino was absolutely delicious, tender, moist and accompanied by beautiful greens and a wonderful green goddess sauce along with baby potatoes roasted to perfection crispy outside tender inside. 2) Fisherman stew in a delicious saffron sauce. Sooo yummy! Delicate yet flavorful and memorable. Came with grilled bread for dipping. 3) Hamburger and fries. Tender large burger with a wonderful sauce and white cheddar cheese. Grilled beautifully and paired with a very generous serving of excellent crispy steak fries. We cleaned our plates and as tempting as dessert was, we had no room. We paired our meal with a bottle of Pinot Noir. You know that feeling when you leave a restaurant fully nourished (in every way), content and grateful for people who create lovely places to eat great food with friendly folks working there? That is Candor! We all can't wait to go back! Highly recommended.

Cute spot right in the heart of La Jolla. There's plenty of seating with indoor and outdoor options. Great place for a date or to enjoy good food and customer service. One of our favorites was the branzino but everything was great.

Fun time here. Nice patio, big portions, pretty good food. Lots of vegetarian, vegan, gluten free and pescatarian options, with a lot of vegetable forward stuff. It was pretty quiet on a Sat. night and they started to fold up chairs at 8:30 - maybe more people come for breakfast and lunch? Servers were exceptionally nice. Our main server was a 30-something Latinx guy, very friendly. There was also a wonderful young woman with blue hair who brought some food and a young busser (high school?). My St Germantini was a fun change of pace (Cosmo-ish with St Germain). Not a big fan of the basil crystal rim, but a nice drink. I would not recommend the Hot & Crispy Tomato Bread. Their bread is great, but the tomatoes were not seasoned the best and eventually the bread got soggy. They have so many app choices I would recommend trying something else. I loved the Local Strawberry and Arugula Salad with beets and goat cheese. Delicious. Huge. Saved half to take home and it was a great lunch today. My sweetie had the Farmer's Market Salad and it looked fresh. He said it was good. I got the Salmon Burger as my entree. Also HUGE. Not a piece of seared salmon but a mashed seasoned salmon patty (like a crab cake), with french fries. This was way too much food! (it didn't mention French fries on the menu). But this was a good dish. Not what you'd think of as "farm to table" - definitely comfort food. But I liked it. The most annoying (but so annoying as to be almost funny) thing of the evening was not the restaurant's fault at all - there were an older couple on a double date that were unbelievably loud and stayed long after they were done to talk. The tables on the covered patio have more comfortable chairs than on the garden patio (though the garden patio is spacious and also has heaters). We stuck around thinking that they would have to leave soon since they were done eating - but it was almost an hour that they lingered, yelling across the table. I will share, since the woman was being loud enough for all to hear, that one was related to a certain Mexican Jewish real estate reality star in LA, and once she started to share family stories, at least that was good gossip. But yes, if you ever come here the same night as they do... sit far away LOL. The servers realized how loud they were and were offering to move us - but we just kept hoping they'd finish up! When they did, the one other table near us (some very chill guys) and us laughed and celebrated. AND we could finally hear the soundtrack, which was super chill (Isley Brothers and other cool stuff). So I'm glad we tried it out - just keep in mind that you're better spaced on the garden patio and hopefully you won't come here the same night as La U******y.

Love Candor! Celebrated my birthday last night and the food was delicious, as always. I'm a picky vegetarian so I appreciate the seasonal menu changes for variety. The grilled pear salad was amazing, the arancini to die for, and the mushroom ravioli was wonderful. My husband had the salmon which was also excellent. Great service as well and we appreciated the outdoor heated patio.

We had dessert but it was really good. Charming ambience with lovely people. Will return soon!

Confused by the high ratings - did they lose their chef? All dishes was terrible. Arancini was off and my friend got food poisoning. Super sour mojitos which seemed to have zero alcohol. Only reason this even deserves a 1 star are the servers and outdoor ambience which were wonderful.

