1438 Best Restaurants in California, USA

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.

With just a dozen counter seats—its name means "12" in Japanese—this NoPa (North of the Panhandle) omakase sushi favorite is one of the Bay Area's most exquisite sushi experiences. Diners sit in pods of four at the sushi bar, with one sushi chef serving each quartet in the serene-meets-modern room. It's no doubt one of the most intimate dining rooms anywhere in San Francisco. After the first sake is poured, the lucky dozen diners at each seating get treated to an array of pristine fish and a few splashy Californian-Japanese bites prepared by chef Geoffrey Lee and his small team behind the bar.

Don't let the illuminated billboard covered in skate stickers deter you, as the line of hungry surfers-in-waiting is a sure sign you've found the best taco bar in town. Tacos are served on paper plates and burritos are rolled in parchment paper—you'll need both hands to hold these bad boys—at this no-frills hole-in-the-wall that's open until 10 pm, but that makes it easier to munch street-side, or better yet, take your feast to the beach and ride on. The shredded meat is tender and the salsas have a kick.

Diners enjoy sampling the unique specialties presented by this friendly eatery, one of the few Somali restaurants in the Bay Area. The go-to dish is “kay kay,” a sweet-and-savory stir-fry of chopped chapatti bread, spice-rubbed beef or chicken, African tea, onions, and bananas—and yes, you read that last one right.

The apple pies that made Julian famous come from the Smothers family bakery in a one-story house on Main Street. In pleasant weather you can sit on the front patio and watch the world go by while savoring a slice of hot pie—from Dutch apple to apple mountain berry crumb—topped with homemade cinnamon ice cream. The Smothers family has been making pies in Julian since 1986; by 1989 the family had bought its own orchard, and by 1992 it had built a larger bakery in Santa Ysabel.  Arrive by 9 am to avoid the lines that wrap around the building.

Sample finger sandwiches, scones topped with whipped cream, and lavish sweets, which are served during afternoon tea inside the Clarence King House, built by Will Bosnell in 1898. Regular sandwiches, soups, salads, and a children's tea are also available. Seatings are at 11:30 am, 1 pm, and 2:30 pm. The attached shop sells soaps, cards, stationary, books, linens, and all things tea.

Owner Michael Rosen’s addition to San Diego’s restaurant scene fills an open-beamed space with seating for 250 and an open stainless-steel dream kitchen where diners can watch the chef and team in action. Culinary director Jon Sloan and executive chef Jonathan Kinsella source local farm-fresh ingredients for their “left-coast cookery” with a molecular gastronomic twist and a bit of whimsy. The salmon tataki hand roll provides a burst of umami delight, while the carne cruda tart mixes California cuisine with Baja California flair. The comfort-food crowd might want to order from the “secret menu” with its “In & Haute” burger served with fries. Save room for dessert; the rotating ice cream and sorbet act as perfect palate cleansers. Restaurant valet parking is only $15.

Whether you're looking for a New Orleans-, Mexican-, or California-inspired breakfast or lunch, this beloved café is the place for you. The signature pillowy beignets deserve all the considerable hype and people drive an hour just to try them. But there's no going wrong on the extensive menu, served in a warm, welcoming space that feels like a modern diner. Weekends get quite festive when the pint-sized mimosas are flowing.

The thick burgers taste as good as the beer brewed on-site at this New Zealand-inspired brewpub. Plenty of IPAs are available year-round, along with rotating options like pilsners, stouts, sours, and other easy-drinking beers that pair beautifully with the large menu of creative comfort foods like mushroom bulgogi fries, smoked chicken wings (colloquially called "chook" wings across Oceania), and fish-and-chips. Head upstairs to enjoy the sunny rooftop patio with plenty of seating, or catch a game on the large TVs behind the bar on the ground floor. 

San Francisco has a handful of Peruvian restaurants, but this uber-hip Union Street spot is the first Nikkei (Japanese-Peruvian) restaurant. Skip the pedestrian appetizers and have fun sampling around the tiraditos (dishes with raw fish) and sushi rolls. Much of the seating is at the bar or on the sidewalk terrace, so be prepared for some high decibels.

