Recommended 12 Dinner Spots Near San Diego, California

Zan Lee Stopped in last night as a party of four on a rainy December 27 evening and I am happy to report that we all had a wonderful meal. Half of us have been here quite a few times and the other half it was their first time. Cowboy Star is unique to San Diego in that it is an elevated country themed steakhouse. Imagine something you would see in Austin Texas or somewhere along those lines and almost has a saloon feel to it. Inside is very dark and romantic, and not very large which really adds to the coziness of it. They don’t have any dedicated parking or valet so it will be a pay lot or street parking, we were able to find a street spot a block away, so it wasn’t too bad, luckily we had umbrellas. In the front of the restaurant is a large full bar with tons of wine and cocktail options. It’s a great place to stop in just for a drink or if you’re in the mood for dinner, the second half of the restaurant is filled with booths, tables, counter seating at the kitchen, and a large private room in the back. I love how dark and styled it is inside and it’s really a sort of place that you want to spend many hours. Our server was very polite and everything that we ordered came out pretty fast. They have a fairly large menu so there are a lot of great options on it, but their specialty is steak and cocktails. I started off with the Steak Tartare and really enjoyed it. It had some very hearty flavors and the portion size was nice, it was not too large or too small. We also ordered the Bone Marrow, which wasn’t as good as I usually get. This version was a bit too buttery, but it still had some nice flavors, I would just go easy on the butter in the future. For my entrée, I chose the 8oz Filet Mignon with a side of Peppercorn Sauce and honestly really liked it. The steak was cooked perfectly, seasoned well, and I really appreciated the side of broccolini and mashed potatoes. After all this, we were too full for dessert, but they had a lot of great options on the menu, if I had some more room in my stomach, I would’ve got the Bread Pudding. Overall, I would say this is in one of the top 3 best steakhouses in San Diego. Steak 48 is still king, but this is a wonderful option and would be fabulous for a date, dinner with friends, or a work function. Cowboy Star is much better than Born & Raised in Little Italy, which shouldn’t be as popular as it is. I would highly recommend and plan to be back more times in the future and would happily send any friend or acquaintance here, knowing that they would have a great meal.

BSM Great little traditional Italian spot nestled in Little Italy, San Diego. It was my first time in the city and while exploring the area for dinner, I came across this place through Google reviews — so glad I did. The restaurant is very cute and classic, with a pizza parlour downstairs serving authentic Italian pizza. I had the seafood pasta, which was excellent. The complimentary bread was fresh, and I also ordered the bruschetta, served on a perfectly toasted crouton — delicious. The rosé paired really well with the meal. My server was fantastic — very attentive and helpful, especially when recommending seafood options. Overall, I had a very good experience. Not too busy, very authentic, and quality food. Highly recommend to anyone visiting Little Italy.

Rodney Regala Almost like a spot across the border without going into Mexico. Freshly made tortillas made and you can watch them make. Margaritas were kinda too good so beware! Food is always great and staff were nice. Great spot to take visitors!

Shelby Riley BEST BURRITO OF MY LIFE. genuinely all the food was so good, lots of flavor perfectly cooked and portion sizes. I got the california burrito and my mom got the chimichanga and we both loved our meals. big portions enough to share. Very nice service, worth the wait but it was definitely busy for a reason!

gc ortiz Visited Filippis Pizza today for our dinner. Upon entering the establishment, you would think it was a grocery store. You would be mistaken. I must say they have a large assortment of Olive Virgin Oil. As you progress into the place, you will run into the Hostess who will show you your table. Our waiter was Derrick, he did an excellent job in providing quality service. This place filled up fast after we arrived. The food was on point. We had the chicken parmesan with spaghetti, salad, and bread. Salad lettuce was super fresh and crispy. Bread had just the right amount of butter and some basil. The chicken and spaghetti was very flavorable. We also had their Tiramasu for dessert. It was ok, but we have had better. Missing a shot of espresso coffee. I intend to come back.