The place looks like a nice place to dine and the service was great. The food was awful. The bread with tomatoes on it was saltier than the Salton Sea and the pasta was more bland than a concrete wall. Im pretty sure they used up their entire week supply of salt in the bread with tomatoes. Just dont dine here unless you want to be crystalized like Han solo.

I have known the owner, Giuseppe, since the early 90s... And I have loved his restaurants ever since. This used to be come on in, which I absolutely adored... But this restaurant is fantastic also! They have an amazing happy hour where the margarita flatbread is $10 instead of $17... I think it's the best flatbread I've ever had. So clean tasting and unique. What I think I like most about this place and experience, is the staff. Every single person that works here, takes such pride in their job, and they make you feel like you are in their home. I don't drink alcohol but they made me the best virgin margarita I have ever had. And I love the poached chicken that you can get on any salad. Again... So clean tasting... And even if you are on a diet, you absolutely must end your meal with a peanut butter cookie... theeee bessst!!!

I drive by this spot every day but we finally came in for a last minute date night. Wife and I were treated well by the Candor staff. We were immediately seated despite not having reservations (but I recommend calling beforehand to ensure theres space). Our waiter was very attentive- we noticed a lot of repeat customers that were on a first name basis woth the staff and treated like family. We ordered herb fries, the Lamb Pappardelle and Linguine & Clams- both were delicious. The fries we used to mop up any remaining sauce. Candor is a great option for a no frills date night. Overall this place did not disappoint!

Great, quick service. Food was awesome - I got the short rib. Drinks were good as well. It also wasn't incredibly expensive which was awesome. Overall good experience would go back and would recommend

Nice ambiance, attentive service and delectable food. A wonderful experience the whole family enjoyed. Fisherman's Stew was exceptional. Bread was a great addition to the stew. Negroni was a perfect choice to make for a great evening. Coming back!

Lunch time I forgot to take pic of mussel but they were not the business small mussels hardly any meat and clams sauce was whatever the hit of the lunch was the Moroccan shrimp salad bomb !! I loved it

Was looking for a dinner spot before going to a show nearby. Wanted something new and fresh. Candor fit the bill for an early dinner and someplace I hadn't been before. There was only a single table occupied inside when we arrived and a larger group of 8 or so outside. We were greeted by the hostess upon entering and seated immediately. Grateful for allowing us to use a larger table for just the two of us. Colin was our server and he was great. Seemed like at some time or another everyone else working at the restaurant had helped out in one way or another. We started with the steamed mussels & clams. They're prepared in a garlic-wine broth, spices, chilis and chorizo sausage. Three words to describe this dish. UH-MAZ-ING! Get it. Dip the grilled bread in the broth and savor the flavor! For entrees we enjoyed the Grilled Salmon Nicoise Salad and the Lamb Pappardelle. Both were simply wonderful. Each bite was full of flavor while the entrees themselves were vastly different. As we dined, the restaurant slowly began to attract more and more guests. Many of which had reservations. Based on the number of staff they had on hand and the expanded patio seating into the parking lot, I'm sure they're quite busy during dinner hours. Definitely will return to try other menu options. Keep on Yelp'n!

Cute place in la jolla..the decor is well done. Service was great. Got a free slice of cake for ky bday. Had the eggplant starter and tomato bread with fresh garlic. So much diff flavours. I loved it.

I do not understand the high ratings this restaurant is getting. Went there last night with my hubby and two friends. I found the food pretty disappointing. We ordered the rocky chicken, the short rib, the branzino, and the fish of the day - swordfish. The branzino was excellent as was the service. The chicken was way too salty and the portion was fairly small considering the price. The short rib was very fatty and totally flavorless. The asparagus were a tad undercooked and flavorless. The swordfish was over cooked as were the snap peas that came on the side. This place is not cheap and the food is pretty average. There are many better restaurants in La Jolla. Try Piatti. It's excellent. I will not be back to Canfor.

