19 Best Restaurants in San Diego, California

Don't be put off by the name, or that it is part of a small chain. This fine-dining restaurant at the Headquarters at Seaport in Downtown has won a devoted following for classic seafood, casual but sophisticated settings, and nightly live jazz. Chilled oysters and other shellfish compete with Maine lobster tacos and kung pao–style calamari to start the meal. The polished staff helps with informed descriptions of almost two-dozen entrées starring fish flown in fresh daily and prime steaks. Sea bass in a savory soy broth and Parmesan-crusted sole are favorites, while the seafood chopped salad is light and sharable. Truffled mac and cheese and au gratin cheddar potatoes are not-to-be-missed sides. Nightly happy hours in the V Lounge offer $8 wines, cocktails, and appetizers.

A second location in La Jolla has wonderful ocean views and the same dinner menu and happy hour specials. It also serves lunch on weekends.

Bringing Paris to La Jolla, acclaimed chef Jean Michel Diot unveils bistronomie cuisine, a culinary concept that blends bistro favorites with gastronomie techniques. The airy dining room, lined with black-and-white photos of France, is comfortable, if not romantic, an ideal setting for the ever-changing menu that emphasizes fresh ingredients sourced from the Sunday farmers' market that holds court in front of the restaurant. Provençal classics like duck confit, coq au vin, and scallops Saint Jacques vie with more unusual fare like pike quenelles. Patrons-in-the-know always save room for meringue floating on crème anglaise topped with slivered almonds.

Not a typical San Diego taco shop, this Mexican eatery is upstairs in a shopping complex in the middle of a tequila museum with some 2,000 bottles dating from the 1930s. The owners are equally serious about food, calling their cuisine Hispanic-Mexican Gastronomy, which means meat and fish dishes with lots of unusual spicy chilies, herbs, spices, and moles.

Housed inside a converted Ford dealership that dates back to the '40s, Fort Oak is a haven for sophisticated carnivores and pescatarians alike. Chef Brad Wise's menu leans heavily on wood-fired fish, like the whole branzino, as well as aged steaks, Duroc pork, and fried chicken. Fort Oak leans into the building's unique history, with remnants of the former car dealer and garage touched up on the outside wall, but inside is a chic and modern bistro with a sleek, u-shape bar at the center where patrons can sample their menu of cocktails named for vintage cars.

La Jolla's ocean-view destination restaurant is like two dining experiences in one with Level2 bar and the rooftop Ocean Terrace. Prepare for spectacular views and an innovative menu featuring maple leaf duck with tangerine marmalade and salmon with braised lentils at the outdoor-only Ocean Terrace, while the Level2 lounge has unique craft cocktails like "Spa Day" with cucumber-mint infused vodka and elderflower. Regulars often come just for the sunset starters like salmon tartare, mussels, or jerk octopus. 

Step inside this restaurant, part of a tropic-style hotel complex and concert venue on Shelter Island, and discover a dining room that’s contemporary in look and outlook with amazing vistas of bobbing sailboats, seabirds, and sunsets. Hotel guests, concertgoers, yachties, and a few locals enjoy the contemporary menu featuring classic American fare like crab cakes, lobster mac and cheese, and skirt steak (regulars request the macadamia-crusted halibut). Sunday brunch from 10 to 2 draws a crowd. After sharing an in-house dessert, stop by the bar next door to work off the calories dancing to live music.

Reservations are needed during concert nights; check the website for schedule.

This chic ocean-facing restaurant (pronounced Jordan), in the boutique TOWER23 Hotel, offers a diverse menu including a sushi and raw bar, and inspired California cuisine. Lunch and weekend brunch are very popular, and on Friday and Saturday the bar is jammed with under-thirty types eager to see and be seen.

Distressed brick walls, rustic wood tables, and vintage waterfront photos suits the restaurant’s commitment to modern all-natural coastal cuisine with a Filipino twist. Locals, as well as guests at the adjacent boutique Hotel Solamar, savor menu items like shareable starters (lemon-tinged hummus or warm beet salad) and entrées that include Filpino standards like pancit noodles with vegetables; there are options like seared sea scallops or the J6 burger made with a top-secret grind as well.

Stepping into Kingfisher for the first time is a surefire way to stimulate the senses, from the elegantly kitschy green, tropical decor with gold trim to the rush of herbaceous scents that come wafting your way. The restaurant's menu of sharable items features both protein-heavy dishes (smoked duck, striped seabass) to vegetarian-friendly options with an abundance of umami flavors (mushroom congee, smoked eggplant), all of which pair nicely with a menu of cocktails that range from light and refreshing to spirit-heavy and bold—if you prefer to skip the booze altogether, don't hesitate to ask. Though the mocktails are off-menu, they're no less delightful.

