193 Best Restaurants in San Diego, California

This much-praised, popular Vietnamese restaurant offers over 200 dishes so that choosing a meal here can be difficult. Waiters steer diners to familiar tasty offerings like traditional pho, kung pao chicken, garlic-butter fried chicken wings, and fresh pork or shrimp spring rolls. For the adventurous, more exotic options abound, like the broken rice dishes, and bo luc lac, sizzling cubes of beef served with a chunk of butter melting on top. Families can build-their-own spring rolls with the oven-roasted whole catfish served with vegetables, dipping sauces, and rice paper. The large, relatively spare dining room gets packed, especially on weekends, but service is usually prompt, if sometimes curt, typical of almost all Convoy Street dining spots.

Fresh homemade pasta served as the diner wants it is the mantra at this cozy Italian restaurant. Opt for indoor seating, which offers a charming, old-world feel, with warm lighting, wood beam ceilings, and exposed brick.

Blocks from the beach in La Jolla Shores, this comfortably modern dining room and shaded patio hits all the right notes—affordable, polished, and family-friendly. From lunch to closing, it bustles with regulars from the neighborhood and visitors from around the world who are guided through the extensive Italian menu by the professional staff, some of whom have worked here for over three decades. Warm bread with spicy dipping sauce is hard to resist, but save room for favorites like grilled romaine hearts wrapped in crisp prosciutto, saffron shrimp pappardelle, and veal scaloppine with mushroom risotto cakes. Kids love their special menu, while parents relish the value-packed wine list with excellent selections by the glass.

Rows of picnic tables, surfboard decor, and beer-brewing on-site have made this funky, friendly brewpub a block from the beach a locals’ favorite. The nearly 40 brews on tap include a namesake pour and other craft beers that have made San Diego a beer-drinkers destination. Between sips, nosh on munchies like garlic beer buddies, seasoned bits of pizza crust. Surfers, families, and others with big appetites order one of 16 signature pizzas slathered with toppings, available whole or by the slice until 3 pm and after 9 pm. Got a sweet tooth? Try a stout or porter float.

When fishing boats unload their catch on-site, a seafood restaurant and market earns the right to boast that they offer “the freshest thing in town.” In the late 1950s, mostly sportfishermen came here, but word got out about the just-caught fried fish on San Francisco–style sourdough bread, and now locals and visitors come to enjoy bay views, sunshine, and a greatly expanded menu of seafood dishes. An efficient crew takes orders for food and drinks at the counter, keeping the wait down even on the busiest days. In addition to sandwiches, favorites include fish tacos, seafood cocktails, sushi, salads, and fried platters of fish, shrimp, and scallops. This is San Diego's top seafood market for those who like to grab live crustaceans to prepare at home.

Pork chops, deviled eggs, tuna casserole, alphabet soup—1960s comfort food has taken a turn for the better, thanks to Ponyboy at The Pearl Hotel. It’s the ideal spot for happy hour or small bites, starting with the grilled oysters à la Rockefeller, graduating to beef stroganoff, and concluding with pineapple upside-down cake for that final craving. Despite the familiar classic menu, everything is elevated and made from scratch. Come early to grab a poolside table and sip and soak in the cult classics during Wednesday’s movie nights where your favorite flicks are projected onto the big screen.

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.

This 500-square-foot restaurant serves up heaping portions of tacos, burgers, bowls, and “sammiches” inspired by the owner’s international travels. American classics have an Asian twist, like the smoked pork belly street tacos with kimchi aioli and ginger slaw or the Cajun spice-dusted lamb lollipops with coconut-jalapeño rice. Don’t be surprised if the chef steps out of the glass-walled kitchen to ask how you liked the “Fork'n Burger” or the “Notorious P.I.G.” with a mountain of pork and smoked gouda. Between the postcard murals and Southeast Asia-meets-Hawaiian vibe, you might forget you’re in La Jolla.