The strangely-named "Candor by Giuseppe" is located on thundering Torrey Pines Road, not far from the angled intersection with Girard. You will find it in one of those gray and white New-England-esque mini-malls that seem to proliferate on every corner of the La Jolla Village. What makes this mini-mall unique is that it not only houses Candor, but also an Indian restaurant, a high-end sushi restaurant and an order-from-the-counter café. Because each of the restaurants has claimed outdoor space for dining from the small parking lot, you will likely have to search for street parking, most likely around the corner on Girard. The interior of Candor by Giuseppe is surprisingly small. Everyone gravitated towards the outdoor seating. It also could be that because management kept the interior dining room as bright as a three-ring circus, lending a kitchen-like look that was not conducive to dining, it was not surprising customers avoided the interior in place of the outdoor seating. Service by Helena was pleasant and efficient. I ordered the Frascati from Lazio that was described on the wine list as being from "Giuseppe's home region". Helena was able to offer me several different wine glasses, since I prefer a large bowl for drama, even with a white wine. The only specials offered were a soup and the fish-of-the-day, a crispy sea bass served atop farro and chopped vegetables in a Salsa Romesco, which I ordered and enjoyed. I would appreciate a few more specials to show the restaurant is thinking and perhaps even shopping at the nearby weekend farmer's market for seasonal treasures. I was pleasantly-surprised to learn from Helena that Candor by Giuseppe had a full bar, It looked like a wine and beer kind of place with its mini-mall location. That permitted me to have an after-dinner Irish Coffee, served in a large Burgundy wine glass at my request. On the dessert menu, "Kahlua" was mis-spelled as "Kalhua".

Food, service and ambience is amazing. Juan hosted our table and was great and made good recommendations. I had the whole Branzino for my entree and it was grilled to my likeness. This place is a small wonderful Mediterranean restaurant. The food made me feel as if I was eating at a small town in Greece. Thank you for a wonderful dinner!

This place is amazing food ambience and drinks are amazing and Sofia is making a best Espresso Martini in town please type it you're going to love itLily&John

Most of the food from salads to pastas was meh and the desserts were unacceptable. Parking could be a problem as there are a limited number of spaces considering the number of establishments at this strip mall.

Made last minute dinner reservations, after a local friend recommended ,for a group of 4. Located in a little strip mall next to a sushi restaurant, with limited parking. Found street parking a block away. Arrived on time and given the option of indoor or outdoor seating. We opted for outdoor (they have heaters). Our group started with a round of cocktails. I had the Dirty-Flirty Germatini: gin, st germain, Cointreau, muddled raspberries, lime, sparkling rose float. A good cocktail before dinner. Our group ordered the Hot & Crispy Tomato Bread. I had a bite and it was ok. For my entree, I had the Giuseppe's Signature White Lasagna. Artichokes, spring peas, spinach, bechamel & parmigiano with an asparagus coulis. Presentation was great, but I found the dish rather bland. Finally, I had the affogato for dessert. This was delicious. Vanilla Bean gelato with a tasty espresso, whipped cream & chocolate shavings. Service was friendly and attentive. Perhaps, I ordered the wrong entree (my friend has NEVER steered me wrong when it comes to food). I'll have to give them another try.

Fun Fact: it's inside a mini like mall, blue and white, located right at the corner intersection. Turn right and there is plenty of neighborhood parking! - I want to first start off by saying that the dock for one star was mostly due to service. I'd give it a 4 stars for food flavor , portions, and presentation. I love Italian food, and anyplace that has pasta - I will try. I enjoy that they do happy happy hour and their menus change seasonally, which allows for each time to be a unique experience. It was one of my best friend's birthday and I clearly state it was her bday in the OpenTable comments. When I got there, the server that we were introduced to took our drink orders (water !) and did not come back with a menu until 15 min later ( and no water). Next we ordered an app to start as well as two dinner plates but everything came all at once in 15 min. It was disappointing to see our food all served together. Typically you serve an app first, then the food after. I was shocked it came out so fast. Then, my pesto pasta has Parmesan already melted on it, it would have been nice to have that served freshly shaved at the table. I also had to ask for water twice, having to flag down and call our server by raising my voice loudly as the other times he did not hear. When it our meals were done, the server already had the check ready. We had to insist to ask for dessert menu. I also had to fake going to the bathroom to make sure they had a candle for my friend's bday. I'll admit, there didn't seem to be too many servers for how many tables there were, but this is where communication is vital. The basics, though important details like water and birthdays are important. My friend did enjoy her short rib which she said was tender and deliciously marinated. And while overly salty for my taste, overall my pesto pasta had a delicious flavor. I enjoyed the summer vegetables throughout the pasta. The place is beautiful with indoor and outdoor seating. Overall, I think this place has great ratings for a reason- they have great food. I'd love to see a few more pasta dishes, better communication better and service in the future.

