GlassDoor Restaurant

Name: GlassDoor Restaurant
Address: 1835 Columbia Street, San Diego, CA, United States, 92101
Telephone: (619) 564-3755
Price range: $30 and under
Rating: 3.6

3.6

74 Reviews

$30 and under

Contemporary Mexican

Top Tags:

A hidden Little Italy San Diego gem, GlassDoor Restaurant is located on the fourth floor of the Porto Vista Hotel. We are a Mexican cuisine restaurant with weekday breakfast and happy hour. Our dinner service opens at 4pm everyday, and we offer brunch on the weekends. The restaurant is complemented with a panoramic view of the vibrant San Diego city skyline and soothing harbor.

Make a reservation

Party Size

2 people

DateTime

Dec 3, 2023

7:00 PM

Booked 2 times today

Experiences are available.

Order delivery or takeout

Additional information

Dining style
Casual Dining
Price
$30 and under
Cuisines
Contemporary Mexican, Steak, Seafood
Hours of operation
Breakfast Daily 7:00 am–10:00 am Dinner Daily 4:00 pm–9:00 pm Happy Hour Mon–Fri 4:00 pm–6:00 pm
Phone number
(619) 564-3755
Website
https://portovistasd.com/eatspvhglass-door99/
Payment options
AMEX, Discover, Mastercard, Visa
Dress code
Casual Dress
Executive chef
Mark Gianan
Catering
Weddings, social functions, meetings...all are possible with our 6,000 sq.ft. of open Ripassi Rooftop. Meeting rooms available for groups from 10-60.

Location
1835 Columbia Street, San Diego, CA 92101
Neighborhood
Little Italy
Cross street
Fir
Parking details
Free Valet parking with validation, based on availability.
Public transit
San Diego Trolley stop is the Little Italy station, 4 blocks from the hotel and restaurant.
Additional
Banquet, Bar Dining, Bar/Lounge, Beer, BYO Wine, Cafe, Cocktails, Corkage Fee, Counter Seating, Dog Friendly, Full Bar, Gluten-free Options, Happy Hour, Non-Smoking, Outdoor Firepit, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Private Room, Takeout, View, Weekend Brunch, Wheelchair Access, Wine

Gift card

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Experiences

Taco Tuesday
Multiple dates available
Mix and match all you want with $3 tacos all night long! Each taco is served on a hand pressed corn tortilla, made fresh daily. From marinated birria short rib to fresh caught local fish, come and get your fix! Taco specials are accompanied by ice cold Pacifico's for $4.00 and $6.00 Pacifico micheladas all night long.

House Wines$6.00
Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay, Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Sparkling
Mexican Beers$6.00
Draft - Modelo Especial, Modelo Negra; Bottle - Corona, Pacifico, Estrella
House Margarita$8.00
blanco tequila, house sour mix, lime, agave
Red Sangria$8.00
red wine, brandy, rum, triple sec, pineapple, orange, fresh fruit
Margarita Flight$20.00
3 petite margaritas, bartenders choice