This isn't your average taco shop. The Oaxacan-inspired menu by chef José Cepeda uses traditional ingredients and spins them on their heads to create dishes like the popular crab corn doughnut and crispy duck carnitas served with his famous black mole. The atmosphere is moody, the drinks are strong, and the guacamole is worth every penny.

This small steak house manages to pack in huge flavor in their oak-grilled premium cuts of meat like Wagyu tri-tip, 40-day dry-aged bone-in New York strips, pork tomahawk, and king salmon. If you're not sure what to try, opt for one of the "Boards" to try a variety of the best cuts of the night, as determined by the chef.

Blink and you'll drive right by The Remy, a recommissioned steak house completely renovated in 2023. Once inside the lounge that sports a hipster-ish hunting lodge vibe, you can sidle up to the bar for a handcrafted cocktail or grab a table to enjoy a thick slice of perfectly prepared beef.

Dual concepts sit side-by-side with a shared patio always buzzing with activity. Start your day with a matcha latte and freshly baked pastry from Secret Sister; in the evening, it's time for oysters and natty wine at The Rose Wine Bar.

This casual eatery always commands a crowd, thanks to the explosively flavorful sliders they call "lil' masterpieces." Despite their small size, Rosemarie's sliders pack a punch, from the spicy Nashville hot chicken to the deliciously messy Little Munchies. They recommend two per person, but we won't judge if you order more.  Happy hour runs Monday through Friday from 2:30 to 5 pm, with specials on sliders, fries, beer, wine, and cocktails.

Credited with popularizing fish tacos in the United States, Ralph Rubio brought the Mexican staple to San Diego, opening his first restaurant in Pacific Beach where it still stands today. The original beer-battered fish tacos have fried pollock topped with white sauce, salsa, and cabbage atop a corn tortilla.

Outdoor tables on a narrow sidewalk and inexpensive prices make this a standout. The simple menu by Bangkok-born chef-owner Su-Mei Yu has noodle soups; stir-fried noodles with chicken, beef, pork, or shrimp; and a couple of uncommon Vietnamese and Thai-Indian noodle dishes bathed with aromatic sauces.

Pick up an authentic Vietnamese iced coffee blend, or one of the specialty options like Hanoi egg coffee or Saigon frappe. Don't mind the line—the baristas know how to hustle, so it moves quickly.

Homemade crepes and fresh-brewed coffee come second to the artisanal ice cream made with just a handful of ingredients. Even vegans can get their scoop on, with flavors like strawberry shortcake, cookie dough, and chocolate made with cashew milk, cocoa butter, organic carob beans, and other natural goodness.

This casual indoor-outdoor eatery in La Jolla Shores has a sprawling outdoor patio perfect for leisurely lunches with friends and family. Surfers and well-heeled locals populate the 50-seat patio while enjoying made-to-order organic smoothies and fresh salads, as well as scrumptious breakfast and creative lunch entrées that include flatbreads, soups, sandwiches, and the popular cheeseburger and prime steak frites. The blueberry banana smoothie is addictive, while the tarragon chicken salad with lemon aioli, green apple, avocado, pistachios, and dried cranberries over mixed greens with a citrus vinaigrette is a tantalizing mix of flavors.

Bacon is king at this lively burger, beer, and sports bar in Liberty Station. Founder Scott Slater’s signature “designer” patty, half beef and half ground bacon, is topped with a fried egg and cheese, and sauced with chipotle adobo mayonnaise. Or design your own burger from a menu with over 30 toppings like bacon jalapeño jam. Even fries get a lift from bacon ketchup. While little ones munch sliders from the kids' menu, parents quaff one of the 100 craft and local beers on tap and join military from nearby bases and other sports fans following games on the room’s many flat-screen TVs. There's even a dog menu featuring the signature 50/50 patty or bacon strips for furry friends.

Bright “Brady Bunch” decor, plus plenty of sunshine and fresh air pouring through windows and skylights, are cheery wake-ups for diners at this hip neighborhood haunt for pancakes and lattes. Expect long waits for a table, especially on weekends; free coffee helps the time pass while you wait to indulge in made-from-scratch breakfast bliss.