Absolutely an amazing place. It seems that my best experiences are coming lately from places that I just happened to land and not making days in advance reservations. This place is no exception. We were in the neighborhood and happened to se this place. We went in without reservation and the hostess was very kind in giving us sits. And we are glad she did. Food was amazing, ambiance was nice and service was great. Definitely a place I recommend if you happen to be in the area. You won't be disappointed. Happy meals!

An all around outstanding restaurant that does, in my opinion, California cuisine beautifully. The restaurant is very cute and has lots of good outdoor spaces, but the food is what truly matters and it shines. It's hard to pick a bad dish and lord knows I've tried through the number of times I've been there. Everything tastes fresh, delicious and show a commitment to top quality ingredients. Stand outs for me are the Peach/Burrata Salad and especially the Tomato Bread to start, with the Farro Romesco (might be my favorite thing there), Salmon, Steak Frites, Moroccan Salad and Fisherman's Stew which are all absolutely amazing. On top of which we've never had a bad server there and everyone is friendly and effective. If I had to give it 1-2 minor digs, I wish they brought back the half chicken instead of chicken breast and their cocktails can be a little weak versus their excellent wine. Still this is a fantastic location to eat at when you're driving into La Jolla and shouldn't be passed by on the way to Girard.

As an LA resident, I visit La Jolla a few times each year, and without fail, I make it a priority to stop at Candor. It undoubtedly offers the finest culinary experience in the San Diego area. The freshness of the ingredients, the extraordinary presentation, and the impeccable service all contribute to an exceptional dining experience. During my latest visit, we savored the crudo, seafood soup, branzino, and homemade cookies with local ice cream--each course presented a unique and delightful culinary journey. Bravo to Giuseppe for maintaining an exceptionally high standard for his patrons; we truly appreciate it!

This review is long overdue!! Candor has been my favorite go-to spot for lunch- they have the most amazing salads! The veggies are so fresh, everything tastes as if they grew them out of a secret garden in the back. In addition to the salads, I'm a huge fan of the Tuna Melt & their pasta.

We ordered our New Year's eve dinner from Candor and was very happy with our 4 course meal. We called the day before so they had to check to make sure they could still take our order so asked to give us a call back. We got a call back about an hour later to confirm they could take our order, but they ran out of caviar so that wouldn't be on the soup. No big deal for us! We gave a pick up time of 5:30PM and when we arrived they had a steady stream of takeout orders. Our dinner wasn't quite ready at 5:30PM; but we didn't have to wait too long, maybe 5-10 minutes. Everything was packaged nicely with the following items: -Lobster bisque (without the caviar) -Golden beet carpaccio & winter chicory salad -Slow braised beef short ribs (with polenta and veggies) -Butterscotch pannacotta -Side of bread Everything was delicious and we were so full, we couldn't eat everything. The lobster bisque came with a yuzu creme fraiche (packed separately), so we could add as much as we wanted to the bisque. It was a very smooth bisque (no lobster chunks) and tasted (and smelled) wonderful. I didn't realize that the salad had beets, but it worked really nicely with the apples, blue cheese, and walnuts. It was a refreshing second course before our main course. The short ribs were delicious and cooked perfectly. The polenta had corn kernals in each (which I thoroughly enjoyed) and the brussel sprouts and carrots were very good as well. My husband even said that he'd eat the veggies (and he rarely eats them)! For dessert, the butterscotch pannacotta was the perfect way to end the meal. It was pretty rich, so I couldn't eat all of it, but I also had a hard time stopping myself from eating so much. We really enjoyed our food and will likely get takeout from Candor more often. They use high quality, fresh ingredients and it was very easy ordering. We felt the pricing was very reasonable for NYE dinner as well.

