44 Best Bar & Grill near La Mesa

“1st time here & I will definitely be back! Food was delicious & well presented. Good drinks & bomb hot sauces to chose from. Everyone is extremely friendly & positive vibes.. There’s nothing better then walking in a place of business feeling so welcome.“

“All the staff here are AMAZING! They have been such a great staff and has welcomed me and my daughter since day 1. The buffalo chicken strips are amazing along with the blue cheese side which is phenomenal and the steak fries are so good. Burgers are amazing too. Love Johnny B’s!“

“Great burgers, quick service. Good value for money.“

“Great Brunch and John is an amazing bartender.“

“Visiting my son before his deployment. The owner went out of his way to take care of us. I would highly recommend any military family to visit here. Food was very good too.“

“After a great and long walking day at the San Diego Zoo AND the Railroad Museum, this was a pefect choice:

- Great food and service (Also fast)
- House Beer was excellent
- Live music
- Relaxed spot“

“Exactly what you want from your neighborhood bar/tavern: no frills good food, good drinks, friendly and quick service, and good vibes. My kid enjoyed playing on the gravel (wish we had brought his trucks though!). All was well 😄“

“Came here for lunch around noon on a Tuesday (8/11/26) on a coworker's recommendation, and it did not disappoint. It’s an unpretentious little spot right by the bay with fantastic views.

Service was friendly and fast. I ordered the All-American Burger, which comes with a side of pickles. The portion was huge, the patty was juicy, and the bun was perfectly toasted. While nearly $15 for a burger is a bit steep, the taste and the setting make it worth it. Highly recommend!“

“I love the food at this restaurant.“

“Had the most amazing Polish cuisine I’ve had since dining in my Polish Grandmother’s kitchen! Can’t recommend this restaurant highly enough!“

“Was here for pride weekend, truly thought I saw god in the bartenders hands as they were pouring my drinks 10/10“

“I'm in town for work for a week. Flight got in late and it was close to the hotel and normal style food compared to the surrounding restaurants. I was pleasantly greeted and was seated right away. I ordered a beer and a club sandwich, beer was nice and cold. The sandwich was big like most clubs are, ended up take half back to the hotel since I was tired from a long day traveling.“

“I picked up some ribs and a sandwich for dinner last night and the food was awesome as always. Portions were big enough that I had leftovers. Corbin O'Reilly and Vince always make me feel special!“

“🙂👍 Jessica does a great job!“

“Fun with my family from Colorado and local.“

“When I dropped in, it lived up to its name. Surprisingly politicized, I never got the feeling I was exactly welcomed although the bartender was right there on top of me with kind solace for my ails. I tried a offered taste and enjoyed the company. It was during my brief flight in Hillcrest. For a few minutes I had the feeling everyone was observing me on their phones. Gossip Grill was definitely at the center of that sense of observation. Thank you for your reply.“

“Carlton Oaks is a gorgeous venue with a wonderful staff. Gwen is a cheerful and fun server and my new friend💃…PLUS the food is delicious!“

“Stopped in last night after a long work day…. Unbeknownst to me, their Thursday night dinner special (weekly) is a hefty sized dish of meatloaf and mash, paired with green beans! The food coma was real! Make sure you check the special board towards the back off the bar, or ya might miss out on a hidden gem! Speaking of gems, my server was an absolute sweetheart by the name of Courtney! Good vibes, great service… certainly will be back!“

“Its a fun little place to go to before Padre games .. Dorothy ( I think thats her name ) is an AWESOME bartender.. The guy on the grill was funny too .. he can grill a burger 🍔 thats for sure !!“

“Love the food“

“Super chill bar! Very friendly bartenderers. Food is good too. Fries were cooked to perfection and the mushroom melt complemented a glass of cold Paulaner perfectly 🍺🍺🍺. A great family vibe permeates through this place. Definitely recommend!“

“The Fish and Chips, Fish Tacos“

“Good food. Great service !“

“Great staff, great food.... one if San Diegos hidden gems!!“

“We only recently learned about Sal's Cantina and we were eager to try the food. The space is great (which is shared with Rosemary & Thyme in the morning), especially the very comfortable outdoor garden patio. Sal was very friendly and provided great, attentive service. And the food was delicious! I ordered a birria taco, a pollo asado taco, with beans and rice. My friend had a birria enchilada (not on the menu, but Sal fixed it up for us). All of the food was fresh and great quality. We also were greeted with complimentary chips and salsa, which was a great starter with our passionfruit margaritas. One high note, all of the food was lightly salted, which is something I very much appreciated. It's easy to add salt if you want more, but too many restaurants over-salt, and you can't do anything to lessen that after the fact. We will definitely be back!