Julie Acomb This place has such fun ambiance. We ate on the patio and it was all decorated for Dia de Muertos. We went for my mom’s birthday and this is one of her favorite places. The food was good but not over the top delicious. This place is definitely all about the ambiance. We had the fajitas, enchiladas, and a chicken salad. My sister had a peach margarita and ended up ordering two, it was so good.

Identity Tron Enjoyable location, friendly staff, good food. The fish tacos have a little bit of diced jalapeño on them so be aware of that if you dont want some slight heat. The chowder was a bit peppery but I enjoyed that.

Wandering in Paradise Delicious shellfish at Rockin’ Baja Lobster in Old Town! Great, laid back surf vibe with lots of seating and an outdoor, covered, dog friendly patio. We ordered the original Baja bucket for two with the lobster chowder and fried ice cream. Everything tasted amazing, especially the lobster tail. The mai tais were very tasty. A staff member came and offered free photos and post cards. There is $7 valet parking available. The staff were all very friendly and accommodating, and orders came out quickly. Recommend!

Miriam Andrade The buffet was amazing. Everything but the cauliflower, was my favorite. The rice and tamales was tender. I loved the salmon and pork lion. I visited for Thanksgiving and was not sure what to expect for a Mexican cuisine. There was enough parking and such a large amount of space and seating indoor or out. The price was reasonable not over $90. The valet changed to self parking during 12pm times. I cant wait to try this restaurant again and I have already told everyone to visit. I did not have too much contact with the service since it was buffet style. The Hostess could have given a warmer welcome. But, we have great memories there. The view, flavor, atmosphere and joyful presence was outstanding for the holidays.

Tim Lee I loved everything about our evening at Ironside Fish & Oyster. Its San Diego, what else can you say? Regardless, the ambiance strikes a perfect balance between lively and relaxed (harmonious murmurs as white noise, warm lighting from half-exposed sun rays, and an easygoing coastal vibes) and once the sun started to set, they opened the doors so the cool bay breeze could flow through. Sitting there with that breeze on your face felt like an added bonus to the meal. We shared the "Bigger" platter and it was outstandingly fresh: every aspect of the platter was aesthetic and delicious. They bring you the names of the oysters that are at the bottom, the shrimp are cut in a way that is easy to peel (peeling shrimp for other means you love them!), and dishes on the top layer really takes your tastebuds on a ride. They also provide tortilla chips and colorful puffs as complements to the top layer of the platter (rockfish ceviche, tuna tartare, shrimp aguachile). We also added on the Swordfish Birria tacos just in case, but they really stood out. It was meaty, well-seasoned, and unexpectedly addictive. Each bite played a beautiful note, and the whole dish made for a fun experience. Service was excellent from start to finish: attentive without hovering, knowledgeable about the menu, and great to recommend pairings. They timed everything really well, knowing when to bring out the dishes at their respective time periods, which made the culinary experience even better. A few tips: parking can be a bit of a task in the area, especially at peak times. If you arrive early, youll have a much easier time finding a spot, and its worth leaving a little extra time to walk and explore the neighborhood afterward, especially the bay, with ice cream in hand.

AnnaMarie Horning Went as two couples for a weekend lunch. We started with the mimosa option and their Award winning World Famous lobster bisque with sherry. Do not skip this. It’s absolutely amazing! Everyone ordered a different menu item and they were all prepared to perfection! Very reasonably priced too! We chose a window seat in the outdoor covered patio area to enjoy people watching, in addition to our fabulous meal.

Jean Tu I arrived for a pretty late lunch since I was in the area for a conference and have been meaning to try out Hodads. I came around 3 PM on a Monday and there was no one else in the shop but me which meant I got super quick service. I opted for the single cheeseburger with onion rings and a Dr. Pepper. The burger was pretty good and the onion rings were amazing. It was definitely worth the 20 minute walk that it took to get there. Id go back in the future just for the onion rings alone! The best part is that they give you 2 stickers at the end of your meal! Im pretty sure youre supposed to stick the stickers on the walls of the establishment somewhere but I wanted to take mine.