We really enjoyed eating here. It's great food with a low key vibe and a convenient location.

Back when I lived in San Diego, Candor was always one of my favorites restaurants. So of course, when I was back in town I had to stop by. The menu has changed a bit since the last time I was there and I was pleasantly surprised with the new offerings. They had a lamb pappardelle which was amazing. The espresso martinis are my favorite! The staff are very friendly and when the owner is there, he comes by the tables to say hi. It is really everything you would want from a neighborhood spot!

Excellent service. Let me start by saying that. Super attentive and happy and cheerful and efficient. Our guy obviously loves his job! Really cute place in the heart of La Jolla.... Decorated beautifully at the outside area where we sat. I had the salmon salad and the salmon was cooked perfectly. Soooo good. The chopped salad had so many good tastes. My friend's avocado toast was huge and looked amazing. I wish I had taken photos because the presentation was lovely, too. Couldn't have asked for a nicer lunch.

Steak frites. Phenomenal. I don't write these very often, but every now and again you just have to when it knocks your socks off. Steak cooked perfectly, chimichurri was perfect and the Manhattan was PERFECT. To top it all off, great fries and a well portioned side salad with a great dressing. I'll be back soon to try the rest of the menu!

Loved it. Have now been here three times. Everything was great and the service rocked

This place was a gem! We had passed buy this place a couple of times while staying in La Jolla. My wife and I tried it on 9/13/22 and this place didn't disappoint. The shrimp starter was delicious and the sauce just added so much flavor to the dish. The Branzino and Beef Short Ribs were cooked to perfection and both dishes melted in your mouth! The drinks were great as well and our server was the consummate professional. This place is on our list whenever we are staying in La Jolla!

I love this place. Everything is delicious, the staff is wonderful and the ambience is perfect. They're even dog friendly. I would recommend everything, I've always loved everything I order and it tastes fresh and I always feel good after. Some meals are so hearty they even make a great leftover

Had a wonderful dinner here with friends. They were pretty accommodating for our 3 year old who we brought with us. The restaurant was fairly busy on a Sunday night as expected. Date of our visit was 9/1/2019. I ordered a wonderful bouillabaisse. Had huge shrimp. The seafood was all very tasty. My wife ordered the whole fish which was delicious. Sure I'm Asian and totally of the stereotype but I love eating whole head-on fish. There's so much tasty meat in there. Fish cheeks and collars!! Ok, I'm not a fish eyeball guy, but people love that stuff. The allowed us to sample a few of their house wines before selecting which was really nice. Service was top notch. Would revisit for a future date night for sure!

I like this place. I was a little bummed out that I could not order the Lobster Benedict's given the sauce apparently had broken in the batch they made for the morning. I was hoping they would make more sauce, but I received a negative on that. I was sad. Chef suggested to try his signature breakfast, "G's Favorite," which consisted of scrambled eggs, olive oil smashed avocado, heirloom tomatoes, Labneh Yogurt, toasted Pistachio, and Levain toast for $15. It was a nice scramble and I liked it, but the meal would of been better off with freshly sliced avocado, that than then the pre-prepared avocado mash. It just did not give the rest of the ingredients justice. The scramble eggs were very well prepared and were a perfect example on how they should be prepared, with the exception of a soft scramble. They were soft and silky, and seasoned just enough to accentuate the quality of the fresh farmed eggs. Most importantly, they were scramble to a glistening "yellow" with no whites or brown over cooked sections, an appearance I run into at other places. The addition Labneh Yogurt played well with the scrambled eggs and its neutral flavor allowed the eggs to shine. I liked the addition of the toasted pistachios because the dish definitely needed texture. They were tasty and crunchy. The fresh tomato slices were nice. They were perhaps a little on the thick side, but certainly eatable to doubt. The Levain Toast was one of my favorite components of the meal, the eggs were second, because not only was the bread toasted for that terrific texture, but its quality and flavor was up front and personal. I loved it and it made for a great vehicle for eating the eggs and yogurt. Service was good but it was a little laid back. I had to ask for water, I had ask to order, and I had to ask for my check. Perhaps it's an Italian thing. Nice breakfast, but there's something to say about slicing into a fresh ripe avocado.