Parking: Sal's doesn't have any dedicated parking. You can choose from metered parking along University Ave, or look for free street parking along the side streets. Pretty much the same for many Hillcrest restaurants.“

“It was okay, it just took a little too long for the server to come back to check on us. It wasn't super crowded but I think they need more servers. The ones there were taking care of the inside tables where our group was AND the tables in the outside patio.“

“They found my FitBit watch & held it for me. Thankful“

“Excellent food Excellent service Cool vibe but cozy at the same time Order the butter cake - u won’t be disappointed 💖 Chef & owner Jason is the sweetest“

“We seriously have to talk about this burger. Holy cow was this place so good! For the price it was unbeatable. Fries were great and I definitely recommend some honey mustard. But man that burger was phenomenal I’m still thinking about it 5 days later. I love the vibe and the atmosphere. It’s small and we had to wait to get a table but it was worth it. Hard to beat“

“This is my regular karaoke spot, and there’s something for everyone. The crowd is a mix of ages and musical tastes, but everyone is friendly, supportive, and brings great energy.

The food and drinks are excellent, with plenty of specialty cocktails to choose from. The bartenders are awesome, just be patient when it gets busy, and don’t be afraid to flag them down. They work hard, so tip them well!

The DJs are fantastic and have a huge song selection. Just scan the QR code on the TVs, add your name to the queue, and pick your songs. My advice: do it as soon as you walk in since wait times get longer as the night gets busier.

Every night has a different vibe, from laid-back to packed and energetic. Thursdays are my favorite. great turnout, fun crowd, and always a good time. If you’re looking for a welcoming karaoke spot with great food, drinks, and atmosphere, this is it.“

“Great local vibe. Competent staff...friendly. Wings and Philly quesadilla were wow. I needed a chill night on my travels and they delivered Cool dive bar experience.“

“Just after Christmas, we were in town for the new year and the Seahawks had a football game against the 49ers so we went to our place bar and Grill and had a fantastic time. The people were great. The food was great. The owners were great. I highly highly recommend we have been to numerous Seahawks bars Across the United States and by far this one was the best.“

“We had a great time at the DoubleTree! The property is exceptionally clean, comfortable, and has an inviting, cozy atmosphere from the moment you step through the doors.
A standout highlight was the continental buffet breakfast at their Windows Cafe . Everything was fresh, well-stocked, and delicious, all at a very affordable price. On top of that, the entire staff was friendly especially Charles and Mariana so attentive and welcoming throughout our visit.
I would gladly come here again and highly recommend it to anyone looking for great service and comfort at an excellent value!“

“I personally like this place and I absolutely recommend it
The customer service excepcional and very professional the
beautiful young lady with perfect body shining smile makes me feel like family I’m definitely coming back“

“The Shamrock drink I had for St. Patrick's day was DELICIOUS!!!! My kids don't eat meat off the bone; however, my son devoured the bone-in wings. The XL pretzel was my favorite. Shrimp cocktail was also good, as well as the Carne Asade taco.“

“Outstanding service and food was very good! Great atmosphere 😊“

“My first time here. I got to visit with Paul the bartender who has been here 21 years. I got to meet Gabriel, one of the owners and Kaitlyn one of the servers. Look, I travel the southwest for work and really enjoy a local place. Apparently this locally owned bar and grill has been here since 2002. The chief since the opening, Paul since 2004. Great feel and super hard workers. Just a great vibe and reasonable prices. I highly recommend. Enjoy…“

“We realized, as we arrived at the Hard Rock Hotel, that the Omni was a far better choice. But our group reservation was at the Hard Rock. Some phone calls were made; Noah, the manager at the Omni was consulted; and everything was sorted out to allow us to upgrade to the Omni. What was amazing? The price (a bit less than Hard Rock, I think) and the pool. But Noah’s kindness ranks even higher. Our stay was a pleasure, and we would be happy to return.“

“Such a great venue! Loved it!“

“Great Food, Awesome Music, Too Much Fun!“

“Walked in to Applebee’s. I was treated like a family member Pat the host was very friendly. Shelley was very attentive and Freddie. The manager dropped by to say hello. This team really enjoys what they do and everybody works together well great food great atmosphere great employees Pat is having an anniversary coming up on Sunday. I would like to recommend him to be employed the month. Awesome. Awesome people here thank you.“

“I recently visited this Mediterranean restaurant and I was blown away by the amazing food and atmosphere. The portions were generous and everything tasted absolutely delicious. If you're looking for a satisfying meal that won't leave you feeling hungry, this is definitely the place to go.What really sets this restaurant apart is the entertainment they provide. They have a singer perform almost every weekend, which adds a fun and lively atmosphere to the dining experience. It's a great place to come with friends and family for a night out.Another highlight of this restaurant is their $40 buffet that's available Thursday to Sunday during Ramadan. While the selection of dishes was good, I did feel that the price was a little on the high side considering the limited selections they have in the buffet. However, the quality of the food more than made up for it.The service was excellent and the staff were friendly and accommodating. They were happy to explain the different dishes on the menu and offer recommendations based on our preferences.Overall, I highly recommend this Mediterranean restaurant for anyone looking for a great meal and a fun night out. Whether you're a fan of Middle Eastern cuisine or just looking for something new, this place is definitely worth a visit.“

“Overall excellent steak dinner“