Watercolors

I gave this a 2-star for the mere fact of a fee on your bill called a Culinary Fee. Apparently, there is a fee for the kitchen to prepare your food. What else can they charge a fee on. Not a discretionary fee, but a fixed fee at that. What's next, a seat-and-table fee? I'm all for tipping and taking care of restaurant staff, let me be the judge on how that is done. The burger was excellent, though the pizza wasn't the best I've had. Being close to Little Italy, this dish could use some improvements on the dough, but the topping were great. Yvonne and Vince were top notch at customer service! Again, it's not the amount of the fee for me, it's pure principle. Aren't the culinary associates being paid an hourly wage from the company? At the end of the day, it will take the consumer boycotting these fees for those fixed fees to be waived.

We loved this restaurant! They are located at both the main floor and rooftop of the Carté hotel. Their rooftop has very beautiful city view with several fireplaces. I had their tiger shrimp and calamari pasta and my husband had the braised veal shank, they tasted absolutely amazing!! Especially the house-made cavatelli was cooked to perfection and the tiger shrimps were super sweet and fresh! Our waitress, Jessica, made our night even better with her outstanding service! She went out of her way to make sure we enjoy everything. Thank you! ❤️ If you stay in the Carté hotel like us or happen to be close by, make sure to try it! :)

I ate at the bar and all of the food was so delicious! The rock shrimp was fresh with a kick, the fries were cooked to perfection, the Brussels were spot on and carrot cake was decadent paired with the pistachio Gelato. I've never had this much food in one setting so I got the dessert to go but it was amazing! Kudos to Mikey the bartender and the chef, looking forward to going back!

Really tasty breakfast. A big thank you to Yvonne for her amazing hospitality! She is a great people person and is always super nice to everyone.

We had a event here for work $195 per person the food came out and the salad was great I ordered the beef option and that was the worst pasta I have ever had, unflavored over cooked noodles with “short ribs” no one in our group liked it and I asked if I can exchange mine for a different option the server DENISA was rude and said “nope we only have the exact amount for each person” so I asked “so there is no back up plates what happens if u drop a plate or someone had a good allergy your telling me you have no extra plates” she said “nope!” And walked away if this is true how unprofessional and not smart plus some of our party didn’t show up so where is there plates? I don’t know if the quality of food goes down because we have 40 people with us but I wouldn’t have any event hosted here horrible even asked to order off the menu separately and was told no.

Pricey but good food. On the first floor of the Carte hotel by Hilton.

I had the opportunity to sample the Tandoori Chicken, Pokē and Tequila Oysters at the Carté Hotel Grand Opening. My favorite was definitely the Tandoori Chicken, but everything was fantastic. The Tandoori Chicken and Pokē were both a bit spicy, which I love but won't be for everyone. I'll update my review when I have the opportunity to return for a full meal, but so far, I am very impressed and look forward to coming back!

Only got to eat here for breakfast as I only stayed at Carté for a night but the food and service was amazing. Ordered the chilaquiles, let me tell you I was beyond impressed that the salsa was that good. Tasted like it was made at my house. Great recommendations from staff.

Got a quick bite to eat for breakfast after going to the gym during our stay. Food was amazing and came out very quickly. Portions were large. Bartender was easy to talk to but not overbearing. Cute little spot to grab a bite.

this is located by da lobby of CARTE HOTEL HILTON (where we stayed while on our last SD trip) ~ its got a nice open feel, a big bar area & its convenient gettin some grubs w/o havin 2 go far we had breakfast 3 consec dayz there; service was pretty good & da food wasnt so bad either :) everything was freshly made

This place was a nice surprise during a San Diego trip. The restaurant had beautiful decor, was inviting and had a lovely ambience. All of the food on the menu sounded good, so we decided to sample a few different dishes. We ordered pizza, naan with vegetables and hummus (this hummus was a bit different and had a great flavor profile), and a spread that included canned fish, pickled veggies and breadsticks. All of the food was amazing and the pizza tasted very fresh. The service was great and the restaurant is located in a nice area with valet parking option.