This is a new restaurant in the small plaza on the NW corner of Herschel Ave and Torrey Pines Road. It replaced the suite where Come On In! Cafe used to be. The inside could seat roughly a couple dozen customers while five tables were located outside under the covered front patio. Today was their grand opening so I didn't know what to expect for seating. It turned out just fine as I had my pick of the outside tables. The front of the dinner menu listed the 'First' courses, the 'Second' courses, Greenery, and Sides. The back of the menu contained the selection of wines, draft beers, kombucha and soft beverages. I decided on the Marinated Shrimp "Al Ajillo" ($16) as a starter. This plate contained five jumbo size shrimp in a mix of calabrian chili, lime, hotel butter - garlic sauce, and a roasted tomato. It was a nice presentation, but the price tag was steep for five shrimp. I would select a different first course next time. For my entree, I picked the Orecchiette ($19) which was made up of pork-fennel sausage sugo, roasted peppers, and broccolini sprinkled with pecorino cheese and herb breadcrumbs. I really liked this pasta dish as the meat delivered the protein heaviness I was craving while the veggies and cheese were nice fillers. The service I received from the waiter was fine so overall I rated this dining experience with four stars.

I am part of a supper club and this was picked for our monthly get together. The service was good initially but then a big group came and the server got busy with the big group. Also my friend ordered wine and she did not a good glass till the third try. The food was good and the place really cute. Parking is on the streets and a bit difficult to find a spot. Would I go back - not opposed but wouldn't make a special trip here unless I am in the neighborhood. I wish could give them 3.5 stars instead of the 3

Candor reminds me of small independent restaurants in Beverly Hills. Nice ambiance, great food and awesome service and attention to detail. My friend and I came to Candor to have dinner before going to The Conrad. It was her birthday! She ordered the salmon nicoise salad, and I had the fig and arugula salad. They both had very fresh ingredients, and great flavor. We ate every bite. Then it was dessert time! The panna cotta was so good - I normally don't like panna cotta, but this was so tasty. We sat outside, it was a gorgeous evening. The one and only issue was with the sun positioning it was difficult to get the sun out of my friend's eyes with the umbrella positioning. The staff tried multiple times, but it never really quite worked. We both loved it at Candor, highly recommended!

This place has dropped in quality since it first opened. During my last visit the food wasn't very good.

We love Candor! My boyfriend took me for my birthday dinner and we had a great experience! This place is really cute at night. The outdoor seating has lots of heaters so it was comfortable to sit outside. They were very busy since it was a Friday night but we had a reservation so we were seated in a timely manner. I am not sure how walk- ins work but I would recommend a reservation since they do get busy, its really easy through their Opentable. We ordered some of their signature cocktails and they did not disappoint. Our server was so sweet and on it. The food was all so good, the braised short rib was my favorite! Highly recommend Candor, we will be back!

We came in last night for a family dinner and boy did candor leave us very impressed. We loved the Cesar salad and short ribs with mash potatoes so delicious we also tried the branzino and clams pasta dish both superb quality. I'm going to recommend candor to all my friends and family we will be back soon thanks so much to the server Andrea !!