The white-tablecloth dining room at Heavenly's sleekest (and priciest) restaurant is decked out with carved bamboo, a burnt-orange color palette, and a modern-glass sculpture, all of which complement Pacific Rim–influenced dishes like fillet of beef with miso-garlic butter and the signature Chilean sea bass with Thai-basil mashed potatoes and ponzu butter sauce. Sushi selections with inventive rolls and sashimi combos, plus less expensive vegetarian dishes, add depth to the menu.

Don't miss this local gem serving up delicious ceviches, seafood cocktails, and famous fish tacos, available grilled or fried Baja-style. Place your order at the small walk-up window along India Street, then grab one of the (limited) seats along the adjacent outdoor terrace.

San Diego's first microbrewery now has multiple locations, but the original one remains a staple with a refreshed look after a 2024 renovation. This locale draws an after-work crowd for German-inspired pub food and pints of Red Trolley Ale and later fills with beer connoisseurs from all walks of life to try Karl's latest concoctions.

At its 10 San Diego locations—Carmel Mountain, Encinitas, East Village, La Jolla, Little Italy, Mira Mesa, Mission Valley, Otay Ranch, Point Loma, and Rancho Bernardo—this fast-food Mediterranean eatery offers a mix of slowly cooked rotisserie meats and crispy falafel served on plates of saffron rice or wrapped in grilled flatbread. Fresh tabbouleh, Mediterranean salads, and baklava desserts round out the meals. For a meal on the go, order the döner box, with options like spiced lamb, marinated chicken, ground beef, or falafel accompanied by fries or rice, fresh veggies, and creamy garlic yogurt sauce.

This outcrop of the Brigantine chain brings a modern vibe to Shelter Island with a beer-friendly menu as impressive as the harbor view. For a true San Diego dining experience, try the California tuna bowls, surf and turf fondue, or chili-glazed salmon with kale hash. There are plenty of gluten-free and vegan dishes to boot, including seafood salad, steamed clams, and crispy buffalo cauliflower. Weekend brunch (10–3) and daily happy hour (3–6), pack the house. For grab and go, swing by the walk-up window offering the same menu.

Veggies with a view could be the subtitle for this venerable Cardiff restaurant that grew from a simple juice shack. Ki’s is well known for heart-healthy, gluten-free, vegan, locally sourced, ovo-lacto, vegetarian-friendly dishes like huevos rancheros, filling tofu scrambles, taco plates, chopped salads with feta and nuts, seasonal juice, and carrot ice-cream smoothies. "The Kicker" juice is packed with nutrients like kale, apple, ginger, cilantro, and spinach. From 4 to 8 pm, the menu takes a step forward with macadamia-coconut mahi-mahi, miso-glazed salmon, and filet mignon topped with a mushroom Cabernet sauce.

Ornate pink wallpaper and marble-topped tables stand among skull prints, Gothic art, a heavy metal soundtrack and a giant ram's head in this busy restaurant-bar—emphasis on the bar. The vegan menu is not what you might expect, and the bold flavors and satisfying portions will please both herbivores and carnivores alike.

Beef brisket and St. Louis ribs are the hits at this saloonlike, order-at-the-counter joint whose house-made sauces include espresso barbecue, South Carolina mustard, and the sweet-and-sourish KIN blend. Along with the expected sides of potato salad, cornbread muffins, and baked beans (the latter bourbon-infused), the spiced sweet-potato tater tots and Granny-Smith-and-horseradish slaw stand out.

It gives off the look of a sauna because of its minimalist light-color wood on white-paint interior, but you'll find nothing but colorful, gorgeous, Middle Eastern dishes here at Kismet. This James Beard nominee perfectly blends comforting Middle Eastern cuisine with California flavors and plant-based flair, all served in a modern space.

