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AVANT, San Diego, CA

AVANT

4.6 (1708)
$30 and under
Californian
17550 Bernardo Oaks Drive, San Diego, CA 92128

Make a reservation

2 people
9:30 PM
Booked 4 times today
Experiences are available.

About this restaurant

  • Good for special occasions
  • Charming
  • Great for creative cocktails
AVANT is the signature Forbes Four-Star rated restaurant at Rancho Bernardo Inn, offering elevated contemporary California cuisine that unites culinary influences and flavors from Baja California with French techniques and inspiration. The seasonal menu uses the freshest local ingredients and produce from The Inn's on-site garden. Regional Sommelier & Cellar Master Joe Baumgardner has curated an award-winning wine cellar for AVANT, from limited production wines around the globe to bio-dynamically farmed selections, offering the perfect pairing for each course. AVANT's cocktail program serves up imaginative libations ranging from light to direct, all complemented by playful presentations and artistic touches. The essential San Diego dining experience is set in inviting indoor and outdoor spaces with stunning views of the surrounding resort.

Additional information

  • Dining style
    Casual Elegant
  • Price
    $30 and under
  • Cuisines
    Californian
  • Hours of operation
    Tue–Sat 4:00 pm–10:00 pm
  • Phone number
  • Payment options
    AMEX, Discover, Mastercard, Visa
  • Dress code
    Smart Casual
  • Private party facilities
    With about 2,500 square feet of indoor and outdoor gathering space, championship golf course views, fine dining and professional service, AVANT is ideal for an intimate gathering for 12 or a larger event of 50. We’ve got you covered with three unique spaces. La Taberna, El Biz and Table 65.
  • Neighborhood
    Poway / Rancho Bernardo
  • Cross street
    Pomerado Road
  • Parking details
    Complimentary valet parking.<br />Self parking also available.
  • Additional
    Banquet, Bar/Lounge, Beer, BYO Wine, Chef's Table, Cocktails, Corkage Fee, Entertainment, Full Bar, Gluten-free Options, Happy Hour, Indoor Fireplace, Non-Smoking, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Private Room, View, Wheelchair Access, Wine

Experiences

  • Vine to Table Series - Wines of Quintessa

    $165.00 per person

    Prepaid

    Sep 18, 2025 only
    Join our Regional Sommelier Joe Baumgardner Indulge in an extraordinary evening on Thursday, September 18th at 6:00 pm, as AVANT presents Vine to Table: Featuring The Wines of Quintessa. Begin with an elegant reception featuring passed bites and a welcoming pour to set the stage for the evening. Then, delight in a meticulously crafted four-course dinner, each dish artfully paired with selections from the iconic Quintessa estate, including their renowned Bordeaux-style red blend. For $165 per person, which includes a 20% service charge, (tax not included). The 20% service charge is distributed to our staff as gratuity. Regular A la Carte menu will not be available.
    Vine to Table Series - Wines of Quintessa Photo
  • Vine to Table Series - Wines of France

    $165.00 per person

    Prepaid

    Nov 6, 2025 only
    Join our Regional Sommelier Joe Baumgardner Experience indulging in the best of French winemaking on Thursday, November 6th at 6:00 pm as AVANT presents Vine to Table: Featuring The Wines of France. Begin the evening with a sophisticated reception featuring passed bites and a selection of exquisite French wines to set the mood. Then, indulge in a four-course dinner, each course thoughtfully paired with wines from France’s most celebrated regions — from the crisp, mineral-driven whites of the Loire Valley to the rich, structured reds of Bordeaux and Burgundy. Every pairing is carefully chosen to elevate and complement the flavors of the dishes. For $165 per person, which includes a 20% service charge, (tax not included). The 20% service charge is distributed to our staff as gratuity. Regular A la Carte menu will not be available
    Vine to Table Series - Wines of France Photo
  • SUNDAY SUPPER- FRIED CHICKEN

    $45.00 per person

    Jul 27, 2025 only
    Join Us for Sunday Supper Celebrate our monthly Sunday Supper, where this month fried chicken night takes center stage! Enjoy a delicious evening of southern-inspired fare, featuring blta salad, buttermilk fried chicken and peach cobbler for $45 + tax per person Gather your friends and come savor the flavors—Sunday, July 27th, from 4pm to 8pm

What 1,708 people are saying

AVANT reviews from people who’ve dined at this restaurant. Based on recent rating.

Overall ratings and reviews

Reviews can only be made by diners who have eaten at this restaurant

4.6
4.6 based on recent ratings
  • 4.6Food
  • 4.6Service
  • 4.7Ambience
  • 4.2Value

NoiseModerate

Loved For

  • North San Diego

    Californian

Review summary

AI-generated from verified diner reviews
AVANT offers a luxurious dining experience with "amazing" food and "exceptional" service, making it a top choice for special occasions. Diners rave about the "beautifully prepared" dishes and "knowledgeable staff." The historic hotel setting adds to the charm, and the "unique cocktails" and "well-curated wine list" enhance the experience.
1,708 Reviews
  1. Carolyn

    San Diego4 reviews

    5.0

    Dined 1 day ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Only two things to change, the salad plate should be cooled and the croutons made from scratch. Everything else was GREAT, especially the service!!

    Is this helpful?

  2. Robert

    Philadelphia County8 reviews

    5.0

    Dined 2 days ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    The Ahi tuna starter was extraordinary, the opening drink orders did not disappoint and Josh was right on point with his recommendations for the entree selections. The cherry and jalapeno salsa topping was not too spicy as promised for the pork chop and the halibut melted in your mouth. Outstanding meal ... And the Peanut Tart for dessert was the perfect ending

    Is this helpful?

