Yard House Mission Valley

My husband and I came to the Mission Valley Mall to try out the new sushi place; however, they had a three-hour wait, so we decided to go to Yard House instead. It worked out perfectly because we actually had a gift card for Yard House. We arrived at Yard House around 3:30 PM, and the hostesses greeted us right away. There was no wait at all, so they seated us quickly. As two larger people, my husband and I really appreciated the comfortable booths they have. The lighting felt romantic and cozy, and while the bar area was a little loud, we understood that because of the sports playing on the TVs. We also really loved the music they were playing. Our server, Theresa, was so sweet and attentive. We ordered the spinach dip appetizer, the sliders with onion rings, and the carnivore pizza. My husband got the recommended pairing for the pizza, which was a Hefeweizen beer, and I just got water. They brought our food out in no time at all. The spinach dip was hot and very delicious, and it paired perfectly with their tortilla chips. My husband loved the carnivore pizza and his beer; it wasn't a heavily sauced pizza, but it had a lot of great flavor. My sliders were fresh and delicious, and I loved that they put the pickle chips on the side just in case I didn't like pickles. The onion rings were also hot and fresh, and I loved the batter on them—it had a hint of sweetness. We ended up with a lot of leftover food to bring home, and it was still great when we reheated it. We will definitely be back again!

Yard House was closed by after the Easter Eggs Hunt at Mission Valley in San Diego. Since it was early before the lunch crowd got in, this spacious restaurant was mostly empty so we were seated immediately. It’s modern, clean and casual, low light but warm and welcoming ambiance and there are TV screens everywhere for sports fans with interior only seating in booths, tables and at the bar. We had young kids with us for this outing so we ordered French fries for them right away so kids had food to eat while the adults reviewed the extensive menu. We ordered a few dishes and appetizers but our food didn’t come to our table for nearly 20 minutes so we flagged down the waiter to inquire. He said our order that he placed via a tablet on the table didn’t go through for some reasons and so he had to reorder again. The waiter didn’t seem to care to be working at the Yard House today at all, low energy and not apologetic for the mistake and offered no compensation for his mistake. The restaurant was nearly empty when we were seated so he was not slammed at all. Our group had many conflict avoidance adults so no one wanted to escalate the situation to the management. We ordered the poke nacho which had a very generous amount of the marinated ahi poke, with savory seaweeds, cilantro and chopped scallions and sliced Serrano peppers and nachos. The sweet potato fries was made without meat or stock from animal and had a nice crunchy exterior texture and yet not overly fried. The fried calamari with two dipping sauces was delicious. The mediterranean salmon za’atar crusted with cauliflower rice, red quinoa tabbouleh and kale, baby tomatoes and spicy tahini sauce was filling and tasty and low calories. The spicy jambalaya had blackened shrimp, andouille sausage, crawfish, chicken, roasted poblano peppers, cajun cream sauce with linguini was spot on with the level of spice, plenty of seafood and noodles, even a picky kid in our group asked for second servicing. Overall food was delicious, large portion, fair price point, and creative with a trendy vibe so despite the disappointed service, we will definitely be back for their happy hour deal. Restaurant is family friendly and offers a huge list of appetizers Monday through Friday from 3pm to 6pm and again after 10pm to closing. Parking was easy as there are plenty of spaces for free in the huge parking lot underneath the Mission Valley shopping mall, which is currently being renovated.

“Great spot in the mall with an insane beer selection—over 100 drafts to choose from! The food was solid: Service was friendly and efficient during our visit. A bit loud and busy, but perfect for a casual meal with friends or family. Solid chain execution. Would return!”

Yard House is a big American sports-bar chain with plenty of seating, but it still gets very busy. There are lots of options for both food and drinks, which is great. I had the cheeseburger and enjoyed it, although I wish it came with tomato and lettuce as well. Overall, a solid spot for casual dining.

They have an impressive drink selection and a massive portion of the beers are on tap. They have flights you can mix and match as well. The food menu is also extensive, along with having vegan and gluten sensitive options. Our waiter, Don, was absolutely fantastic. He was able to recommend multiple drinks I enjoyed and pointed us in the right direction with the food as well. The service was quick, the food was amazing, and everything is very reasonably priced. I don't think you can go wrong here.