Step into this swanky New York--style Italian chophouse that takes you back in time with its piano bar, paintings of Sinatra, and dirty martinis to match. The menu is as rich as the atmosphere with the taste of olive oil, garlic, and lemon in every bite. Start with the steamed clams or homemade cannelloni, and move on to the lobster Manhattan over linguine or the charbroiled veal chop Fiorentina. Nearly all the desserts are made from scratch including the New York cheesecake and the rich cannoli. The dim lighting and dark leather booths make this one of the more romantic restaurants in La Jolla.

Accolades continue to roll in for executive chef Jason Knibb—winner of an award of excellence by Wine Spectator every year since 2002—whose seasonal menus are magnets for travelers and San Diegans seeking a memorable meal like pan-roasted Colorado lamb loin or duck breast with white asparagus and mustard greens. Located at La Jolla’s Grande Colonial Hotel, the space encompasses a cozy ground-floor dining room, bar, and ocean-glimpse covered patio. At night deftly executed appetizers may include Jamaican jerk pork belly with plantains and black-eyed peas or porcini mushroom spaghettini with cured egg yolk. A prix-fixe six-course “Mercy of the Chef” menu is available for the whole table.

Since opened by celebrity chef Brian Malarkey a few years ago, this high-energy flagship restaurant has become the Gaslamp’s best for food and energetic atmosphere. Foodies from near and far savor the upscale down-home fare like small plates of biscuits with spicy honey, duck fat fries, and shrimp and grits. The open kitchen serves a full range of poultry and meat dishes, while specialty cocktails from the bar keep things lively in the sofa-furnished lounge. If you prefer a quiet place to chat and dine, this isn’t for you.

A 2016 renovation has brought on a new chef, menu, and ocean view at this restaurant situated in pedestrian-friendly La Jolla Village. The clean, elevated design features a custom-made copper bar, spacious terrace, and polished woods. The menu draws inspiration from Mexico, Asia, and the Mediterranean with raw dishes like a lobster aguachile with chili-pear granita and meat- and seafood-heavy mains that include lamb loin, seared yellowtail, and mussels in a spicy broth. The cocktail menu features more than two dozen libations divided by categories like agave, cane sugar, and dark grains, while the wine list covers 250 varietals. There’s a retail shop for diners looking to take a bottle home.

It’s hard to dine closer to the Pacific than at this venerable La Jolla Shores mainstay whose two-story-tall windows capture beachgoers, kayakers, snorkelers, and swooping gulls; if the tide is high, waves race across the sand and crash against the glass. The Maine lobster bisque comes coated in Meyer lemon cream, while the bluefin tuna is dressed in a togarashi aioli and the truffle yuca fries are topped with shaved Parmesan.

This lovely restaurant in the historic House of Hospitality makes contemporary fare, friendly service, and patio dining available to legions of museum- and theatergoers who come to Balboa Park. The bar is a fashionable destination for creative drinks and light nibbles, while the dining room's specialties range from fish tacos and paella to unusual surf-and-turf combos.

Parking in Balboa Park can be daunting; take advantage of the weekend valet parking at the entrance of the restaurant.

With its bay views from Point Loma to the Coronado Bridge, this upscale seafood house is just right for a memorable evening. The romantic teak-paneled dining room and a deck that sits over the water are popular spots for visitor splurges and locals celebrating special occasions. Starters include smoked fish samplers or a chilled seafood platter with a half Maine lobster, Dungeness crab, clams, prawns, and oysters, shared with sips of champagne. The star among salad offerings is the Dungeness crab Louie. For mains, choose from mesquite-grilled Pacific coast swordfish or specialties like the Dover sole, zesty cioppino, or lemon saffron linguine with prawns and scallops.

Do not confuse this with the tourist-oriented Fish Market downstairs, which can offer an uneven dining experience.

This hip eatery has won national acclaim for its combination of casual comfort and a menu of ever-changing local fare. In nice weather, request a patio table to enjoy the people-watching along with cocktails like the London's Burning with gin, jalapeño, avocado, and lemon or house sangria. The menu shines with dishes like the Spanish octopus, pork Bolognese, seared scallops, and roasted chicken. Desserts include mud pie, but the butterscotch budino with brown butter blondies is a solid staple.