43 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.“

“Stopped by before entering the San Diego Museum of Art for a bite to eat. Wait was approximately 25 minutes but well worth the wait. Staff were attentive and very friendly. Food was great: burger juicy, curry fries tasty and everything hot and delicious. Portions were large and filling. My family had a great meal in a relaxing atmosphere. Highly suggested.“

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

“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.“

“I love the food at this restaurant.“

“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!“

“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 😄“

“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!“

“Excellent sports bar to hang out with friends. The place was very clean and well maintained. The service was outstanding, and the waitresses were friendly, attentive, and made us feel welcome throughout our visit.

One of the best features is the large number of TVs, making it easy to watch multiple sporting events at the same time. They also have a great selection of beers, cocktails, and other drinks.

The food isn’t meant to be gourmet, but it’s tasty, the portions are very generous, and it’s definitely a great value for the price.

My friends and I had a great time watching a soccer match, and the atmosphere was fun and energetic. I highly recommend it for groups of friends or anyone looking to enjoy sports with good food and drinks.

The only downside is that parking can be a little difficult in the afternoon since the parking lot is shared with several nearby businesses.

I highly recommend this place for adults, but I wouldn’t recommend it for children or minors, as it’s clearly geared toward an adult crowd.“

“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!“

“Fun with my family from Colorado and local.“

“Good food. Great service !“

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

“Food was delicious and the whole family loved it.
I got stopped at the door for a weird reason but because of it I would give 10 stars. I was asked what I was getting and doing because the gentleman noticed I had my kids with me, he said he couldn't allow me to go to the bar but I could order food. Way to look out for those kids I respect the man and the business just for looking out for the kids good job!!“

“🙂👍 Jessica does a great job!“

“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.“

“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!“

“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“

“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.“

“We were able to seat a fairly large group in a reasonable amount of time, and the inside of the restaurant is nice and comfortable. There’s also a small arcade room with some classic coin machines to have a bit of fun.

Food was quite good, but the portion sizes are enormous. If you eat regular portion sizes, the entree or sandwich is probably enough food. The “sides” are the size of mains or shareables, so we ended up wasting a lot of tater tots and mac n cheese because we couldn’t take leftovers. Do NOT order two sides unless your appetite is enormous or you can take home leftovers. You’d just waste food otherwise.

Drinks were also delicious, waitress was kind. Only complaint is that it took almost an hour to get food, so beware if you are on a time crunch.“

“Love the food“

“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.“

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

“The Fish and Chips, Fish Tacos“

“I found the food to be delicious with a variety of choices from the buffet of which there are two to choose from. The Chef will often make a different scrambled egg besides the traditional one so there is a second choice. The service is outstanding with friendly staff. I enjoyed this breakfast very much.“

“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 !!“

“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.“

“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.“

“Overall excellent steak dinner“

“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…“

“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.“

“Such a great venue! Loved it!“

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

“I was only here for a few minutes in the early afternoon, so there wasn't very much excitement happening. But the bartender was incredibly nice and very helpful.
It must be a great place though because when they are busy, they are BUSY!“

“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.“

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

“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.“

“KAYLIE is one our usual and favorite servers!!! She already knows our usual drinks, our families and friends. She is super knowledgeable of her menu!! She is always flexible in taking out sometimes complex 😆 orders. She is a multi-tasker and does a great job when it’s busy dealing with multiple customers. As a former server, her ability to remember multiple orders is pretty epic. And she is just a wonderful person. Always service smiling and interacting!!“