50 Best American Restaurants in San Diego

“Excellent food and very good service. Everything was delicious and the portions were huge. It was expensive for breakfast, but great for a special occasion.“

“Delicious malts and delicious food! Homemade French fries and home made ranch dressing“

“Service and ambiance, exceptional service and night life… live dj, good musical and still able to have conversation“

“Gorgeous view and atmosphere“

“The only downside is the hired help, Ryan Bradford telling people they deserve to be killed (lynched, was his exact words) when he's posting on social media.“

“We are from “the beef capital” of Australia and discovered The Lion’s Share during SDCC 2023. My husband has very high standards when it comes to meat (his family owned a cattle property) and he could not fault a single dish. We tried camel sausage for the first time and were amazed at the flavor. Every dish was delicious, and make sure you try the brussel sprouts. A restaurant that specializes under exotic meats that can make brussel sprouts that delicious is doing something right! It is our must visit restaurant when we visit San Diego“

“We visited Hoorah Cafe for brunch right after our son’s graduation, and it turned out to be the perfect choice. Even though they don’t take reservations and the place was absolutely packed with graduates and their families, the wait for a table wasn’t bad at all. It honestly felt like the team anticipated the rush — they were organized, calm, and ready for the day.

Once seated, our food took about 20–30 minutes, which was completely understandable given the huge crowd that arrived all at once. What impressed us most was how smoothly the staff handled everything. Service was warm, attentive, and genuinely friendly, even under pressure.

The food itself was delicious — fresh, flavorful, and worth the wait. They also have a great coffee bar, which made the experience even better. We enjoyed some really yummy coffee while waiting, and it made the whole morning feel relaxed and enjoyable rather than rushed.

Overall, we had a wonderful time and left extremely happy. Highly recommend Hoorah Cafe, especially for brunch, and we’re already looking forward to returning soon.“

“I had dinner here last night with my wife and 2 kids. The service was amazing. The guy was passionate about beer and made sure we got drinks that we liked. The tacos were very very good, the pesto pasta was good. Selecting beer by the oz was cool. It allowed us to sample things we might not usually try.
After we ate we moved out to the patio and the guy running the place turned on the fire pit for us while we enjoyed a few more drinks. 10/10“

“This place is just great. Come here every once in a while for lunch on the weekdays, but today, they had Chilaquiles with Carnitas. Totopos were really good, salsa was AMAZING & the Carnitas... Anyway, I really hope they have them more often!!!“

“Just spent five nights at the Wyndham Baysidd and had breakfast every morning at Hazelwoods. Great food, fabulous staff. Highly recommend them. Ann & Steve from NJ“

“Im gonna start with great service, delicious drinks and the food was on point. I enjoyed the lamb it was amazing. Oh please if you are over 21 please order the cold brew martini!!! The best dessert for me!“

“Had an excellent experience at The Melt thanks to Ani! She provided outstanding customer service — friendly, attentive, and very professional from start to finish.

We ordered the Swiss & Shroom, Mac Daddy, garlic parmesan fries, and a Cookies & Cream shake, and everything was fresh, hot, and absolutely delicious. The burgers were flavorful, the fries were perfectly seasoned, and the shake was amazing.

Ani made sure our order was accurate and checked in at the perfect times, making our dining experience smooth and enjoyable. If you’re visiting The Melt, ask for Ani — she truly elevates the experience!

Highly recommend this location. We’ll definitely be back!i“

“Everything about that place! Just AMAZING!“

“Fabulous oysters! Definitely worth the wait!“

“Really pleasant staff and a great menu selection. I didn't take any photos because I dove right into the meal but it was delightful. Prices about average for San Diego area breakfasts.“

“Such a cool and unique setting for dinner! The menu is very old-school Americana with dishes like pickle dip and chicken kiev that are all delicious. The service was the standout, though. The host took our order since our waitress was busy (never seen that before!) and at one point when we'd finished our drinks, 3 separate people asked if we wanted another. Also, because our entrees took what they determined to be a long time (I hadn't even noticed a delay), they comped both! Highly recommend checking out this spot“

“We are from out of town and decided to stop by since it’s close to our rental. I cannot recommend this place enough. The food is so good and the service is amazing. I ordered “To The Bitter End” that was created by our bartender, Janeli. That drink is fantastic and she (Janeli) took great care of us. My husband had been traveling all day and was so hungry. We are so glad we stopped in. Thank you so much!“

“Soft toasted Bagel with Cream cheese, Orange juice. Hot Coffee with honey sugar tow . Honey Sparkling Water. Daniel Smith.“

“Excellent steaks, great service and wonderful atmosphere!!!“

“This place was delicious I had the normal melt with bacon the chef Atoy did a great job cooking our burgers timely and to the right temp
One thing to note is it doesn’t automatically come with tomato or lettuce but you can add them in for free“

“Really enjoyed our first visit to Parkhouse. Definitely coming back. Food and drinks were delicious. The service was exceptional“

“Amazing food and amazing staff! My husband and I went for breakfast and ordered the meatloaf Benedict and the chicken and waffles tower. They were huge portions but so so delicious! The staff was super friendly and were very happy to be at work. Highly recommend!“

