Firefly Eatery & Bar

Beautiful waitress with long, flowing black hair — I unfortunately forgot her name. We had dinner our first night there on Friday, January 30, and were seated outside the restaurant. It was our daughter’s 4th birthday, and when we mentioned it, she immediately showed genuine excitement and surprised her with a beautiful birthday dessert — ice cream with a cookie, sprinkles, and a candle. The attention to detail and care she showed really stood out. Both our kids were thrilled, and it created a memory our family will always remember. Every time we come back to visit and dine here, we’ll think of that moment. Also, everything we ordered was amazing — the fried fish, salads, and the kids’ meals were all excellent. Thank you for your warm personality and thoughtful service — we truly appreciate it.

- M S -

I had breakfast at Firefly (inside the Dana Hotel) after walking over from the Hyatt Regency Mission Bay, and it was a nice start to the day. I ordered an omelet and was initially served the wrong one, but the staff corrected it quickly without any fuss, which I appreciated. The coffee was excellent—really, really good. I chose to sit outside, and the relaxed outdoor setting added to the overall experience. It’s a great spot if you want a casual breakfast with good service and a pleasant ambiance.

- Latisha Dutch -

Also the bartender was absolutely incredible. We stopped by as soon as we arrived and he made our arrival so much fun and enjoyable. And went out of his way to accommodate us. We feel PAMPERED. Thank you so much Aldo!

- Nick Tortorici -

Perfect place to enjoy wonderful food with tremendous views of Mission Bay. Great service in a friendly setting.

- John R. Beyer -

We are here several times over the course of a 4-night visit. Service was very slow on the weekends, which I don’t think was the fault of the servers, I think it’s more that they are severely understaffed for crowds. During the week however, there was no wait and exceptional service hence the 3 stars. We mainly ate off the happy hour and breakfast buffet, but a couple of dishes really stood out. The breakfast buffet was $39.95 and I would equate it to a free buffet you might have at another restaurant chain- scrambled eggs, sausage, bacon, breakfast potatoes, pancakes, a chefs special which on this day was french toast, a fruit tray that was practically empty, and some pastries/muffins. There was a fresh omelet station, however, which was the standout feature. We tried several items on the happy hour menu including the burger, wedge salad, steak flatbread, and corn chowder. The flatbread and chowder were both delicious, flavorful, and brought us back to order them several times. Unfortunately we didn’t get to try the dinner menu.

- Brooke Nodeland -

We stayed at the Dana and enjoyed visiting the Firefly every day of our visit! The staff were so friendly! The happy hour drinks were a great price, so we made sure to visit then ;) We thoroughly enjoyed our drinks, and were able to take them back to our room. Every morning we stopped in for coffee, which was a bit pricey. However the quality of the espresso and the convenience made me overlook that. My friend and I shared the beet salad as a light snack and it was so good! Not overdressed, and the didn’t skimp on the beets. It was so good and definitely made our visit to San Diego much more pleasant.

- Rebecca -

Don't miss The Firefly! Over the course of our stay at The Dana, we enjoyed several mornings outside on their cozy patio having coffee and brunch with family and friends. You'll have a wonderful view of the Marina and pool as you sit on cushioned chairs under umbrellas. We were lucky to have been greeted by hummingbirds flitting about drinking nectar from the many Bird of Paradise plants surrounding the outdoor eatery. The service at The Firefly is excellent. I have stayed in many places from budget hotels to remote resorts and the Customer Service at The Firefly is remarkable and unexpected. We were remembered and greeted cordially each morning with a high level of professionalism and care. Never have I felt more welcome in a restaurant or lodging establishment than I did here. Brunch offerings include fresh, ripe fruit, smoked salmon, pastries, scrambled eggs, bacon and sausage, bread and other items. Omelettes and eggs are also made to order while you wait and special orders are made as requested. Coffee is fresh and hot.

- Val Lynn Booth -

Very spontaneous decision to go for a date night here and it was amazing!! Ambiance 10/10 Food 50/10 Service 100/10 Came in like 5m after the were taking the last guest for seating (but we'd called ahead and told them we'd be there) And the bartender was SUPER sweet about it! Accepted all order customizations (grilled chicken instead of breaded for the entree, asparagus instead of fried brussels sprouts, and that too with less oil) Brought out the food really quick - fresh and steamy In perfect order and perfect timing. We didn't have to wait for any course to come out Even came in and asked what dessert would e the would want so he could keep it aside for us since the kitchen was closing.. and then could bring it out in time We celebrated our anniversary there, and the bartender gave us the dessert and drink on the house!! What a great guy! Also very kind with moving the heaters around for us Coconut Shrimp - SO crispy and delicious! Perfect with a big squeeze of lemon juice. Or with that sweet chili sauce. Shrimp it were not too oily either even through they were fried. Grilled Chicken was perfectly cooked! Very soft and not at all dry on the inside. Asparagus on the side - tender and cooked well on the inside too. Not stringy or hard even though they were thick pieces. Gorgonzola Mashed potatoes - creamy and delicious! Mushroom Fettuccine - WHAT A BEAUTY! the Sauce was lovely - perfect garlic parmesan sauce with perfectly cooked pasta and mushrooms. Good portion size too. Loved it! Cheesecake was creamy and perfect! Didn't even need that blueberry compote on top! Strange Brew cocktail was very nice too! Good volume and generous portion size. Very refreshing!

- Haylee Jane Monteiro -