The Victorian at Hill Street

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ I found The Victorian at Hill Street on TikTok and had to check it out — and it totally lived up to the hype! I’ve been a couple of times now and each visit has been such a great experience. The cocktails are so unique (they use alcohols I’d never even heard of before!) and it’s so fun trying something new each time. The appetizers have all been delicious, and the owner is incredibly kind and welcoming. The bar itself is so cute — cozy, classy, and full of charm. It truly feels like a special place, unlike anything else around, and I can easily see it becoming a longstanding favorite in the neighborhood. ✨🍸

Such a cute dinner spot!! The staff is so incredibly kind and attentive. The restaurant itself is beautiful and great for pictures. I ordered the Peri Chicken and it was amazing! One of the best pieces of chicken I have had, it was so moist and not dry at all. It was a huge portion of food that I ended up taking some leftovers home. Will be back here. Thank you to the kind staff and wonderful chef!

C- Experience at Best I went into The Victorian with high hopes. The photos online show a gorgeous bar, and the name itself evokes a sense of elegance and old-world charm. Unfortunately, the reality didn’t match the expectation. First big letdown: despite the bar’s beautiful setup, they don’t actually have a liquor license yet. That means no hard alcohol, which was a huge disappointment. The menu was underwhelming. There was nothing particularly unique or exciting about the offerings, and for what I paid—over $100—I left hungry. That’s never a good sign. I started with the pickles. They were just below average. For my entrée, I ordered the vermilion fish at $34, which came with… a piece of bread and a few sliced tomatoes on top. No sides. The fish itself was fine, but nothing memorable, and at that price point, a side dish should be a given. The waitstaff clearly seemed new and inexperienced, which I understand in a soft opening, but it still affected the overall experience. The most awkward moment came when a woman next to me mentioned she was with the press. My server then pointed at my plate and told her, “Instead of the sourdough, I’d recommend getting tortillas.” That would have been nice information to have before I ordered—especially since I was never given that option. Instead, I got to feel like the example of what not to do. Overall, I’d call it a C-minus experience. I know it’s a soft opening, and I truly hope they work out the kinks. But I’ve seen many businesses come and go at that location, and unless they make some big improvements, I’m afraid The Victorian might follow the same path.

Such a great vibe, Oceanside needs this place! I’m addicted! It’s a really awesome spot for going nuts and ordering a bunch of wine and shareables; but also just to grab a glass of bubbles and dessert (seriously, that chocolate ganache cake). Really well put together food, you can both impress the snobbiest people of eaters, and the least snobby of eaters- without having to deal with a snobby atmosphere. There are carnivore, omnivore, a veggiesaur (vegetarian) options; and the kitchen is pretty mellow about accommodating diets. All around great place- can’t wait to try brunch!!!!

The re-opening of such a historic building comes with some understandable expectations and was really impressed with what I saw! The look & feel is quite intimate and it’s clear how much thought they put into making the space feel really cohesive and nice. Definitely worth checking out!

Absolutely loved it! The vibe is so authentic and wonderful. The restaurant sits inside a beautiful, quaint, and charming Victorian House with a stunning bar and a few warm stone tables. Asthetic is a 10/10 for me because its design is classy, sophisticated and seemingly a natural extension of the real reason this vibe hits, the people who conceived of this restaurant and who run it. The chef and the front of the house bring it to life with their passion and commitment to quality. Massive shout out to Matthew (also the bartender) who delivered flawless service and couldn’t have been a better representative of the place, This guy produced the most beautiful, delicious and well executed cocktails I’ve had in a long time and did it without access to spirits (waiting on liquor license, which they should have soon). I can’t wait to see what he creates with a full bar! Let’s talk food. The chef is a serious talent. I’m an instant fan and can honestly say the tuna carpaccio is the best I’ve ever had. The mariscos and prawns were rich and satisfying with thoughtfully layered flavors. Easily some of the best food I’ve had in North County, especially at the price point, which isn’t cheap but delivers excellent value. Listen, you gotta try this place. Everything I had was fantastic and everything on the menu looks great. At the very least go to the bar, order a velvety glass of white wine and two or three orders of tuna carpaccio, followed by a slice of the burnt basque cheesecake. Life is good.

Exceptional in all ways. The owners renovated the house with love and integrity. As O’side locals do. Fantastic team. A place that embraces you. Don’t be surprised if you find hours have passed whilst planting yourself at The Victorian.

We ordered most of the vegetable dishes and they were all really delicious - very well balanced with lots of fresh herbs and gorgeous sauces. Wonderful wine list, as well, with more off the beaten path options. The cocktails were also a very creative use of no hard liquor license - look forward to trying more of them! Only drawback was that it felt a little expensive for the area and likely limits how often we'll visit and invite local friends out to meet us. Maybe a couple meat entrees under $30 or serve them with more sides? Would love this spot to stick around!