People Watching Restaurants

Not only does Candelas on the Bay have a prime location with a beautiful view of Downtown San Diego, it has inventive Mexican cuisine that promises guests an interesting and special dining experience. One of the best parts of Candelas on the Bay is the exciting scene of Coronado beachgoers and the San Diego Bay that can be seen from every seat in the house. This restaurant is the sister restaurant of Candelas Downtown and carries over the same creative “Mexico City” style dishes created by Executive Chef Eduardo Baeza. This restaurant is brilliantly suited for those eager to test …

Cohn Restaurant fans take note: the San Diego restaurateur powerhouse has brought their fine dining expertise to Oceanside with their restaurant, 333 Pacific. It is an ode to Southern California, with breath-taking views of its seaside setting, innovative California cuisine, and a faultlessly stylish design aesthetic. Located on the first floor of the Wyndham Oceanfront Pier Resort, diners can feast on clever creations like Bleu Cheese Crusted Kobe Beef Meatloaf and Maine Diver Scallops seared in apple cider, while enjoying a stunning, panoramic view of the Oceanside Pier and beach. 333 Pacific promises a welcome invigoration of the North County …

A stone's throw from the Del Mar Racetrack, this irresistible Chinese and Asian Fusion restaurant by Chef Mark Sun has been voted 10 News' A-List Best Chinese Restaurant in San Diego. With the sparkling Pacific Ocean as a backdrop, diners can enjoy a variety of diverse dining options. Outside of the regular menu, Del Mar Rendezvous also offers a vegetarian and vegan menu with 45 vegetarian items and 29 vegan items, and a gluten-free menu featuring 40 items. Putting a modern twist on the traditional, Del Mar Rendezvous prides itself on using the freshest ingredients in a neighborly setting where …

Steps away from the convention center; a stone’s throw from Seaport Village; and a San Diego minute from the Gaslamp Quarter is Redfield’s Sports Bar, in the Manchester Grand Hyatt Hotel. Redfield’s combines dining elegance and premium seasonal ingredients with delicious, classic sports bar dishes. With twenty-one high definition TV’s showing every sporting event imaginable, a gigantic pool table, and a fully loaded bar, Redfield’s is the ideal destination for game night or after work. Redfield’s also boasts a daily eight hour happy hour, with drink and food specials that will have people wondering why they’re not regulars. Enjoy a …

If you’re in the Mission Bay area, be sure you visit The Firefly Restaurant and Bar located inside The Dana Hotel. Facing the bay, Firefly has fantastic views, creating a dining experience that will impact your senses in a major way. As one of San Diego’s premier dining spots, Firefly offers a contemporary atmosphere imbued with the kind of ambiance that is just right for a romantic dinner for two. If you’re looking for a quick meal, the happy hour menu offers great specials. Chef Eric Manuel is a native to San Diego, and his dishes are created with fresh, …

Tucked into a building on Fourth Avenue, Gourmet India is a culinary jewel distinguished by a father-son team serving authentic Indian cuisine. Savory aromas, layers of flavor and extraordinary textures take you abroad without leaving the comfort of your cushions and pillows or more traditional table and chair. Life-size murals, maroon walls and draperies, and sconces of stained glass and mosaics provide an exotic ambience, but the real story is the food. Begin your culinary journey with samosas and sangrias or succulent chicken tikki masala, and you'll soon find yourself at the junction of foreign and delicious.

KITCHEN 1540, our signature restaurant, highlights the feel and flavors of our Southern California roots. The seamless flow from the bar to the dining room and outdoor patio spaces offer guests the perfect mix of experiences. KITCHEN 1540's cuisine highlights locally-sourced ingredients that capture bright, seasonal tastes of Del Mar, California. Served amongst an open presentation kitchen. A private dining room wrapped in wine-encased walls is the ideal setting for a special event, or choose the romance of an outdoor private cabana and enjoy the lights, the stars, and the ocean breezes. KITCHEN 1540 has garnered numerous awards including such …

Nestled just one block south of University Avenue in Hillcrest is Crest Café, a haven of fresh and organic American cuisine with a southwestern twist. While it may seem like a surfside diner plucked from the past, the food here is far superior to most cafes or diners you’re liable to find. Along with the food, the bright and fun décor and extremely friendly servers have given the restaurant an extremely loyal and diverse group of regulars that just can’t get enough. Crest Café is open until midnight every day and serves an all-day breakfast menu, so diners can enjoy …

Terms like “chic throwback,” “upscale dive bar,” and “retro lounge” have all been used to describe Downtown San Diego’s latest dining dig, Analog Bar. Aligning itself with such local landmarks as Lamp Lighter and Nunu’s, Analog presents guests with a well-rounded dining experience of lively libations, vinyl tunes and karaoke classics, and charmingly comfort-cuisine bites. Two distinct dining spaces showcase different musical persuasions in the early evening hours, then converge each night for one powerhouse of a good time. Who said hamburgers and karaoke couldn’t be hot!

The Melting Pot is a one-of-a-kind restaurant giving guests the opportunity to dip to their hearts’ content – in fondue, that is. Boasting an unbelievably decadent menu of cheese, broth, and chocolate-based fondue options, diners are armed with everything they need to satisfy that certain craving for something sweet or savory. Home in the Gaslamp Quarter’s very first skyscraper, The Melting Pot’s chic décor hearkens back to a golden era of opulence, while maintaining a contemporary air of casual elegance. Join family and friends around the Melting Pot table and partake in the joyous style of dining that is fondue.

