New American Restaurants in San Diego, CA

“It’s a beautiful restaurant in Carmel. It’s delicious. Serving sizes are huge and healthy. I loved all the healthy choices they had. I ended up trying the beat salad. It was amazing!“

“We had a great dining experience at Urban Plates in Long Beach. Mariana explained the menu choices in a very unrushed manner, and we decided on the steak. I ordered the Chimichurri grass-fed steak with balsamic brussel sprouts and herb-roasted potatoes. All of it was delicious ( and healthy too!). The deserts were absolutely killer too. We will definitely eat here again next time we're in Long Beach.“

“Words cannot express our gratitude today for the great service provided by Victoria, her great drink/meal suggestions, the amazing atmosphere and food. Celebrating our 42nd wedding anniversary was better because of Victoria and great food. Thank you - Russ and Gigi ♥️“

“Absolutely the most creative menu in the City! Great Atmosphere, great choices. We always leave amazed at our experience and eager to return“

“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.“

“Off to mission valley an visit to yard house restaurant. I met a few friends at the yard house restaurant for a birthday lunch. Menu was large with many great choices. I ordered a BBQ chicken salad- it not only looked great, but tasted great too. My friends had a taco plate, fish and chips, an a chicken dish- all of which also lookes great! Prices were reasonable too. If you're interested the area, stop by an grab a bite!“

“Well prepared delicious food.“

“Great place, great food, service is excellent, everybody is having a good time and it shows, this place is a must in SD, whether you go as a couple or with friends, definitely recommended!!!“

“4.8 Overall. It's hard for me to give a 5. I'm late to provide a promised review from our October visit. Lovely wait staff, creative drinks, and very tasty appetizers. AND, you can't beat the view. My wife was working a conference and I came back 2x. This is the first place I'd visit on my next SD trip. Great team of folks who know how to make you feel welcome!“

“My husband and I had the absolute pleasure to dine at Juniper and Ivy for our 33 year anniversary. Not only did they have special menus for us, but we had a complete and very special experience start to finish.The staff were so welcoming and knowledgeable. We had what I would consider the best seats in the restaurant. We sat up at the kitchen bar, and were treated to an amazing dinner and “show “ The kitchen crew were so impressive and friendly to each other and us. We had such a great experience, that we canceled reservations at another restaurant on the same block for later in the week, so we could come back and try more. Same amazing experience at the next visit. Highly recommend, when we come back to SD we will prioritize another visit. Thank you so much for such a great experience!“

“What a hidden gem! Definitely regret not having visited sooner. As the name mingei implies, the restaurant is a carefully curated international exhibit of food and the cultures that celebrate it in their own unique ways. The staff are docents for your culinary adventure and the chefs are masters of their craft. Some of my best bites in San diego in the past couple years, came from Artifact and I cannot wait to go back with more uninitiated.“

“Cody, Bellman a fine hospitable team member. Inflated 🚲 tire. 🎩 ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️“

“delicious food, pet friendly, warm toasty patio in Jan, Brussels sprouts were fantastic!!!the place to go after viewing the most beautiful sunset in the world!!!“

“The food was very fresh and healthy“

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

“iI you are looking for a fun atmosphere with yummy food and drinks, this is your place. This was our impromtu date night and we will be back. We had riesling, beer, spicy chicken wings, garlic noodles, and the yummiest over baked and glazed brussels sprouts. To top it off, we ordered the bread pudding cream brulee and I must say the flavors of the vanilla ice cream, bread pudding, chocolate, and creme brulee all melts in your mouth. get ready for a party 🥳 in your mouth. Highly recommended.“

“Great food, service, atmosphere, and view.“

“Gorgeous view and atmosphere“

“First TRY and decide what to eat from myriad of takeout places in the Liberty Marketplace and take your delicious food to the Mess Hall where you can grab a beer, glass of wine or cocktail and enjoy the atmosphere.“

“If an Old Fashioned had a younger cousin who ditched the cigar lounge, took a red-eye to the tropics, and came back wearing linen with a little attitude Tommy Bahama Marlin Bar is where you’d meet them.

You walk in and the place is doing that effortless “vacation brain” thing: light, airy, calm—but not sleepy. It’s the kind of room that makes your shoulders drop an inch without asking permission. And then the live music hits and suddenly it’s not just “nice,” it’s a whole vibe—that rare sweet spot where you can actually talk, actually listen, and still feel like you’re somewhere worth putting your phone down for.

Now, the bar program here doesn’t feel like it’s chasing trends. It feels like it’s chasing precision. That became obvious the moment I came across Hells Kitchen an Top chef award winning Chef Lawless and yeah, the demeanor was strict. Not rude. Not performative. Just the posture of someone who doesn’t do “close enough.” The energy was: I will tolerate nothing that comes between me and a drink done right. Which, honestly? Respect.

What came out of that seriousness was a cocktail that didn’t have a name at first because some drinks aren’t born with names, they’re born with purpose. It landed somewhere between a mimosa’s bright optimism and bourbon’s grown-up gravity. Citrus forward. A whisper of sweetness. A snap of carbonation that makes the whole thing feel lifted like it’s floating a half inch above the glass. Refreshing. Light. But still with teeth.

I kept trying to pin it down Is this a hazy IPA situation? A beer cocktail? Some clever riff? and the answer was better than any category: it was the perfect collision of beer and Old Fashioned logic, like someone took the blueprint of a classic, opened a window, and let the air in. It tasted like “citrus dream meets Old Fashioned concept,” and the insane part is it didn’t feel like a gimmick. It felt inevitable like a cocktail that should’ve existed all along.

Then came the moment every good bar needs: the naming ceremony. Ask enough questions, show enough genuine curiosity, and you get let in on the lore. That drink? That little bright, fierce, carbonated flex? That was the Lauren Special confirmed with the calm confidence of someone who knows they just made something you’re going to talk about later.

And that’s the thing about Tommy Bahama Marlin Bar: it’s relaxed without being lazy. Polished without being precious. It can sit in the Fashion Valley orbit without feeling like it’s trying to impress Fashion Valley. It’s paradise, but with standards. A place where you can unwind and still be surprised.

If you go, don’t overthink it. Get the drink that tastes like sunshine grew up and learned how to fight. And if Chef Lawless is behind the bar, trust the process. She’s not there to make you a cocktail.

She’s there to make you the cocktail.“

“Great restaurant! 100 percent recommend!“