Diners' Choice: Great for outdoor dining restaurants in San Diego

OpenTable

Updated March 05, 2025

Looking for the best restaurants that are great for outdoor dining 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!

Miss B's Coconut Club

4.9

4.9 (129)

$30 and under

Caribbean

Mission Beach

About the restaurant

What you’ll find here is classic, Caribbean-inspired American food with tiki flair. Cubano Roasted Pork, Jerk Chicken and Coconut Shrimp are in synch with the mambo rhythm of your appetite, and our house-ground burger is one like you won’t find anywhere in town. Jumbo Coconut Shrimp and a list of Street Cart items will have you coming back to try them all, whether you order something “to go” from our walk-up counter, stay to eat on our spacious outdoor patio, or take a seat inside.

Coconut Club’s décor evokes a celebration of Mission Beach’s nautical and maritime past, which takes form as an inspired interpretation of a 30’s-style sailor tiki club. Rum is the star here, and has a leading role in our creative list of grownup cocktails, which includes shareable, tiki-inspired punches and bowls to drum up conversations and generate a buzz. Coconut Club is also a purveyor of fuel that fires the craft beer frenzy, with 20 local and microbrew tap handles.

Top review

OpenTable DinerVIP

Dined on Mar 15, 2025

Spent my 28th birthday here and came for brunch, staff was AMAZINGGGGG! Shoutout to Eddie for making my birthday great :)

Topsail at Portside Pier

4.8

4.8 (150)

$31 to $50

Seafood

Downtown

About the restaurant

San Diego's most iconic waterfront property features Topsail, a luxury lounge on the rooftop at Portside Pier! Indulge in fresh seafood, craft cocktails, and small plates while relaxing fireside above the water!

Top review

LeeVIP

Dined on Feb 2, 2025

The food was excellent! The restaurant is completely outdoor. It was a bit cool on the evening we dined. The heater above the table felt a bit warmer than necessary.

Ketch Grill & Taps - Portside Pier

4.7

4.7 (148)

$30 and under

American

Downtown

About the restaurant

Ketch Tasting Deck offers a full-service dining experience on the 2nd floor at Portside Pier with stunning views overlooking San Diego Bay!
Brought to you by the Brigantine Family of Restaurants. For generations our family has created unforgettable experiences true to the San Diego lifestyle at our Brigantine & Miguel’s restaurants. We’ve hosted countless celebrations and poured many a round for the happiest of hours.
WE KNOW EXACTLY WHAT MAKES FOR THE BEST MEMORIES AND THE BEERS THAT CAPTURE THE FEELING. IT WAS ONLY A MATTER OF TIME BEFORE WE CRAFTED OUR OWN AND PUT THEM ON TAP.
From beer aficionados to casual drinkers, we’ve got everyone covered with our easy-to-love (and drink) brews made for making memories!

Top review

Roseanna

Dined 2 days ago

Great location. Service took awhile but there is a great view while you wait.

Cutwater Spirits Tasting Room & Kitchen

4.6

4.6 (19)

$30 and under

Distillery

Miramar

About the restaurant

Cutwater Spirits Tasting Room and Kitchen has been serving perfectly mixed canned and specialty crafted cocktails since opening in May 2017. Located in San Diego's Miramar district, we feature our award-winning spirits—Rum, Vodka, Gin, Whiskey, Tequila, and Mezcal —used to create our iconic cocktails. Join us for lunch, dinner, and brunch options, plus weekday lunch specials and happy hour specials. Additionally, stop by or visit our website to learn about guided tours, private bookings, and upcoming events.

Top review

Babs

Dined 6 days ago

Friendly with knowledgeable staff. Great deal for Happy Hour. Lots of beverage items. High ceilings make for spacious feel.

Miguel's Cocina - Old Town

4.6

4.6 (38)

$30 and under

Mexican

Old Town

About the restaurant

The Freshest, Best-Tasting, Cali-Inspired Mexican Food. Our full-service, sit-down restaurant is the best spot to bring the whole family to savor handmade tortillas, mouthwatering salsas, and our famous creamy jalapeno white sauce.

Top review

Maggie

Dined on Feb 22, 2025

Our experience tonight was great. Although we had a reservation, we got in right away as we were a little early.