  3. Diane

    Los Angeles8 reviews

    5.0

    Dined 3 days ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Blaine, our servers was well informed about the dishes and was great. Scallops were properly cooked and parsnip purée pared well with the pear. Halibut was slightly dry but delicious. Chef is ambitious and making dishes with amazing surprises and flavors. Beet salad was superb. Fresh greens and hazelnut brittle were a wonderful surprise.

    Is this helpful?

  4. Daniel

    Portland / Oregon1 review

    5.0

    Dined on June 15, 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Everything I had there was delicious. Highly recommend

    Is this helpful?

  5. RobertL

    San Diego3 reviews

    4.0

    Dined on June 7, 2025

    1. Overall 4
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 4
    4. Ambience 4
    Food is amazing. Fresh and complimentary! Thank you!

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  6. Leon VIP

    San Diego7 reviews

    4.0

    Dined on June 1, 2025

    1. Overall 4
    2. Food 4
    3. Service 4
    4. Ambience 4
    We had a great dining experience. The service was very good. Our waiter took our order and then spaced it out perfectly for a nice un-rushed evening. We started with a half dozen oysters which were served with a light mignonette already on them. We had a bottle of Macon Village to go with them and our entrees. We had a caesar salad which had a creative presentation. My wife had the scallops and I had the Icelandic cod. Both were perfectly done. We finished off with the tarte tartin. It is not an inexpensive evening but a great place to dine.

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  7. Craig VIP

    Orange County5 reviews

    5.0

    Dined on May 25, 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 4
    We had a Birthday meal here - Beef Wellington and Crispy Brussels were amazing!

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  8. Ali VIP

    San Diego58 reviews

    5.0

    Dined on May 18, 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    A beautiful restaurant with a beautiful setting in a historic hotel! Food we good, but the drinks and wine list was excellent!

    Is this helpful?

  9. j VIP

    San Diego41 reviews

    3.0

    Dined on May 17, 2025

    1. Overall 3
    2. Food 3
    3. Service 4
    4. Ambience 5
    This is a tough one for me as the ambience of the property is really nice and the service was good. What the real issue here is the food quality vs price vs overall value No doubt this place is expensive but generally expensive also means it should be really good at least if not amazing. What I would say is everything was “ok” It wasn’t bad, but it definitely wasn’t great. For starters there were 3 of us We ordered the grilled octopus and hamachi appetizer. The hamachi was slightly fishy and the sauce on the fish was missing something- like salt or flavor Or something The octopus was actually pretty good but also seemed like something was missing. I’m not the chef but I’m wondering if anyone tastes what they send out I had the pork chop for the main and the other 2 both ordered salmon Again, the chop wasn’t bad but it wasn’t great- It was on the verge of being dry and again lacked something ( lets call it FLAVOR) The salmon was atypical- nothing special We also had 2 ok bottles of wine $75 and $70 Dessert was a very wierd interpretation of an Apple Tartin- do not recommend it We got the check and it was $450 with tip but after I had signed it I noticed some BS extra charge listed as a “surcharge” $19. WTF is that for? Are the exorbitant prices still not enough? Anyway, we just left, we did not complain but we were just a bit disappointed by the dinner as this place used to be amazing! Now it’s mediocre which unfortunately is common on average in the SD restaurant scene. I can’t say I would recommend this place if you want an amazing meal but if the food isn’t that important for your experience then you might really like it

    1 person found this helpful

  10. Joanne VIP

    Los Angeles42 reviews

    3.0

    Dined on May 11, 2025

    1. Overall 3
    2. Food 3
    3. Service 3
    4. Ambience 4
    Disappointing. Very small portions. Steak raw inside. One egg in Benedict hard instead of soft poached. Bland flavors, for the most part. Service very slow. Nice champagne. Wouldn't go there again.

    1 person found this helpful

FAQs

AVANT is rated 4.6 stars by 1708 OpenTable diners.

Yes, you can generally book this restaurant by choosing the date, time and party size on OpenTable.

  1. Home
  2. United States
  3. San Diego
  4. North San Diego
  5. Poway / Rancho Bernardo

Make a reservation

2 people
9:30 PM
Booked 4 times today
Experiences are available.
Google Map for AVANT

17550 Bernardo Oaks Drive, San Diego, CA 92128

Additional information

  • Cross street
    Pomerado Road
  • Neighborhood
    Poway / Rancho Bernardo
  • Hours of operation
    Tue–Sat 4:00 pm–10:00 pm
  • Price
    $30 and under
  • Cuisines
    Californian
  • Dining style
    Casual Elegant
  • Dress code
    Smart Casual
  • Parking details
    Complimentary valet parking.<br />Self parking also available.
  • Payment options
    AMEX, Discover, Mastercard, Visa
  • Additional
    Banquet, Bar/Lounge, Beer, BYO Wine, Chef's Table, Cocktails, Corkage Fee, Entertainment, Full Bar, Gluten-free Options, Happy Hour, Indoor Fireplace, Non-Smoking, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Private Room, View, Wheelchair Access, Wine
  • Phone number
  • Private party facilities
    With about 2,500 square feet of indoor and outdoor gathering space, championship golf course views, fine dining and professional service, AVANT is ideal for an intimate gathering for 12 or a larger event of 50. We’ve got you covered with three unique spaces. La Taberna, El Biz and Table 65.
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