Diners' Choice: Best Overall restaurants in San Diego

OpenTable

Updated September 05, 2024

Looking for the best overall restaurants in San Diego? You’re in the right place. Each month, OpenTable analyzes nearly 2 million global diner reviews from the past four months. We sort the results by location and category to help you discover new favorite restaurants. It's a great partnership: you reserve, eat, and review. We listen...and deliver the results for all to benefit. Enjoy!

Wilma's Carousel Bar

4.9

4.9 (10)

$31 to $50

Cocktail Bar

Little Italy

About the restaurant

As one of only two carousel bars in the United States, Wilma’s Carousel Bar offers a truly unique experience.
We invite you to immerse yourself in this nostalgic retreat with Executive Corporate Chef Brian Redzikowski’s French-Creole inspired dishes and Beverage Director Eric Johnson’s a selection of cocktails including both innovative spins on traditional favorites and imaginative new concoctions.

Top review

Traci

Dined today

Liz and Emma were amazing !! They were so undetectable and accommodating!! They helped our experience to be amazing!!! Would go back just because of them !

Vinarius

4.9

4.9 (335)

$30 and under

Italian

Downtown

About the restaurant

Vinarius is an Italian Restaurant & Wine Bar in Little Italy San Diego. We offer an extensive wine list with wines coming from different regions of the world; the best meat and cheese board with Italian cured meats and different cheeses to pair with our wines. Our chef Alex makes homemade pasta enriched with our homemade sauces, entrees, pizza, different appetizers to choose from, and desserts that pair well with our port wines and after-dinner drinks. You definitely have to try our daily specials!
Our cozy full bar is also the perfect place to enjoy your drink and food while watching some sports!

Top review

cpamad

Dined on Aug 29, 2024

Best Italian restaurant in Little Italy! Can’t wait for my next visit! If you love Italian food this is a must stop or you’ll be missing the best food in town! Small space, so if you have a large group please be sure to make a reservation as to not miss out on this gem! From the wait staff to the food to desserts and of course the limoncello, you will not be disappointed.

Jeune et Jolie

4.9

4.9 (3887)

$50 and over

Contemporary French

Carlsbad

About the restaurant

A culinary experience celebrating the moment, Jeune et Jolie reimagines French cuisine through the vibrant lens of our Southern California landscape with a 4-course menu offered at $120 per guest.

For those looking for a more casual evening, we feature "Le Menu du Bar”, an à la carte offering available for walk-in guests at our bar and lounge.

Top review

Ely

Dined 1 day ago

This place was phenomenal - the food was absolutely amazing and so incredibly delicious, but the staff really elevated the experience. Everyone was so incredibly kind and helpful, and they celebrated our anniversary with us which made our night much more sweet. I highly recommend!!

Adriana’s Cocina

5.0

5 (57)

$31 to $50

Mexican

Temecula

About the restaurant

Indulge in the authentic flavors of Jalisco-style Mexican cuisine with creative fusion twists at our family-style dining restaurant. Our goal is to provide you with an unforgettable dining experience that will leave your taste buds dancing.

Led by renowned Chef Adriana Dominguez, our restaurant is dedicated to delivering fresh, flavor-packed dishes that are both inventive and nutrition-conscious. Chef Adriana is best known for her five-star full-service catering business, and now she's thrilled to invite you to our restaurant!

Top review

Robert

Dined on Aug 17, 2024

We love this place because the food has amazing flavors, the staff and owner are so welcoming and treat you like family, the price is reasonable considering the quality and amount of food.

Baci Restaurant - San Diego

4.9

4.9 (1845)

$31 to $50

Italian

Old Town

About the restaurant

Baci Ristorante offers diners a hint of old world Italian charm, with plush booths, white tablecloths, and gracious servers clad in tuxedos. While the decor is subtly modern, the menu is classic, celebrating Northern and Southern Italian cuisine. Specialties include classic pasta dishes, veal, and fresh seafood, with especially tempting daily specials offered by Executive Chef Domenico Alioto. In addition to the cuisine, the restaurant's charming and welcoming features--include an extensive wine list, elegant patio setting, and romantic main dining room--have made Baci a consistent favorite among locals for over 30 years.

Top review

JohnNvip

Dined 3 days ago

Outstanding, attentive service, and delicious food. Best restaurant in San Diego County - period!

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Popular dish

Parmigiana

Pali Wine Co. Little Italy Tasting Room

5.0

5 (135)

$30 and under

Wine Bar

Little Italy

About the restaurant

Pali Wine Co. is located in famous Little Italy, San Diego, steps from the main strip. The family-owned winery highlights the diversity and nuanced qualities of the California Central Coast wine-growing area. From our Pali Pinot Noirs & Chardonnays, to our Tower 15 bold, nuanced wines, and Neighborhood zippy, natural cuvées, our three wine labels are sure to please any pallet.

Stop in for a tasting flight where you can sample wines from our portfolio, step up to the bar for a customized guided tasting or grab a bottle to-go. Our menu features small and sharable plates with locally sourced ingredients ideal for sharing and sipping, including our best-selling burger, charcuterie boards, and seasonal specials.