“Happy hour portions are huge and taste was delicious. We got brussels sprouts, Smashburger, jalapeño poppers, french fries, and the grilled Caesar. We could done without the french fries. The grilled Cesar had a funky tasting dressing that I liked to put my partner did not. Would have preferred the happy hour menu to have more beers offered than just the domestic period they have probably 40 taps which is amazing.Allie, our server, was super nice & attentive. We’d come back here in a minute.“

“Very impressed with the service here!!! The girl working the host stand was super nice and our server went above and beyond checking in on us and just being such a sweet heart!!!! We just got drinks this time (they were amazing) and we'll be back to try the food next time!!! Make sure to check this place out!“

“Service 💯 Food 💯 Drinks 💯“

“I happened to find this cidery through National Cider month this year. I was so excited to try their cider that I signed up for their monthly cider club, sadly to find out that they don't ship to Minnesota. They worked with me on sending a few of their ciders though and I was hooked!

Fast forward a few months and I happen to be in San Diego so we decided to stop in. The atmosphere was amazing! It was like finding a piece of the woods in the middle of busy San Diego. The staff was fantastic to interact with, the food was so delicious, and the cider is fabulous! I have a huge love for dry ciders and their ciders check those boxes. Even the non-dry ciders are not overly sweet. Definitely will be back and hoping one day I can get their cider back here in Minnesota.“

“Very friendly and professional staff . Five star ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️“

“We attended the 20th annual Celebrate the Craft. It was fantastic and we thoroughly enjoyed the event. The waitstaff at the bar was friendly and provided excellent service.“

“So many delicious options 😋 , fast and friendly service“

“You guys are the real MVPs Not having a special menu goes the extra mile to show that you’re willing to show gratitude to veterans. Now I’m a regular after eating here. Shout out for the flank steak last night. Our server Belle was great as well.“

“My first time I California and this was the best place! I tried a couple places and this pace had the best food and drinks! And the crew was amazing!“

“I had an excellent experience with Alan. His service was incredibly fast and efficient, and he was very friendly throughout the process.“

“Friendly and courteous staff, high quality and delicious food! Love their drinks and desserts as well. The menu is not overwhelming for me to choose! Lovely atmosphere!“

“decent seafood views are qorth the prices“

“We had a lovely time. The food is soso good!“

“Great place! Excellent service! Delicious food!“

“Fresh fish and chips, a smash burger, an homemade ice cream sandwich and a view of the marina, only in San Diego. Ellie was so sweet and helpful and made some great recommendations. The smash burger was my favorite, super soft bun, a tangy sauce, grilled onions and pickles - everything I want in a smash burger. The fish and chips were super fresh, they use tallow for the French fries too, which I love! They have a great selections of beers on tap and you have to finish with the ice cream sandwich.
There is a view from every table on the patio as well. This would be a perfect stop for lunch after seaworld!“

“2 Sundays a month guaranteed! We love an old school diner that gives back to the community.“

“Dining and sight-seeing... Delicious and Beautiful“

“So FRESH! So DELISH! Isabel was our servir. She anticipated our every need.“

“Love eating here! Great customer service, delicious food, and a perfect ambiance. Immediately a new favorite and looking forward to our next visit!“

“Cloud 9 Deli was a great little spot when I wanted something quick but satisfying. The sandwiches tasted fresh, packed with good ingredients, and the bread had a nice texture. The place felt simple and friendly, which made the stop even better. It’s an easy go-to when you’re craving a solid deli sandwich.“

“good hospitality and service an the prices are reasonable an the food is very good an the place is nice an clean , really like an enjoy eating their , may God bless them an their families 😎“

“A true Philly Cheesesteak. Best I’ve had in awhile and one of the more memorable dishes I’ve eaten while on my trip to the west coast. 10 out of 10 recommend.“

“Fabulous as always 😀 thank you“

“Very good food and healthy choices“

“If you ever thought of taking a cruise but haven't yet? Visit The Gaylord Pacific it feel like your on a cruise 🛳Iiner. It's not too busy. We ate at Treo. Several had the Wagyu Burgers and garlic fries, loved them. I tried the pasta with delicious toppings and was very impressed with how flavorful it was with great presentation. Excellent experience.“

“todo está muy rico,lo que pidan estoy segura que les gustará!!“

“If you want a spot to watch a Philly game, this is very clearly the place to be in San Diego. I've watched Birds, Flyers, and Phillies games here. It's absolutely packed for Eagles games, with the crowd spread between two indoor spaces and a large outdoor area. IMO, the IPA choices here have been comparatively weak when San Diego has so many great IPAs to offer, especially at both nearby North Park and Pure Project, but there is a decent selection of other styles. However, the pretzel is the real selling point. Whether on its own or as the bread of a sandwich (the Spicy Turkey was recommended to me and it is quite delicious!), the soft pretzels are the real deal. I saw lots of people coming in just to eat, and I can't blame them.“

“I was expecting more. The calamari tasted bland. The muscles were good but my toast was burnt and bland. The desert with the coconut and lime was tasty. Our service was average.“