Anyone who lives in San Diego knows what the "San Diego discount" is. Wages in San Diego are lower than any other large city in California. We San Diegans trade those lost wages for the best weather in the good ol' US of A. In January it is normally 75 degrees and sunny. There are other parts of this trade off as well; we have lower housing costs and better bargains of entertainment and dining. Here are a few prime examples of excellent restaurants with great value for your dining dollar.
SUSHI DELI ONE 228 W. Washington San Diego, CA 92103 619-231-959
Hours: Monday— Thursday 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. and 5 to 9 p.m.; Friday from 11:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. and 5 to 10:30 p.m.; and Saturday from 5 to 10:30 p.m.
Situated between the classy and historically treasured neighborhoods of Mission Hills and the swanky and hip hub of urbanities that is Hillcrest, is the littler, more locally unassuming cousin of Sushi Deli Too located in downtown San Diego. Irregardless of the locale you choose, be prepared to hang for a bit, as there is always a line, even during non-peak hours, but it’s worth the wait—which isn’t really all that long. The eatery offers a boatload of sushi without draining your wallet. If you enjoy sake or beer with your food, be sure to check out the great drink specials (99 cents for a bottle of hot sake at happy hour) or the standard everyday prices (a large Sapporo beer and small sake for $4.99). As for the sushi, it’s pretty damn good for the price—the rolls on the menu—20-plus—range from $4 to $5, and with Miso soup at 85 cents, you can’t beat a night of decent fish that will fill the belly while keeping some money in your pocket.
Estimated cost per person $5-$10
WORLD FAMOUS 711 Pacific Beach Avenue, San Diego, CA 92109 (858) 272-3100 Hours: (Mon-Sun) 7 am-11 pm With one of the finest locations in San Diego, Dietrich May's "World Famous" restaurant sits right on the beach in Pacific Beach. Deter, as his friends call him, defines his food as "California Coastal Cuisine". World Famous believes in giving their customers great value for their dining dollar and thus has become one of the most popular restaurants in San Diego for locals and visitors alike. His latest addition to the kitchen is Chef Chris Bates. Chris recently enhanced the World Famous menu with his Tuscan Stuffed Chicken Breast. A Porcini mushroom-crusted chicken breast is stuffed with Mozzarella cheese, Prosciutto ham and spinach then served over Penne pasta with a delicious roasted red pepper cream sauce. Entrées come with your choice of soup or salad and freshly baked Epis bread. The Tuscan Stuffed Chicken Breast is a real value. World Famous also has the best bar in town and Monday through Thursday has great food specials in the bar. Be careful to arrive early on Lobster Taco Wednesday's because by 6:00 pm there is a line out the door. Once you bite into a succulent lobster taco with fresh tortillas and fresh homemade salsa, you will understand why the line is so long. Deter serves breakfast, lunch and dinner and each and every meal is great food at a great value.
Estimated cost per person for dinner = $15 - $25
Holiday Schedule: Open for all holidays
ORTEGAS COCINA 4888 Newport Street, San Diego, CA 92107 (619) 222-4205 Hours: (Mon-Sat) 8 am-10 pm; (Sun) 8 am-9 pm The family that cooks together stays together. Founadora Eugina Ortega came to San Diego for a visit with her kids. They were all working at a local seafood restaurant, one was the chef, one was the host, one was a waitress and all were happy to see the Senora. Senora Ortega asked the kids to take her to a Mexican restaurant. They took her to one of the best known in San Diego. When Senora Ortega began to eat she asked her kids, is this the best Mexican food San Diego has to offer? She suggested that the family get together and open a restaurant using Senora Ortega's recipes. The idea for Ortega's was born. Now one of the most popular little restaurants in San Diego, Ortega's is busy all day. The specialties of the house are the Senora's fresh made tamales and the Mole Pablano sauce, which is a specialty from their village Puebla-Puebla near Guadalajara in Mexico. The sauce is made from 4 sun-dried chilies, Passillo, Mulato, Ancho and Juajillo. They are combined with pureed almonds and sesame seeds and last but not least, chocolate. Yes chocolate, well you can imagine the subtle heat from the roasted chilies and then the hint of chocolaty sweetness teasing your palate as you dig into Enchiladas Poblanas. With your choice of chicken, beef, pastor, cheese or vegetarian, topped with Mole Poblano sauce, cheese and onions, served with rice and beans (no lard). The Tamales are made Tuesday night and served freshest on Wednesday. On Wednesday the street outside Ortega's is closed for the weekly farmers market. There will be a "Tamale Bar" set up in front of Ortega's and you can expect to see a line waiting patiently to get some of the senora's tamales. Now the successful Ortega's has 12 members of the family happily working in the restaurant. The family that cooks together stays together.
