Firefly Grill & Wine Bar

Very well run - great food, great wine, great service
Oct 6th, 2016

I came here for Restaurant Week, and based on that meal alone, I thought that the food here was pretty decent. For appetizer, I had a baby arugula salad with butternut squash where the squash was cooked to perfection. The salad was dressed perfectly - light and flavorful without overpowering the flavors of the arugula and squash. For the entree, I had their lobster-crusted filet mignon (a restaurant week specialty). The meat was a perfect medium rare. However, the gravy that went with the mash potatoes was a bit too potent, and I felt that the gravy took away from how well the filet mignon was done. The lobster in the dish was uneventful for me. Dessert was a goat cheese cheesecake, which, while also interesting, was a bit on the light side, which was not what I was expecting. The basil sauce was delicious alone, but didn't blend well with the cheesecake itself. All in all, I felt like the food here was a bit hit or miss. The good dishes were delicious, but the bad dishes were pretty big misses. I might come here again to see what other "hits" I might run into.
Jun 24th, 2015

Firefly Grill and Wine Bar taught me not to judge a book by its cover. I originally came here with a friend during Restaurant Week but was put off when I read a Yelp review. "It's inside a strip mall," it said. And it's true; you can get your shoes repaired, get a manicure, or even take your child to ballet practice. It's a conglomerate of odd little shops and a fantastic restaurant. It's also a mixture between upscale and casual, if there was ever such a thing. Patrons come in wearing sneakers and others are seen wearing their Sunday best. It was a little dark for my liking, but the food lights up the place on its own. I started with the lobster risotto. It was creamy but a bit salty for my taste. The lobster chunks were delicious though. For my entree, I had the braised wild boar. It came with velvety parmesan polenta and swiss chard. It was my first time trying wild board and I thought the meat would be gamy. To my surprise, the meat was tender and almost delicate! For dessert I had a berry cobbler with a scoop of vanilla gelato. I was kind of full by this point and didn't really care much for the desert. If I lived closer, I would probably drop by again to try other items in their menu!
Dec 9th, 2014

We come here frequently - mostly for the happy hour specials. We have had dinners here and they are very good, but the 4:30-6:30 happy hour meals (and drinks) are the best deal. Limited meal selections for happy hour, but the food is very good and the happy hour prices are excellent. Split the "wedge" salad (huge), a main course each, and a glass of wine each, and you can get out for $50 (T&T included) for a very good dinner with wine for two. Not many places like that.
Nov 10th, 2014

The Firefly is always a consistently enjoyable dining experience. The menu is exciting (The shortribs and seafood cataplana are remarkable!) and is regularly updated with seasonal options. The ever changing tasting menu offers a fun adventurous sampling of dishes. The atmosphere inside strikes a great balance of upscale casual that is fun and comfortable to dine in. Drinks at the bar never disappoint and the service has always been consistently great. Timely, engaged, and attentive. The Firefly is a true gem in Encinitas area!
May 11th, 2014