Coya Peruvian Secret

4.5

4.5 (662)

$30 and under

Peruvian

Del Mar

About the restaurant

Located next to Del Mar beach on 11th street, Coya Peruvian Secret Restaurant offers award winning gourmet Peruvian- Cali fusion Peruvian cuisine in charming cottage house under a tree. All seats are outside tucked in greenery so its in all casual seating. Voted best Seafood by locals and best Latin American in SD we are primally seafood place but we also proudly serve great meat choices, like our surf and turf with Rib Eye, traditional Lomo with Filet mignon, lamb stew with New Zealand lamb, excellent short rib with sweet potatoes and Peruvian half roasted chicken. If you seeking cozy color full vibe full of magic for a date or family reunion we are perfect choice. You will astonish your party with unforgettable flavors. Take them of a gourmet trip to Peru and back tonight.

Top review

Larry

Dined on Feb 23, 2025

Coya Peruvian is a very authentic Peruvian Restaurant with amazing food, drinks and ambiance. Be sure to have a Pisco Sour to start (just like in Peru) and the Ceviche. Rodrigo is amazing!

Queenstown Bistro - UTC

4.5

4.5 (189)

$30 and under

New Zealand

University City/Golden Triangle

About the restaurant

We are the lil sis of Queenstown Public House located in the Little Italy district of San Diego. Slightly smaller, but with the same basic ingredients.

A beautiful, comfortable, unique, fun setting. A friendly, smiling, courteous staff we hope you get to know. Guests enjoying the moment, sharing a laugh, whom we hope we get to know. Freshly made dishes; locally sourced, passionately created, many unique…and all delicious. A beer list changing daily, proudly from our award winning local craft SD brewers, and a wine list chosen with care from select vineyards and varietals.

With a kiwi inspired lineage, and the spirit, love and good nature from the land of the Maori, we hope you will join us. And if we are so fortunate, then, we hope you will have a little too much of a good time, have a few too many laughs, stay a while, and return again soon to see us.

Top review

OTTSVIP

Dined on Jan 28, 2025

I am a fan of the Queenstown and BareBack team. I really appreciate their dedication to GF options (separate fryer at many locations - BOMB). Good food, nice folks and fair prices.

Cococabana

4.5

4.5 (219)

$31 to $50

Tapas / Small Plates

Oceanside

About the restaurant

We operate on a first come, first serve seating policy. For parties of 6 or more, please visit us on OpenTable or visit our Events Page to inquire about special events & parties.

Housed on the Brick’s 2,100-square-foot rooftop is the Cococabana Bar, a Caribbean-style cocktail bar with its own menu of small bites.

Top review

OpenTable Diner

Dined 3 days ago

Amazing experience, waitress was 10/10, I already wanna go back

The Landings

4.5

4.5 (306)

$30 and under

American

Carlsbad

About the restaurant

The Landings Gastropub is not your typical airport restaurant or bar. We pride ourselves on our focus on quality, service, creativity and atmosphere. Everything from our unique cocktails to our pub-inspired menu and carefully curated craft beer list are locally-sourced and of the highest quality. Both our dining room and large patio have a panoramic view of the Palomar Airport runway. Bring the family, enjoy a cocktail and watch the planes come and go.

We accept reservations for groups up to 8 people. Please call for larger parties.

Please note: For Friday and Saturday concert nights, we enforce a $30/person minimum to cover the cost of the bands.

Top review

Laura

Dined 2 days ago

Santana Soul played great music, it was much fun dancing to Carlos Santana’s music. Service was great, Horacio was our waiter and he was very polite and respectful.

Sunny Side Solana

4.5

4.5 (84)

$30 and under

Breakfast

Solana Beach

About the restaurant

WELCOME TO SUNNY SIDE SOLANA.
WHETHER YOU ARE STOPPING BY FROM FAR AWAY,
OR YOU ARE ONE OF OUR BELOVED LOCALS.
WE OFFER SOMETHING FOR EVERYONE.
A WARM WELCOMING SPOT,
WITH A FRIENDLY STAFF,
SERVING FOOD YOU LOVE TO EAT.
IN THE BEAUTIFUL SUNNY SOLANA BEACH.
COME ALONE, BRING A FRIEND, A FAMILY
OR A WHOLE HAPPY BUS LOAD.
THE COFFEE IS HOT
AND THE JUICE IS FRESH AND SWEET.
SO JUST DIRECT YOUR FEET
TO THE SUNNY SIDE OF THE STREET !

Top review

JanD

Dined on Mar 16, 2025

We sat indoors on a chilly Sunday morning but the patio is lovely. Food was plentiful. I had the mushroom herb omelet with goat cheese and perfectly cooked potatoes. They serve homemade toast and jam. Absolutely delicious.

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