What 74 people are saying

Overall ratings and reviews

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

3.6

3.6 based on all time ratings

3.5Food
3.6Service
3.9Ambience
1Value

Noise • Moderate

74 Reviews

n
neveragain
San Diego
1 review
2.0
1 review
Dined on September 9, 2023
overall2food1service2ambience3
Food was mediocre at best. Our waiter had terrible body order. Actually made it hard to enjoy the meal. I ate at Glass Door maybe a decade or so ago and I remember the food being a lot better. It was completely empty in there on a Friday night at 7pm.
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OT
OpenTable Diner
San Diego
1 review
vip
1.0
1 review
Dined on August 27, 2023
overall1food1service3ambience1
We were disappointed, but it may have been my fault! I read an article that listed this place as a brunch spot in San Diego’s “top 25”! It is neither one-maybe the article was just old? They do not offer brunch, and everything was just very basic, 3-star hotel bar meh. We were literally the only people there other than a couple who walked in, looked around and left. Stale tortilla chips and lackluster guac, blackberry mojitos consisted of a mix, no mint, and 2 blackberries topped by ice. Nothing muddled. Might be ok for watching sports and a beer if you are traveling for work. Not a brunch spot.
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OT
OpenTable Diner
Tucson
5 reviews
vip
2.0
5 reviews
Dined on September 11, 2011
overall2food3service2ambience3
This restaurant has fairly limited menu selections and they were "out" of the one vegetarian entree and so basically they had to throw something together. The appetizer was lukewarm. Something about changeover in the chef department recently. The view is awesome.
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R
Robyn619
San Diego
8 reviews
vip
5.0
8 reviews
Dined on August 28, 2011
overall5food5service5ambience5
The food was absolutely amazing! The view was equally fantastic! It was nice to dine and then walk down to India St. and have a drink at one of the bars also.
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NH
NotHappyWithServer
New York Area
285 reviews
vip
3.0
285 reviews
Dined on August 5, 2011
overall3food3service4ambience5
Perfect spot for happy hour! Wonderful views of the bay, good drinks and food. Try "The Big Bad Wolf" (spicy)! It's like a bloody mary ecept with crispy bacon in it :)
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BJ
BrianJ
San Diego
11 reviews
vip
1.0
11 reviews
Dined on July 1, 2011
overall1food2service1ambience1
After being seated, I finally had to go to the bar myself. We waited over 10 minutes for a server. This was in a barely half-full setting. When I got to the bar to order for everyone, there were two men and one woman behind it... all doing nothing. I finally had to call one over and placed our order. He had to go look at the menu. Then he came back and said they were all out of it. He suggested a replacement, and then came back to show me about 8 drops left in the last bottle in the last bottle in the house. I finally complained to the hostess. With a pretty much blank stare in return. I asked her when one of the 3 bartenders or 3-4 servers woul offer to take our order. She said "right away." Still no sense of urgency. We walked out.
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A
Awesome
San Diego
53 reviews
vip
4.0
53 reviews
Dined on June 27, 2011
overall4food4service5ambience5
They were very helpful and nice to us for.
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OT
OpenTable Diner
San Diego
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined on June 15, 2011
overall5food5service5ambience4
Took my mom here for her birthday, she wanted to go somewhere with small portions and an intimate setting, and this restaurant fulfills that and thensome! We loved the bartender who made us delicious drinks and the server, who was very helpful and friendly. We got a seat outdoors and the view was spectacular. The food was equally as delicious. I'd recommend this place to anyone - great hidden gem.
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OT
OpenTable Diner
San Diego
1 review
3.0
1 review
Dined on June 5, 2011
overall3food2service5ambience4
Breakfast was very limited and lacked creativity. I would only go again for lunch or dinner.
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OT
OpenTable Diner
Los Angeles
10 reviews
3.0
10 reviews
Dined on June 4, 2011
overall3food3service3ambience3
The restaurant (located inside the Porto Vista Hotel) is by far the best thing about the hotel. Lovely view, friendly service, pretty good food for a fair price. Wine list is seriously lacking. Small restaurant with nice decor, not too loud. Sit on the patio if weather permits; there's a great view of the water. Breakfast included in the hotel overnight stay was surprisingly filling and good.
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OT
OpenTable Diner
San Diego
3 reviews
3.0
3 reviews
Dined on May 9, 2011
overall3food3service4ambience3
I took my girlfriend there for Mothers day, we had a 6:30 PM reservation. There was only one other couple, which might mean something. The big negative was the limited dinner menu. They don't even have soup. We both ended up ordering their burgers and salad from the appetizer menu. The other negative is the setting, before long we were the only diner's, but it was a bit awkward, because the bar is about 20 feet away, and they had a few guys drinking and watching the game and maybe us. Note we were at the tables next to the window, I would not have taken the tables about 6 feet from the bar. The positive was the service, but being the only ones eating, that was not hard to pull off. The view is good, and the burgers tasty.
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RJ
RickyJM
San Diego
47 reviews
vip
2.0
47 reviews
Dined on May 8, 2011
overall2food3service2ambience2
service was a bit slow...lots of servers standing around but not much attention was paid to us initially....
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OT
OpenTable Diner
San Diego
1 review