Estimated cost per person for dinner = $10 - $20
Holiday Schedule: New Years Day-Closed, Valentines Day-Open, Easter-Open, Thanksgiving-Open, Christmas Eve-Open, Christmas Day-Closed, New Years Eve-Open
LA DOLCE VITA TRATTORIA 3010 Clairemont Drive, San Diego, CA 92110 (619) 276-3462 Hours: (Mon-Sun) 5 pm-10 pm There was a part of San Diego known as Little Italy. It ran for 3 miles north to south and comprised most of the 2nd and 3rd generation Italians living in San Diego and an uninterrupted string of great Italian restaurants. It was anchored by Church of the Madaline to the north and downtown San Diego to the south. In 1965 San Diego Freeway cut a swath right through the heart of Little Italy. Unfortunate for the community but fortunate for the rest of San Diego. This forced some of the Italian community to relocate to other areas and brought about a migration of fine Italian food to all parts of San Diego. Clairemont was the recipient of one of these restaurants, La Dolce Vita (formerly Tep's Villa Roma). La Dolce Vita is all about Sicilian cuisine. Take a single order of Beef Lasagna home and feed the whole family. La Dolce Vita is warm and homey and service comes with a genuine caring and a smile. Most of the servers there have been there for 10 years or more. Become a regular at La Dolce Vita and you get great food and a much larger extended family.
Estimated cost per person for dinner = $15 - $25
Holiday Schedule: New Years Day-Closed, Valentines Day-Open, Easter-Open, Thanksgiving-Open, Christmas Eve-Open, Christmas Day-Closed, New Years Eve-Open
SANTANA'S 1525 Morena Boulevard, San Diego, CA 92110 (619) 276-6010 Hours: 24 hours a day In case you don't know it, fish tacos are somewhat of a religion in San Diego. The best fish tacos are in Ensenada Mexico, but the next best are in San Diego at Santana's. Using the original Ensenada recipe, white fish is breaded and deep fried. A salsa fresca is made from iceberg lettuce, fresh chopped tomatoes and onions. Then laid in a fresh corn tortilla, add in sliced fresh cabbage and a fresh sour cream sauce and garnish with Cilantro, fresh squeezed lime juice, and there you have it, the best fish taco in San Diego. With your choice of salsa verde (green) or salsa rojo (red) you can add an order of hot marinated carrots, and then the only question is how many. Take a half a dozen to the beach with a cooler of ice cold beer. You'll think you are in Ensenada.
Estimated cost per person for dinner = $10 - $20
Holiday Schedule: Open for all holidays
THE OCEAN BEACH PIER CAFE On the Ocean Beach Pier, San Diego, CA 92107 (619) 222-0501 Hours: (Mon-Sun) 8 am-8 pm Casting about for a unique dining experience. Take the long walk (753 steps) out to the end of the Ocean Beach pier. You can stop along the way to get an overhead view of the surfers lined up along the pier waiting for their perfect wave. You can watch as families romp and fisherman fish, and you can stop into The Ocean Beach Pier Café. The Ocean Beach Pier Café, after all, is a great place to get fresh fish. Casual to the core, some of my most memorable meals have come at these type of out of the way places, which echo a slower time in California's history. Everything from rolls and coffee in the morning, fish and chips in the afternoon or a fresh Captains Platter served with french fries and coleslaw on a paper plate for dinner. Hearty fresh food served with the wind in your face and the smell of the sea. I'll have a cup of hot chocolate please.
Estimated cost per person for dinner = $10 - $20
Holiday Schedule: New Years Day-Closed, Valentines Day-Open, Easter-Open, Thanksgiving-Closed, Christmas Eve-Closed, Christmas Day-Closed, New Years Eve-Closed
NICK'S AT THE BEACH 809 Thomas Avenue, San Diego, CA 92109 (858) 270-1730 Hours: (Mon-Sat)11 am-1 am; (Sun) 9 am-2 pm/4 pm-1 am Voted "Best Neighborhood Restaurant" 2 years running by the food critics at San Diego Magazine, Nick's at the Beach is the only restaurant in San Diego serving truly late night dinners. Nick's serves dinner 7 days a week until 1 am. Nick's is a two-story house of food and fun with the lower story dedicated to dining including an outdoor patio where smoking is allowed. The second story is dedicated to fun. With 2 pool tables, 29 TVs and 16 beers on tap this great neighborhood bar also has and outdoor deck with a view of the Pacific Ocean. Talk about a bargain, Nick's philosophy is good hearty seafood, pastas, steaks and poultry and ridiculously low prices. Start with a cup Nick's famous seafood chowder. On any given day Nick's chowder may include mussels, clams, shrimp, scallops and delicious chunks of fresh fish. This is a true neighborhood bar where all the local restaurant workers gather after their shifts to swap stories and unwind after a hard evening's work. Don't be surprised to see Cliff Claven sitting down at the end of the bar.