Join our wine club to enjoy complimentary tastings, receive 20% off all wine, & more exciting benefits!

Weekly events include Comedy Night on Wednesdays, Trivia on Thursdays, as well as live music Friday and Saturday nights. Plus, happy hour deals weekdays 4-6pm!

Top review

Lyndsayvip

Dined 5 days ago

Service was poor at this location. Both servers had bad attitudes. Wine is great.

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Fine Wine & Good Times Happy Hour @ Pali Wine Co.

Tavola Nostra Pizzeria E Cucina

4.9

4.9 (525)

$30 and under

Italian

Hillcrest

About the restaurant

San Diego, meet Pinsa.
An ancient recipe comes back to life at Our Hillcrest Restaurant.
Tavola Nostra Pizzeria E Cucina is a full-service Italian restaurant and pizzeria bringing a modern touch to family recipes and an ancient style of pizza called, Pinsa.

Tavola Nostra, which means “our table”, is owned and operated by Jeff Oliveri – a first time restaurateur from a family of longtime restaurant owners who hopes to honor his familial heritage and tradition with his Italian dining concept that creates one of the best Hillcrest restaurants.

Top review

Brian

Dined 4 days ago

The food was amazing! We will come back soon even if we don’t live close. Our server was excellent. Could not have been better unless they made baguettes out of their Romana recipe. 😊

Jacumba Hot Springs Hotel

4.9

4.9 (97)

$30 and under

International

Jacumba

About the restaurant

Nestled in bouldery mountains along historic Old Highway 80, in a magical high desert community lies the Jacumba Hot Springs Hotel. The hotel has been designed with a sense of place, with natural materials, textures, & objects from ancient & primitive cultures from around the world. Our restaurant offers indoor dining under vintage ceramic lights and desert landscapes or our large outdoor shaded patios under a canopy of old-world lanterns and pine trees with a live music stage.

Our menu features an International High Desert menu that showcases the farms and ranches of Imperial Valley, the fresh seafood of Baja, and specialty regional purveyors. Make sure to save time to enjoy high desert elixirs, herbal tinctures, cold-pressed juices, tonics, and cocktails, handcrafted in our exotic desert hideaway bar.

Once you are here, nothing else matters.

Top review

Melisavip

Dined on Aug 30, 2024

Great setting and ambiance. Weather was nice so we ate outside on the covered patio. Mezze platter appetizer was delicious. I ordered the sea bass entree, which was good but very salty.

Harmony Cuisine 2B1

4.9

4.9 (233)

$50 and over

Japanese

Kearny Mesa

About the restaurant

OpenTable Diners' Choice 2022 and 2023!
Come dine in our modern and relaxing atmosphere, where we serve traditional sushi and unique fusion dishes created by our chef, Mickey Ninomiya who developed and sharpened his skills at various restaurants including Sushi Ota over 12 years with his passion and dedication under Master Chef Mr. Ota till just recently. With Chef Mickey, we have created new dishes and serve traditional dishes for our guests.
Enjoy particularly selected sakes, wines, and unique cocktails that pair exquisitely with our fine dishes.
In addition to traditional sushi, unique Omakase and hot and cold Japanese appetizers, our menu includes pastas, homemade desserts, and other regional fusion dishes to cater to a wide range of guests.
We are also proud to offer premium A5 Miyazaki Wagyu dishes.
Please let us serve you our traditional and creative dishes so that you can enjoy "To Become One (2B1)" with us in Harmony!

Top review

Artvip

Dined on Aug 28, 2024

Exceptional dining experience. We have had this Omakase before and this ranks as our favorite. Chef Mickey has mastered his craft and provides a culinary experience that is emotionally stimulating and very memorable. Every serving was perfectly prepared with sufficient variety to continually surprise us with new taste, textures, and finish. We look forward to dining there again soon.

Mission Avenue

4.9

4.9 (47)

$30 and under

American

Oceanside

About the restaurant

We opened our doors in August 2014 with a vision of greatness: great drinks, food, and atmosphere, with a chill, unassuming vibe. A come-as-you-are locale, where everyone — from local to the traveler — is welcomed. Insider or outsider, there’s a seat at the bar just for you.

Located just blocks from the Oceanside Pier, join us in our industrial-chic lounge with two large garage doors which make you feel like you're dining outside, or on our heated and dog-friendly patio, from lunch to late night. Be sure to check our daily happy hours, midweek lunch specials and weekend brunch. Come see us. Pull up a seat and make yourself at home.

Top review

Andrew

Dined on Aug 14, 2024

There were six of us for dinner so there was a wide range of palates to please. We ordered appetizers, mains & desserts, along with beers & soft drinks. I checked loud because we sat outside during “rush hour”. Your experience at other times may be different. Our waiter was great. He took the time to explain the nuances of beers and dishes. The drinks & orders arrived quickly and efficiently. All six of us gave Mission Avenue not only a big thumbs up but also five stars. Go. Eat. Enjoy. Especially with friends!

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Experience

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Experience

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