3.0
1 review
Dined on April 13, 2011
overall3food2service3ambience4
Menu was different than I'd expected. Patio a bit chilly but heaters helped. Great view and fun, but mello atmosphere at weekday sunset. I'd stick to drinks and a salad with an appetizer to share next time. Steer clear of potatoe pancakes! Free Valet parking a bonus. Friendly staff. Little Italy just a block away.
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l
laurab
Sacramento
6 reviews
5.0
6 reviews
Dined on April 6, 2011
overall5food5service5ambience5
we went for the view - service and food were very good - they worked with my dietary requirements and the meal still came out well. they also made special cocktails for my food allergies. good to know i can go back there easily. the view is amazing! patio has heat lamps which keep it comfortable when it gets cool out.
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OT
OpenTable Diner
San Diego
8 reviews
vip
4.0
8 reviews
Dined on March 13, 2011
overall4food4service5ambience4
French Fries cooked in duck fat with chunks of duck and shavings of parmesian. Probably not real healthy but man are they good. Hells Kitchen Manhatten was a great complement to the appetizer.
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M
Mykael
San Francisco
5 reviews
vip
3.0
5 reviews
Dined on February 19, 2011
overall3food5service3ambience4
Good Food and Service but takes too long deliver courses
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G
idGilbert
San Diego
5 reviews
4.0
5 reviews
Dined on February 15, 2011
overall4food4service4ambience3
We had heard mixed report about this place but decided to give it a try on Valentine's Day. The place was relatively quiet which meant our server was very attentive. We enjoyed an above average fixed price menu from the outdoor balcony with an excellent view of Little Italy and beyond. We will probably return on another evening to enjoy the Happy Hour Tapas.
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OT
OpenTable Diner
San Diego
5 reviews
2.0
5 reviews
Dined on February 14, 2011
overall2food3service3ambience1
This place portrayed itself as an upscale dining venue with a great view. BUT there was loud techno playing, the bar WAS the whole dining area, and there was no chance of any romance. Overall I would come back for happy hour and that’s about it. This place needs to choose between being a hotel bar and being an upscale dining room. My food (salmon) was absolutely divine, my wife’s food (steak) was tough and chewy and overall unappealing. It’s hard to rate a places food that is polar opposite from one dish to the next.
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OT
OpenTable Diner
San Diego
10 reviews
vip
4.0
10 reviews
Dined on February 12, 2011
overall4food5service4ambience4
The food here is so incredibly good. Everyone in our party of four thoroughly enjoyed their dinners. The chicken confit beggars pouch was superb. I look forward to many more dinners here and trying the other items on the menu. I was underwhelmed by the chocolate orange creme brulee, not dark chocolately enough for me, then again, I am a chocolate snob.
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PF
PradoFan
San Diego
58 reviews
vip
4.0
58 reviews
Dined on January 7, 2011
overall4food4service4ambience5
We had a fabulous time. The wait staff was friendly and attentive, the food was great and the view was awesome.
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OT
OpenTable Diner
Minneapolis
2 reviews
3.0
2 reviews
Dined on November 17, 2010
overall3food3service1ambience4
The food was good although portion size was small. The service was terrible though. It took our waiter 20 minutes to come back with more bread and the place was NOT busy.
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F
Fgoldie
San Diego
21 reviews
vip
3.0
21 reviews
Dined on November 14, 2010
overall3food3service3ambience3
The reason to eat at The Glass Door is for the spectacular view on the patio. The food was good and a fair price, but the view is what makes the meal.
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LH
LindaH
San Diego
9 reviews
2.0
9 reviews
Dined on November 7, 2010
overall2food3service4ambience2
It might be a very busy place during the week with the after work set, but it was dead on a Saturday at 6 PM. For some reason, on the weekends they serve a "happy hour" menu rather than a full dinner menu. The host was gracious saying we could order from the regular menu but it might take a while. We decide it just wasn't what we had expected, ordered a drink then left. I'm sure it's a fun place to have a cocktail out on the patio in July to enjoy the beautiful San Diego skyline, but it was not a very happening place on a weekend for dinner.
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B
Burgher
Washington DC
6 reviews
4.0
6 reviews
Dined on October 17, 2010
overall4food4service4ambience4
Friendly, prompt serviCe wIth very good food. Great menu with prixe fixe selection that was a bargain.
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R
Rose
Chicago
5 reviews
5.0
5 reviews
Dined on October 14, 2010
overall5food5service5ambience5
Sat outside under the warm glow of a heater, view fantastic, visiting from Chicago-loved it!
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OT
OpenTable Diner
San Diego
1 review
3.0
1 review
Dined on September 5, 2010
overall3food3service5ambience4
The meal was good however the steak was not a great cut. The waiter was extremely helpful and ended up taking the meal off the bill. I would go back and try it again because the service and view were incredible.
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OT
OpenTable Diner
San Diego
4 reviews
vip
3.0
4 reviews
Dined on July 18, 2010
overall3food2service3ambience4
The ambiance was great, beautiful view. I had the jidori chicken and the texture was terrible. Kind of like an overcooked piece of fat. I thought maybe I was having a bad tastebud day, so I asked 3 other people at the table to try and they agreed. One even spit it out. I said something to the waiter and his response was 'Huh that never happens.' There was no follow up, no offer to discount, just a full price on the check even though 3/4 was uneaten and we were there for a birthday which I had mentioned before and nothing was mentioned. So overall kind of iffy and I would recommend this place for cocktails only.But I doubt I will return.