My boyfriend and I stayed at the Carte Hotel on Ash Avenue, and Watercolors is one of their restaurants serving breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Their breakfast options are splendid. I found myself gravitating towards their açaí chia pudding quite often during our stay because of how fresh it tasted each morning. We had dinner and I ordered the octopus and it was absolutely horrible. This was my first time having octopus that was ruined. It was burnt and fishy, I ended up trashing it it was that bad :/ so much so that we avoided having dinner at the hotel.

The food was delicious! Absolutely loved everything. Great customer service. Everybody was very friendly. The place was really clean. Will definitely go again!

Every time we stay at the carte Hotel downtown San Diego we have breakfast here. It is very convenient and always a great experience. The service is always top tier and I like how they are often changing the menu options based on their chef recommendations. This time we ordered their Birria Chilaquiles, Croque Madame and the Carte Breakfast Birria Chilaquiles: housemade birria, two cage-free eggs, corn tortillas, chipotle sauce, lime crema, pickled red onions, cotija. Make sure to have an appetite as they were very filling. Carte Breakfast: two cage-free eggs any style, toast, breakfast potatoes, choice of: nueske applewood smoked bacon, pork sausage or turkey breakfast patty. Croque Madame: rustic sourdough, sliced prosciutto, fried egg, gruyere cheese, basil, mornay sauce. Their orange juice is very good and so is their coffee. They also have a great pool deck menu for you to enjoy sitting poolside.

Their guacamole toast is very good but expensive, as it is just a single toast without any fruits or sides. My cousin ordered their eggs with bacon but they brought her sausages. When addressed, they brought bacon & let us have the sausages. We wish there were better benedicts here for breakfast and more choices. Our server was nice and we ate here because my cousin stayed in Carte Hotel.

Really enjoyed eating breakfast here, the service was great Josh at the bar was VERY nice and really great with all of my questions about the breakfast items. I really enjoyed the garden omelette, I added lobster which was a whopping 10$ for very little lobster but still delicious. My favorite item is the avocado toast with lots of mozzarella and a delicious balsamic. Awesome for hotel food

We showed up on a weekday around 1 or 1:30pm. The restaurant was cricket silent. I did manage the find our friendly server eventually. The menu was well balanced with a variety of offerings. Most in reasonable price ranges. We wanted to use up our $30 daily food and beverage credit, which can be easily accomplished with two items. I was famished when we went so I ordered the kale and potato soup and the crispy cauliflower. My husband got the little gem salad. Everything was delicious! Crispy cauliflower was definitely complex flavored layered with spicy Calabrian chilis, sweetened dates and honey, and savory nuttiness from almonds. Nice mouthfeel! The soup reminded me of the Olive Garden Tuscany soup, but better and less fattening. Ambiance was elegant. I loved all their furniture fixtures. Service was just right. Happy this is located at Carte where we stayed. Who knew that hotel lobby restaurant could be decent?

Restaurant is located inside Carte hotel. The food was delicious and reasonably price. Service was amazing as well. The Croque Madame was delicious and served on a croissant like bread with gravy. I loved it. My friends also have high praise on the surf n turf burritos and the chilaquiles

Had breakfast here on Christmas morning. The staff was wonderful and their were a few families that traditionally ate here for the holiday. Coffee was good and yogurt parfait was a nice size.

Decent dinner option located in the Carte hotel. Friendly staff but limited menu. I had the airline chicken which was good but not particularly memorable.

3 buttermilk pancakes, each as big as my face. Airy pancakes. Came with syrup, whipped butter, and passion fruit curd. Very subtle taste of the passion fruit.

Excellent breakfast croissant and it's huge. I initially thought it was pricey but it's so worth it! $20 for croissant and potatoes or fruit. The croissant had two sausage patties, scrambled eggs, cheese, avocado and arugula. Customer service is great and friendly.