Honey’s Bistro and Bakery is surely one of San Diego’s hidden treasures. The restaurant, noted only by its burgundy red onning and forest green umbrellas sits nestled between some of Encinitas’ most eclectic boutiques on Highway 101. The café is open from 5:30am until 3:00pm daily and provides an outrageous menu of mouthwatering selections including everything from a mug of their fresh coffee and an in house baked scone, to their signature soups, salads, omelets, and other various breakfast and lunch entrees. Honey’s offers something delectable for all customers and is a delightful place to bring “out of towners”. The …

The Incredible Cheesecake Company combines old methods with excellent quality ingredients to bring some of the best cakes that taste heavenly and also look appealing. Aside from the usual classics such as fudge brownie and cookies n’ cream there are other unique creations that aren’t offered anywhere else. These specialty cakes are not difficult for the chefs to create and they usually have the cake done in 3 hours! In the meantime, patrons can enjoy the espresso bar that features many caffeinated sweets to keep the anticipation high until the cheesecake is ready. They’re also extremely popular with weddings due …

San Diego Desserts offers a large variety to fulfill anyone’s sweet tooth. With a menu hosting a range of indulgences such as tarts, cookies, cupcakes, and cakes, one could spend hours looking at all the different options and in the end want to try them all. Every item is made from scratch with no re-using of ingredients so everything is fresh and sweet as can be. This dessert and bakery hybrid also caters so it is a great place to order food for parties or weddings. The extra options add up to create a unique experience for any who dare …

Redwing Bar and Grill offer some of the cheapest appetizers that include all the fancy additions and plenty of drinks. Every day brings something new for those who are willing to brave the craziness that the sports bar delivers. Monday’s are sports days, karaoke on Saturday, Thursdays are usually very low cost beer days, and Wednesday is sushi night with only the freshest Japanese cuisine. There’s always a special occasion going on at Redwing and everyone usually has a great time. Even if one is not that big of a drinker, it is still worth bringing a group of friends …

Stout Public House is one of the finest Irish sports bars in downtown. Being a central hub for the community it is a popular spot to just hang out and watch people as they pass by. One can easily drop in for lunch with a full pint of Guinness and enjoy some time with friends or stop by after work for a drink and maybe a game or two, depending what is on T.V. The pub atmosphere is tight but not hectic and the staff is very friendly, along with plenty of lovely ladies to look at. Their happy hours …

In the age of fast food, quality and price have become an oxymoron. So when it comes to pizza, you can pay more for quality service and ingredients or stay on budget and replace freshness with grease. Thankfully there's Surf Rider Pizza Cafe. Finally, a no-fuss pizza eatery where the recipes and toppings of a gourmet restaurant meet the laid back attitude of Ocean Beach. Combined with reasonable prices, Surf Rider Pizza has beach dwellers and visitors buzzing about their popular fresh baked pizzas, such as their house special Surf Rider Pizza with roasted garlic, fresh basil, olive oil, parmesan, …

Opened in 1999, Fresco Trattoria in Carlsbad is just a few blocks from the beach and offers traditional Italian cuisine seven days a week for both lunch and dinner. Owner Leone D’Arcangelo is from a small town on the west coast of Italy, very similar to the restaurant's location in North County. When it comes to seafood, pasta, steaks, veal, chicken, pizza or appetizers, Fresco has every base covered. A very encompassing wine menu provides the perfect pairing for your meal whether sitting in the elegant dining room with a bubbling fountain or lounging under the stars on the patio …

Anthology is not only one of San Diego’s premier music venues, but it is also one of the city’s hot-spots for great dining and drinks. Some of the country’s finest Jazz, Rock, Blues, Latin, and Indie musicians grace the Anthology stage on a regular basis; and the restaurant’s farm-fresh fare is enjoyed on all three levels of the main room. This chic and contemporary space entertains many social outlets, and multitasks brilliantly: from the state-of-the-art system and unparalleled attention to acoustics, to the fresh and invigorating California cuisine menu, Anthology is the place to go for an experience that satisfies …

No shirt, no shoes, no problem! Recognized by CNN as one of the US’s top 5 burger joints, Hodad’s burgers are known by fans as the best in the west. Opened in 1969 in the laid-back Ocean Beach district of San Diego, Hodad’s has now expanded into a burger empire by serving their own signature but simple baskets of burgers, fries, onion rings and milk shakes. Their uncompromising commitment to quality and service has elevated this burger joint into the top spots. Located right off the beach near the infamous Ocean Beach Pier, Hodad’s is a fast food paradise within …

Finding a great burger can be hard if you’re vegetarian or vegan. Luckily, at Evolution Fast Food, the search isn’t that difficult anymore. With an option to sit outside or drive-thru, Evolution offers only vegan options for sandwiches, burgers, pizzas, smoothies, wraps, and finger food options like soy chicken tenders. Even meat-eaters can agree that their “bacon cheeseburger” can do the trick when one has a craving for something greasy. Evolution Fast Food has a dedication to providing fast food for diets of all types while offering a healthier alternative to other drive-thru burger joints.