This three-story-tall restaurant and bar in Ocean Beach looks like a typical sports bar from the outside, but inside is the place to eat what many consider to be the best fish tacos in San Diego. Grab a seat at the bar and choose from an ever-changing array of fresh grilled fish from lobster to mahi-mahi. Visit on Tuesday for $4 tacos, Friday for $1 oysters, and Sunday for $10 bottles of bubbly.

Get bold Sichuan flavors with loads of chili peppers at this restaurant, where food is served family style, and “mild” is not an option. If you speak Mandarin, you're in luck, but if you don't, simply point at the menu with full color photos of every dish, including the top selections like deep-fried chicken cubes with hot pepper, or the fish fillet with chili. The duck with spicy sauce has a kick, as do most items on the massive 175-item menu. This authentic Chinese restaurant liberally uses both spicy chilis and Sichuan peppercorn-like peppers in their dishes, so get ready for a tingling, but pleasant numbing effect with every bite. Fortunately the menu is marked with chili pepper icons as warnings.

The line moves fast at Spill The Beans, a coffee shack designed like a nautical lighthouse on the east side of Seaport Village. Open from 7 am to 6 pm daily, you can get your java fix from their curated menu of coffeehouse classics, like Americanos and lattes, or specialty options like the cinna-bee latte with honey and cinnamon. Their bagel menu offers sweet and savory flavors as well as a rotating flavor of the month, with a unique variety of spreads like wasabi-ginger-soy and caramelized shallot and chive. 

A fancier option along Orange Avenue, this chophouse is a more modern alternative to the vintage steak house. Stake features high-quality cuts of beef along with fresh seafood, oysters, lobster mashed potatoes, and an award-winning wine list.

This 50,000-square-foot monument to beer and good food is a crowd-pleaser, especially for fans of San Diego’s nationally known craft beer scene. The global menu features dishes like the Bavarian pretzel and Brewmaster's Beef Dip that pair perfectly with on-tap and bottled beers from around the world and Stone’s famous IPAs. Dine indoors in high-ceiling rooms guarded by etched-metal gargoyles and lit by beer-bottle chandeliers. Or, relax outdoors where parents often unwind as their kids enjoy the patio. Before leaving, browse the company store for hip logo wear like hats and hoodies.

If the chef at this La Jolla bakery looks familiar, it's because she won Food Network’s Holiday Baking Championship in 2015. Since that win, chef Maeve Rochford has made a name for herself as a celebrity chef and owner of Sugar and Scribe, offering baked goods like delicious scones as well as sit-down options (final seating 2 pm) like lobster Benedict, Irish sausage rolls, and irresistible blueberry pancakes with fresh-plucked berries, edible flowers, and vanilla whipped cream. For a La Jolla summer cool down, try the horchata latte.

Located next to Campo Santo Cemetery, Tahona—in its architecture and design—might suggest the illusion of a snapshot of historical San Diego, but culinarily it's anything but. Offering a dining experience that centers on mezcal, Oaxacan cuisine, and locally sourced produce and ingredients, Tahona puts a new spin on Southern California Mexican cuisine. Its menu features plenty of familiar staples like tacos, guacamole, and tostadas, mixed in with innovative items like carnitas bao buns and short rib birria ramen.

Make reservations online for its adjoining spooky speakeasy, Oculto 477, which brings an elevated sensory experience to its mezcal offerings.

With seven total locations in the city, Tajima has become a favorite source for ramen-hungry San Diegans. Climb into a cozy booth and order a Japanese craft beer or sake before diving into one of the five types of ramen—all of which come in hefty portions with affordable price tags—including an excellent vegan version with spinach noodles. Add-ins include accoutrements like kimchi, fried garlic, black garlic oil, and corn. Non-ramen options span sushi hand rolls, rice bowls, and Karaage, a Japanese-style fried chicken served with mayo.