My friend and I stopped in here before going to Vino for the Alice in Wonderland Cocktail experience. We got a couple of coffees and the lamb lollipops and brussel sprouts. The food was very good. Bathrooms were very clean. The bartender seemed uninterested in serving us and kind of forgot my friends nitro cold brew until we reminded him. Other than that it was a good experience.

First of all, beautiful decor. It is located in the lobby of the Carté hotel. Lots of natural lighting. We had the pancakes which were so fluffy and fresh. Also had the Carté breakfast which had the best bacon I've had in a while. Their chilaquiles come with green salsa, egg and pork which is so full of flavor. The iced lattes are also pretty good. Great spot for breakfast and the service is amazing

We were staying at the Carté hotel in downtown San Diego and if you wanted breakfast in the hotel, Watercolors was the place to go. They also offer lunch and dinner, but we didn't eat here for those meals. They had a nice breakfast menu with twists here and there on regular breakfast staples. The team was friendly, checked-in often, and ensured that we were happy with each meal. Would highly recommend getting breakfast here if you're staying at the hotel or nearby. Food: Migas - eggs (cooked your way) over breakfast potatoes. For each dish, the potatoes were crisp and lightly salted (but still had flavor besides salt). It was so simple, eggs and potatoes but was so good. This dish included chorizo, peppers, and came with a side of sourdough. 5/5. Croque Madame Benny - Egg's Benedict with a twist. Rather than the usual hollandaise sauce, this dish uses a mornay sauce, with Swiss, prosciutto and of course the poached eggs and English muffins. 5/5. Chilaquiles - staple Mexican breakfast dish with a choice of salsa verde or salsa roja, with pulled carnitas, lemon crema, and queso fresco. Delicious. 5/5.

Great little bar. The bartender was respectful and prompt. I got the burger - which was juicy and a hot mess. Definitely worthwhile. It came out med-rare and I would not have changed a thing. The lighting and atmosphere was perfect. It's rare to get the sort of old school respect and address from the tender. I much appreciated Bruce.

Visited this place recently with my family for both dinner and breakfast! Wow, the quality of the steak and ceviche was absolutely incredible. We also tried the Crab omelette, and the sauce was outstanding. Highly recommend!

Can't recommend for breakfast at the moment. The breakfast menu is too limited and regular coffee is $5. That is probably a normal price these days but I reject the notion that coffee should be so expensive. It's a trend I don't want to encourage. The potatoes are generic. There's nothing special. The only reason to eat here is that you're staying in the hotel and don't want to leave.

The food was tasty. The service was a bit slow. But, if you don't mind relaxing and waiting your turn I'd say it's worth the wait. The manager was very personable, friendly and helpful as was most of the staff. The food server was awesome. And the decor was very nice, welcoming, and comfortable.

Watercolors is the full service restaurant on the ground floor of the newly opened Carté Hotel in Little Italy. The interior of this boutique hotel lobby was very modern and chique. When you walk into the building from the State St sidewalk entrance to the restaurant, the horseshoe shaped Lobby Bar was right in front. The dining area for Watercolors was to the left behind a divider. I sat at the bar and was handed a small one page food menu. There was not an abundance of choices, but I did find a couple of items I wanted for my meal. The Brussels ($10) was my appetizer, and it was served with a spicy agave vinaigrette along with several fried chips of jamon serrano. The latter was a unique touch as it's not often meat chips accompany a vegetable dish. I ordered the Octopus ($23) for my entree which was served with a Brazilian feijoada and a lemon crema. This dish also had fried meat added in the form of pork rinds (aka chicharrones). The black beans from the Brazilian stew made for a nice filler to accompany the grilled tentacles. I liked the nice chill vibe to this place. Around the corner at this level was a dedicated wine bar (Fonte di Vino) while up on the 16th floor rooftop was a bar/lounge (Above Ash Social) specializing in customized cocktails. If I had one area to nitpick, then that would be the limited food selections (six appetizers, five crudos/ceviches, seven entrees). Overall, I still gave my experience a four star rating.