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h
hedrr
San Diego
4 reviews
5.0
4 reviews
Dined on March 19, 2010
overall5food4service5ambience5
Wonderful! Delicious food, friendly service, & an amazing view!!
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OT
OpenTable Diner
San Diego
1 review
3.0
1 review
Dined on February 14, 2010
overall3food4service4ambience2
Interesting place, very unique. The hotel(The Porto Vista) is a total dive, like a place you'd never stay in unless everything else was booked, and the elevators don't really work (some people left, too slow), take the stairs, you'll save 15 minutes. The free valet parking was awesome. Also, the outside tables are great, EXCEPT the owner allows smoking so if you're not a smoker, stay inside (we had to move inside and you could still smell it pretty strong). The view was good, very urban above Little Italy. The food was VERY good, the wine list decent (needs a few more by the glass), but the smoking policy just cancelled any additional visits. Hey Glass Door owners - WAKE UP. NO SMOKING will get you a lot more custo
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BB
BarbaraB
San Diego
1 review
3.0
1 review
Dined on February 5, 2010
overall3food3service4ambience3
Tables too close to bar. Very noisy!!
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LL
LaceyL
San Diego
1 review
vip
3.0
1 review
Dined on January 30, 2010
overall3food4service1ambience3
The food and the view were great, but unfortunately the service was a bit lacking. It took a while for our server to take our drink order after we were seated, and it took even longer to get our drinks – this situation repeated when we ordered lunch. We were two of about 15-20 people in the restaurant during lunch on a Sunday, which made the long wait for drinks and food seem unnecessary.
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OT
OpenTable Diner
San Diego
8 reviews
vip
4.0
8 reviews
Dined on January 9, 2010
overall4food4service4ambience4
This is my favourite place in SD. The view, the food, the service, very mellow but very trendy and chic
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OT
OpenTable Diner
San Diego
2 reviews
3.0
2 reviews
Dined on January 1, 2010
overall3food3service2ambience4
The venue was nice with a great view of the bay, especially if you sit by a window or on the patio. Overall the food was good. I went with a large party so I was able to try everyone's dishes. I highly recommend the mussels in the coconut curry broth. They are great. However, I would not recommend the tomatoes soup. It tasted a bit too Campbell’s for me. The service did leave something to be desired. All be, it was New Years Eve but it was early. Our server was nice but I had to ask for bread three different times before he brought it out.
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t
tony
Seattle
20 reviews
2.0
20 reviews
Dined on December 19, 2009
overall2food2service3ambience3
Breakfest menu was very small with not many options.
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OT
OpenTable Diner
San Diego
1 review
2.0
1 review
Dined on December 13, 2009
overall2food3service1ambience2
My experience at the Glass Door was an unfavorable one. First I used opentable.com to book my reservation and when I arrived at the restaurant the hostess said my reservation had been lost. This would not have been a problem if she wasn't incredibly rude when telling me that my girlfriend an I would have to sit outside (while it was windy and raining). So after showing her the conformation e-mail on my phone she told me she was "sorry" but she could seat us outside. We sat outside for about 15 min before a different person came out and said they had found a table for us inside. It is a shame about the terrible service because the food was actually pretty good. I just have a hard time saying i would consider the restaurant again.
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MH
MorganH
Seattle
5 reviews
3.0
5 reviews
Dined on December 5, 2009
overall3food2service5ambience5
For the money I was expecting a better menu and taster food. Maybe I'll try it for lunch or something and see if that menu is any better. The view was wonderful and it was great to sit outside and still be warm. Had a wonderful waiter, just wasn't impressed with the cooking, taste of food, or menu options.
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OT
OpenTable Diner
San Diego
5 reviews
5.0
5 reviews
Dined on December 4, 2009
overall5food5service5ambience5
My dining experience was amazing. I celebrated a special ocassion with a group of friends and the ambiance was great, quiet but with nice jazz music. The dinner and appetizers we all had were delicious. I give the strawberry mojito a big thumbs up, its a must to try if you're there. Our server was also great. It was my second time there, and my the first time for my guests and they loved it.
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OT
OpenTable Diner
Las Vegas
12 reviews
vip
2.0
12 reviews
Dined on November 21, 2009
overall2food1service2ambience3
Sat outside under a heater ~ very narrow walkway. The place is much smaller than the pictures lead you to believe. Didn't care for any of the food ~ we did not finish any of the food. I brought a $100 bottle of Dominus ~ they do not have a decanter.
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OT
OpenTable Diner
San Diego
1 review
2.0
1 review
Dined on November 8, 2009
overall2food3service3ambience4
Good view, fun location in Little Italy.
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OT
OpenTable Diner
San Diego
1 review
2.0
1 review
Dined on October 1, 2009
overall2food2service2ambience2
Take a pass on the place unless all you want is a great view of the harbor.
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FAQs