This is the type of place you go once and are hooked! Everything from the ambiance outdoors, all the staff, and especially the food was impeccable. We tried a few items on the menu and loved each more than the last! There is such a great variety of items/flavors that this is a place anyone can find something. Both our cocktails were delicious. We also ordered glasses of Cabernet that were recommended by our waiter and we loved! We started with the burrata and grilled pears as well as the marinated shrimp al ajillo. Both were so fresh and fantastic! The best part was the special attention to detail in each dish - the basil crystals in the burrata and the perfectly spiced chilis in the shrimp. Would definitely order these both again. The shrimp is a MUST! For the main course we got the braised beef short ribs and the orecchiette. Hands down the best short rib I have ever had in CA! It was perfectly cooked and the flavor with the sauce was just delicious! The garlic mashed potatoes were also phenomenal. The orecchiette was a great portion for the price and the taste was 10/10! The herb breadcrumbs offered a wonderful crunch addition. Would also order both these items again and recommend. For dessert we had the carrot cake which was moist, not too sweet, and had the best icing! We were so full that we had to take most of it home but now we get dessert for another day :) Giuseppe, the chef and owner, came out and greeted tables while we were eating. He gave us a history of the restaurant and where he drew inspiration for the menu. Majority of the ingredients are sourced locally in La Jolla and everything is made in house - which I love! He was very warm and welcoming, as were all the staff we encountered. Will absolutely be back and will be telling all my friends to give Candor a try!

Delicious!!! My mom, her friend, and I came here and loved the food. She got the salmon, he got the shrimp and I got the salad. We were all really happy with our selections. Waitress was friendly and happy to answer our questions. Parking was easy. We will be back!

We were here twice during our stay in La Jolla. They've done a great job adjusting to Covid restrictions by setting up a nice outside dining area. Both times we had the short ribs and green beans. I'm sure the other items on the menu are good but those two items were prepared to perfection so why change? We also had an interesting bottle of red wine from the Lazio region of Italy that was a perfect complement to our meal.

One of our Favs. Service is great. Short Rib awesome. Kinda disappointed in the Duck Bolognese. Watery and lacking flavor. Must have been an off night. I've had before and it was delicious.

Service was good, lamb pappardelle and fishermens stew was tasty but not jaw dropping! Peach and burratta was a good appetizer and they turned on the heaters for us when it got a bit chilly.

I made a reservation here for Sunday just in case. Upon arrival, we were seated on a nice outdoor patio. Every table had a bottle of spray on hand sanitizer, which was cool. There were plenty of umbrellas providing shade and I definitely appreciated that. I noticed there were a total of three occupied tables including ours with one of the tables getting ready to leave shortly after we sat down. Our waitress was nice and she wore gloves as well as a mask. My friend and I were given small water glasses with water and for some reason mine wasn't even filled halfway with water to begin with. We had to keep asking for a water refill partly because the glass was small and partly because our empty glasses were ignored. I would totally understand if it was busy, but it wasn't at all. Aside from the water, I ordered an Arnold Palmer and that was delicious on its own. My friend and I shared the California cheese and cured Italian Salumi. We loved it! It was nicely laid out with crispy bread and spreads. It had nuts and strawberries and pears on it too. I did wish there was a little bit more cheese on the board. Overall though it was really, really good. My friend ordered a salad for her main and I got the avocado toast from the breakfast menu that was provided. My avocado toast came with a side salad, which is a weird thing for me at most places. When someone offers me a side salad, I usually get a heap of mixed greens and some dressing. If they're feeling frisky they'll have some shaved carrots in their so called side salad. Not here! I was hesitant, but the side salad here exceeded my expectations. Thankfully, it was a real salad with variety and a dressing. Side salads are probably an odd thing to rant about. The avocado toast came on a large piece of perfectly toasted bread and generously slathered ripe avocado. It was layered so nicely with toppings and an egg. I would order this any day of the week! It was very well put together and super satisfying. Check out the picture I included of this beautiful toast and side salad. We loved the food and thought the customer service could be a little better. We also discussed how confusing the menu options seemed. First, we looked online to see if they had a brunch menu. Their social media page said yes, their online menu said no and when I called they said they have the same menu all day. When we arrived, we were given a breakfast option on a small menu that's not listed on their website at all. It seemed we had to do more work than necessary to figure out what kind of menu would be available.