A casual order-at-the-counter restaurant (affiliated with Priest Ranch Winery’s tasting room next door) serves filling comfort fare for all-day breakfast and lunch. The novel variations on morning cuisine include gnocchi replacing hash browns in an egg dish flavor-balanced with pickled onions, wild mushrooms, and chili aioli; the hit for lunch is a brisket-and-chuck smashburger on a Bouchon Bakery bun.

Born out of owner Erica Daking’s need for more kitchen space for her growing production catering business, Kitchen Mouse has blossomed into a wildly popular neighborhood restaurant with a cozy rustic-meets-modern look and an inspired, mostly organic vegan/vegetarian menu. The food is bright with vibrant flavors, ranging from snickerdoodle pancakes to chilaquiles that are irresistible and accessible to people of all diets. It’s no coincidence that pop superstar Billie Eilish is known to frequent Kitchen Mouse!

This new vibrant seafood restaurant is known for dishes like Maryland-style crab dip, tuna tostada, crispy crab cake with house tartar sauce, dry-aged cheeseburger, fresh grilled fish, and brown butter cake with Chantilly cream and salted caramel sauce. Pair your meal with a nice selection of white, red, rosé, and bubbly wines by the glass and bottle.

Koi first opened its doors in 2002 and immediately became one of the buzziest restaurants in Los Angeles, attracting a who's who clientele salivating over their unique Asian-fusion cuisine. Today, it continues to deliver on every level: fun atmosphere, incredible food, and solid celebrity sightings. Favorites here are the Koi Crispy Rice and Miso Bronzed Cod, but the menu is littered with raw and cooked fish that dazzles. Though you can find Koi sisters in New York and Las Vegas, the original matters, as does the super professional waitstaff who have been here from the beginning.

Satisfy your craving for outstanding Greek taverna food—albeit at luxe steak-house prices—from a dizzying selection of mezethes such as stuffed grape leaves to main courses that showcase Athenian standards like moussaka, lemon-oregano chicken, and grilled lamb chops. There’s a lively after-work scene in this chic farmhouse setting with wood-beamed ceilings, a roaring wood oven, and candlelight. Service is doting for its many well-heeled regulars (but tends to be less so for other guests).

Surfers, bicyclists, and sun worshippers visiting or living in Pacific Beach line up at the counter of this casual seaside café for hearty breakfasts and lunches. Some chow down inside surrounded by surfing decor, while others watch waves crash from the outdoor patio.

Walk off your meal along the bustling boardwalk, which also offers prime people-watching.

The owner-chef of this mod-Japanese restaurant fashions fresh, wildly creative sushi for patrons seated at blond-wood tables, a counter, or an open-air patio. Order a sunshine roll—spicy tuna, escolar, and shrimp tempura enlivened by the tart contribution of green apples and lemon—perhaps pairing it with cooked fare like smoked duck kushiyaki with plum-wine katsu sauce or hot or cold ramen.

The chef at this small downtown restaurant with a clean but no-nonsense decor serves fresh-off-the-boat seafood, some caught locally but never too far afield. The emphasis on letting the main ingredient speak for itself extends to the meats and produce, which come from respected area purveyors.

Chef-owner Kericos Loutas personally sees to each plate of food served at this romantic, unpretentious French restaurant. Order the pan-roasted duck breast or the pork medallions with wild mushrooms or white wine sauce; or, if you can't decide, choose the three-course prix-fixe dinner.

Cozy tables by the window overlook the San Juan Capistrano Mission at this French and Belgian restaurant. The classic menu presents escargot, frog legs, pate, and a bratwurst plate. An extensive wine list is matched by an impressive selection of Belgian beers. It's open for Sunday brunch; save room for a traditional Belgian chocolate torte.

La Dolce Vita, the iconic Beverly Hills Italian spot, is back, bringing old-school charm with a fresh twist. Originally opened in 1966, it was a Rat Pack favorite, and its dimly lit, red-leather-booth vibes remain. Expect classic Italian dishes, stiff martinis, and a taste of Hollywood history—revived for a new era.