GlassDoor Restaurant offers takeout which you can order by calling the restaurant at (619) 564-3755.

GlassDoor Restaurant is rated 3.6 stars by 74 OpenTable diners.

GlassDoor Restaurant does offer gift cards which you can purchase here.

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

Make a reservation

Party Size

2 people

DateTime

Dec 3, 2023

7:00 PM

Booked 2 times today

Experiences are available.

Order delivery or takeout

1835 Columbia Street, San Diego, CA 92101

Additional information

Cross street
Fir
Neighborhood
Little Italy
Hours of operation
Breakfast Daily 7:00 am–10:00 am Dinner Daily 4:00 pm–9:00 pm Happy Hour Mon–Fri 4:00 pm–6:00 pm
Price
$30 and under
Cuisines
Contemporary Mexican, Steak, Seafood
Dining style
Casual Dining
Dress code
Casual Dress
Parking details
Free Valet parking with validation, based on availability.
Public transit
San Diego Trolley stop is the Little Italy station, 4 blocks from the hotel and restaurant.
Payment options
AMEX, Discover, Mastercard, Visa
Executive chef
Mark Gianan
Additional
Banquet, Bar Dining, Bar/Lounge, Beer, BYO Wine, Cafe, Cocktails, Corkage Fee, Counter Seating, Dog Friendly, Full Bar, Gluten-free Options, Happy Hour, Non-Smoking, Outdoor Firepit, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Private Room, Takeout, View, Weekend Brunch, Wheelchair Access, Wine

Website
https://portovistasd.com/eatspvhglass-door99/
Phone number
(619) 564-3755
Catering
Weddings, social functions, meetings...all are possible with our 6,000 sq.ft. of open Ripassi Rooftop. Meeting rooms available for groups from 10-60.

Gift card

Send gift cards instantly by email or print to present in person.

Send a gift card

GlassDoor Restaurant

Make a reservation

Order delivery or takeout

Additional information

Gift card

Experiences

Taco Tuesday

Menu

Happy Hour Food

Chicharrones & Guac$8.00

Taquitos$8.00

Chicken Wings$8.00

Quesadilla$8.00

Nachos$8.00

California Fries$8.00

Happy Hour Drinks

House Wines$6.00

Mexican Beers$6.00

House Margarita$8.00

Red Sangria$8.00

Margarita Flight$20.00

What 74 people are saying

Overall ratings and reviews

FAQs

Does GlassDoor Restaurant offer delivery through OpenTable or takeout?

How is GlassDoor Restaurant restaurant rated?

Does GlassDoor Restaurant offer gift cards?

Is GlassDoor Restaurant currently accepting reservations?

Make a reservation

Order delivery or takeout

Additional information

Gift card