Absolutely loved this restaurant! I stayed at Carte hotel and this Gem is in the lobby! Compliments to the Chef! you can tell he takes great pride in his craft and cares about the details. Ate here everyday and it was consistently great! You could literally never leave the hotel and just eat here and you would be sooo satisfied. Try the fish tacos! I'm literally craving them while I write this review Oh and don't forget to try the refreshing and delectable strawberry arugula salad!

Eddy was our bartender today at the hotel bar and he was absolutely amazing! He was attentive, friendly, knowledgeable about the menu, everything I needed as a server. Forsure ask for Eddy whenever you are here at Carté hotel!

New decor since September ... super clean and fresh. Charming service , great breakfast. is no reason to not come here! Enjoyed the hotel and roof top bar as well . Adjacent to Fit, Little Italy- an impressive boutique gym

atmosphere..cute chic place..too bright though. food..omg..so flavourful and amazing..had the corn..hummus..brussel sprouts..beet salad..octopus..fish..choc cake..and gelato

The Croque Madame Benedict was okay but the side of hash browns I ordered tasted sweet. I think they needed to clean whatever cooking surface they used prior to frying the hash browns. Kitchen staff must really pay attention to those details especially if you're a new restaurant. Dinner was a different experience as everything from the appetizer to the entree was spot on.

Not the place I would recommend for food. Their prices are also outrageous for what you get. A Avacado toast for 16$ come on with no sides. I'll recommend the hotel but not this restaurant inside of it. Walk to Starbucks but better options.

Ordered the burger and truffle fries and rock shrimp to share. Out of the two I really enjoyed the burger. It had a buttery toasty bun and consisted of classic flavors. The cocktail was good as well and very refreshing. This is a good choice if staying at the hotel and you want to stay in. There was ample seating and a relaxing vibe. The menu is simple and to the point.

We came here for the first time today. The food is very good especially the house-made hummus. Yum! The hamburger is excellent, also. Much of the menu is shareable, which is very nice. I would expand the menu. That's my only suggestion. I would like to mention our server, Gabrielle. She was very attentive and friendly.

Watercolors is in the new hip Little Italy district of San Diego. It's a great reprieve from the mundane eateries in the area. The menu was simple, yet rich. The staff, including Tiago the server who's expecting his first child shortly were amazing. This is a must visit spot for San Diegans and others visiting.

Stayed at the Carte and had breakfast here every morning. The waitstaff and manager especially are incredible! Went out of their way to accommodate a husband with specific dietary requests and the food was top notch. Highly recommend!

The food was excellent, and my waiter Roberto was great! He was very nice and accommodating. I am visiting from Texas and he made me feel very comfortable. Thanks Roberto for the great service!

Terrible. Ate breakfast here 4 mornings and every time my food was burned and it lacked flavor. We're talking about eggs, bacon, and pancakes... can't imagine ordering anything that required more talent. Servers were nice.

Had the worst restaurant burger I've ever had tonight. As a former server, part of me feels like that's what I get for ordering it at 9:40 when they close at ten...but I even asked the waitress if it was ok to still order a burger. She said yes so I assumed it would be at least ok. I was wrong. It was hilariously dry and over cooked, like a hockey puck, and it cost TWENTY DOLLARS. Either been under a heat lamp literally all day or the cook was communicating his thoughts to me through the food. I chewed through it like a champ cuz i at least have the decency to not complain if I order before close. My parents liked their meals so I'm giving the two star rating. I live across the street so I wanted to try this place but damn guys. Tell the waitress to be honest at least if there is no point in ordering after 9:30 ‍ would of completely understood. I would of been happy to have a beer and go to kebab shop instead.

This place wowed me! The hospitality from our server Roberto (he's from Sicily) was remarkable. The chilaquiles were on point! Salsa was ssooo good! And I love the dishware! The bowls and plates and mugs are gorgeous. I stayed in the Carté hotel as a guest, but as a San Diego local I will definitely be back to this restaurant.