The Jetty
4934 Voltaire St.
Ocean Beach 92107
Open from noon – 9pm
www.thejettyob.com
By LKBruce
The Jetty Bodes Well
Some might question the wisdom of reviewing a restaurant before it’s officially open but Yelpers and Googlers are already out there so why not.
Having opened on June 12 for the first American soccer match in the 2026 FIFA World Cup, The Jetty has been testing and refining its menu ever since.
Good news: they’re onto something. The menu is currently reprinted frequently as diners make suggestions that are adopted by the owners before the official grand opening (purportedly) on Labor Day weekend. At present the menu is simple with seven appetizers and eight entrees. It’s simple but clever and creative – a good strategy for the three-month soft opening.
On our first visit, I had the Roasted Veggie Sandwich with zucchini, tomatoes, whipped feta, chimichurri on ciabatta – a delicious combo. My only suggestion is to either slice the veggies thicker or double the layers of the currently sheer ones. Truly excellent flavor, earning a place on my Veggie Sandwich Hall of fame. (Submit your fave in the comments!) Rather than the fries, I opted for the beer-battered onion rings and they were great. I much prefer a tempura-style batter than cornmeal (sorry Hodad’s but I still love you).
My husband ordered a world class-looking burger with — get this – fried avocado, gruyere, caramelized onions and chipotle aioli — for $18.50. Whoa. It was five stars, I was assured. Luckily, he cannot resist fries which afforded me access to one or two. These are unique, shaped like finger-length scoops – ideal crunchy edges and that addictive chipotle aioli.
I ordered a Sunset Cooler mocktail for $9 which is a bit out of character for me (hey it’s OB) and it was delicious as well as beautiful. After inquiring about hard cider and finding they had just guava flavor currently, my husband went with regular lemonade for $7. They boast eight varieties of beer on draft ($6 – $9.50) as well as a few bottles and cans. You have to love the names of the signature cocktails: The OB Jetty, No Surf, Shoot the Pier, Sunrise Session, K38, the Longest Left and Local’s Summer, each sounding more yummy than the last.
We brought friends on our second visit, though the plan for ordering four different entrees failed miserably when we chose two of the same ones. Two had the meatloaf ($18.50) which, though not described as a sandwich on the menu, totally is. Here’s the kicker: my husband said it was even better than the burger. High praise! It came with a perfectly calibrated horseradish aioli and the most irresistible “tobacco onions” which were thinly sliced, spiced and fried. Watch me try to order them as a side next time. Of course, scoop fries were also involved. As I said, simple but creative.
Two of us ordered the fish and chips at $19.50, the former also being beer battered and it, too, was a winner. Not realizing it comes with the generous mound of coleslaw, I chose a side salad in lieu of the fries (“for a small upcharge”) which came with gem lettuce, cherry tomatoes, red onion and some carrot and excellent ranch dressing.
Before the second visit I called and asked about corkage as there is no way of finding out if they even have wine much less what it is. It appears on no menu and the website has yet to be fleshed out. The bartender asked the higher-ups and reported back, “Twenty bucks for two bottles max!” I loved it – such a great OB answer — so wine we brought. We asked the waiter to pour himself a bit, and wisely he did and wisely not too much. Which brings me to the service. Both servers were attentive, friendly and knowledgeable. Bodes well.
As for atmosphere, the outside patio facing the street is especially lovely. There’s a side patio for those who want lower chairs or more room for their dogs.
There are a number of tables inside as well – darker in there but nice and cool. There are ten screens throughout which in my view are ten too many but this is America in the 21st century so I concede. The good news is they had women’s sports on a couple and I found myself stealing a peek more than once.
Dessert is not yet a thing. Supposedly it is coming along with brunch, happy hour and trivia night. With great food, great service and a solid OB vibe, The Jetty bodes well with lots to look forward to.