Estimated cost per person for dinner = $10 - $20
Holiday Schedule: New Years Day-Closed, Valentines Day-Open, Easter-Open, Thanksgiving-Open, Christmas Eve-Open, Christmas Day-Open, New Years Eve-Open
THE BLUE COLLAR GRILL 4015 Avanti Street, San Diego, CA 92117 (858) 483-1131 Hours: (Mon-Sat) 11 am-10 pm; (Sun) 10 am-9 pm The Blue Collar is exactly what it name implies, a straightforward, friendly, American comfort food restaurant. Food is great and there is lots of it. The bar is fun and friendly and serves a nightly happy hour from 4 to 6 pm with draft beers including micro-brews and wine by the glass $1.00 off. The Blue Collar has different specials nightly. A couple of examples are, Monday is Chicken Pot Pie, Tuesday is Pork Loin Roast, Saturday is Prime Rib dinner and Sunday is Pot Roast all made in the best American tradition. You will feel like you are at Mom's table when you try The Blue Collar's Meat Loaf. Using his mother's recipe John Bagley re-creates the true mid-western meatloaf with mashed potatoes, steamed vegetables, and homemade gravy with you choice of soup or salad. The Blue Collar is also known for their ribs. Get a full rack of Barbecue Pork Baby Back Ribs with fries and backed beans. Sit down, relax enjoy a beer and a game of pool at a truly American restaurant, The Blue Collar Grill.
Estimated cost per person for dinner = $15 - $25
Holiday Schedule: New Years Day-Closed, Valentines Day-Open, Easter-Open, Thanksgiving-Open, Christmas Eve-Open, Christmas Day-Closed, New Years Eve-Open
ROCKY'S 3786 Ingraham Street, San Diego, CA 02109 (858) 273-9140 Hours: (Mon-Sun) 11 am-12 pm Rocky's is the quintessential hamburger joint and bar. Owner Patricia Rockwood (Rocky) as SHE is known started Rocky's in 1977. Rocky's has undoubtedly the best hamburger in the state of California. Rocky's hand shapes their hamburger patties daily from US grade A prime beef. The burgers are fried on a flat griddle and you should expect to wait, as the bar is full at lunch and dinner. Rocky's serves 300 to 400 hamburgers a day. The whole menu consists of two things, the 1/3 pound Rocky's burger with fries or the 1/2 pound Rocky's burger with fries. Now that is specialization, and special it is. On any given day Michelle will take your order, draw your beer and give you a friendly hello. That along with the local, and I do stress local, gossip of the day is what you will hear at Rocky's. Did you hear what happened to so-and-so? Did you hear what so-and-so did last night? Rocky's is friendly; you can hang and talk or play a game of pool and eat the best burger in the state. If you are from out of town this review is the only way you would ever find Rocky's unless you have a relative in San Diego that brings you along. If you like a good burger, consider yourself lucky you web-surfed Chowbaby.com.
Estimated cost per person for dinner = $10 - $20
Holiday Schedule: New Years Day-Open, Valentines Day-Open, Easter-Open, Thanksgiving-Closed, Christmas Eve-Open, Christmas Day-Closed, New Years Eve-Open
MR. PEABODY'S 6110 Friars Road, San Diego, CA 92108 (619) 542-1786 Hours: (Mon-Sat) 11 am-12 am; (Sun) 11 am-10 pm Tucked in the corner of a small strip center is the well known locals hang out, Mr. Peabody's. The local YMCA volleyball league shows up on Thursday nights to have a burger or a Quesadilla and a beer and re-hash the night's games. Same with the basketball league on Tuesday night. The rest of the time you can find the regulars and meet many of your neighbors at Mr. Peabody's. They are there because the people at Mr. Peabody's are so nice. The food there is nice too. And it won't cost you an arm and a leg to get well fed. Mr. Peabody's does pretty well with their signature 1/2 pound burger. Made with your choice of beef or turkey, Mr. Peabody's burger has some secret sauce of its own. The burger is drenched with a spiced Cabernet sauce during cooking. The smell alone will make you order one. Mr. Peabody's order of fries is definitely big enough for two. Have the waitress pull you a fresh pint of Guinness or Widmer Hefeweizen with that burger and fries. It folksy, friendly and a fun place to be. Mr. Peabody's, see you there.
Estimated cost per person for dinner = $10 - $25
Holiday Schedule: New Years Day-Open, Valentines Day-Open, Easter-Open, Thanksgiving-Closed, Christmas Eve-Open, Christmas Day-Closed, New Years Eve-Open
Estimated cost per person for dinner is based upon one entrée, one beverage, and 20% gratuity.
The Top List of Best Buy Restaurants - San Diego, CA