Enable JavaScript to run this app.
Skip to main content
OpenTable logo
  1. Home
  2. United States
  3. San Diego
  4. San Diego
  5. La Jolla
James' Place, San Diego, CA
James' Place, San Diego, CA
James' Place, San Diego, CA
James' Place, San Diego, CA
James' Place, San Diego, CA

James' Place

4.3
4.3
896 Reviews
$31 to $50
Contemporary Asian
James’ Place Prime and Seafood a high quality and moderate price dining establishment. Specializing in Asian fusion cuisine, with a large variety of appetizers, and a nice selection of entrees.

Make a reservation

2 people

7:00 PM


Booked 26 times today

Additional information

  • Dining style
    Casual Dining
  • Cuisines
    Contemporary Asian, Unspecified, Contemporary American
  • Hours of operation
    Dinner Tue–Fri 5:00 pm–8:00 pm Sat, Sun 4:00 pm–8:00 pm
  • Phone number
    (858) 638-7778
  • Payment options
    AMEX, Discover, Mastercard, Visa
  • Dress code
    Casual Dress
  • Executive chef
    James Holder
  • Catering
    James' Place Prime and Seafood offers on site and off site catering
  • Private party facilities
    We offer a Private screened in dining area that can fit up to 18 people, or the out side patio can be reserved for up 32 people for sit down dining, you can also reserve the entire restaurant.
  • Private party contact
    Anthony Doll anthonydoll@jamesplacesd.com: (619) 638-7778
  • Neighborhood
    La Jolla
  • Cross street
    Gilman Dr.
  • Parking details
    Free on Weekends $2 on weekdays after 4:30pm.
  • Additional
    Banquet, Bar/Lounge, Beer, BYO Wine, Cocktails, Corkage Fee, Counter Seating, Entertainment, Full Bar, Non-Smoking, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Private Room, View, Wheelchair Access, Wine

What 896 people are saying

Overall ratings and reviews

Reviews can only be made by diners who have eaten at this restaurant

4.3
4.3 based on recent ratings
  • 4.2Food
  • 4.4Service
  • 4.2Ambience
  • 3.8Value

NoiseModerate

896 Reviews
  1. MichaelG

    1 review

    5.0

    1 review

    Dined 2 days ago

    overall5food5service3ambience5
    Reservation process was easy, lovely table, sushi and sashimi were very good. Service got spoty towards the end, 2nd round of drinks took more than 15 min to arrive and were not as good as the 1st. Seemed like they were rushed. Would go again if going to the Playhouse.

    Is this helpful?

  2. luv2eat

    San Diego

    83 reviews

    vip
    3.0

    83 reviews

    Dined 2 days ago

    overall3food3service3ambience4
    The yellowtail crude was delicious. The Chinese Chicken salad was terrible. Almost entirely big bowl of cabbage, very small amount of chicken, a few bell pepper slices and that's it. Worst chinese chicken salad I have ever had. I've had this here before and it was much better....for $24 was a real disappointment....

    Is this helpful?

  3. JuneK

    San Diego

    13 reviews

    vip
    3.0

    13 reviews

    Dined 7 days ago

    overall3food2service5ambience2
    The noise level was off the food was just OK, the service was excellent and the location is wonderful for the theater

    Is this helpful?

  4. happy

    San Diego

    31 reviews

    vip
    5.0

    31 reviews

    Dined 7 days ago

    overall5food5service5ambience5
    Great food. Great service. So convenient to the La Jolla Playhouse. Could not have been better.

    Is this helpful?

  5. Yazdi

    San Diego

    3 reviews

    4.0

    3 reviews

    Dined on September 25, 2023

    overall4food3service5ambience3
    Our server was outstanding! She took care of everything with aplomb, including our time limitation due to the subsequent play attendance. We had vegetarians in our group and she made recommendations for how existing items on the menu could be modified for vegetarians. Many thanks !

    Is this helpful?

  6. Sheri

    San Diego

    102 reviews

    vip
    5.0

    102 reviews

    Dined on September 24, 2023

    overall5food5service5ambience5
    Lots of variety on the menu. We were warmly greeted by a server we'd had before. Super-convenient after matinee show. Amazing food, well-prepared, and beautifully presented.

    Is this helpful?

  7. AnnC

    San Diego

    8 reviews

    vip
    4.0

    8 reviews

    Dined on September 23, 2023

    overall4food4service5ambience5
    The convenience when going to the La Jolla Playhouse is invaluable. My sea bass was fantastic and my husband loved his filet. Great service. The only drawback was the sides - with a $41 piece of fish (again, excellent!) I expect more than plain mixed veggies -- especially the cooked baby carrots. The rice was good but also very plain. The sides felt very lazy for an otherwise wonderful dining experience.

    Is this helpful?

  8. AHreview

    New Mexico

    83 reviews

    vip
    3.0

    83 reviews

    Dined on September 23, 2023

    overall3food3service3ambience4
    I was happy to find that there was a restaurant onsite at the La Jolla Playhouse. James' Place. It is beautifully decorated - calm, modern, and tasteful. I didn't like the fact that the door was open and cold air was let swirl around from that as we ate. The menu was interesting, but not varied enough. I don't find a plate of sushi or sashimi enough for a meal, and there was only one soup, and few, if any, warm appetizers. I was brought a very tasty and attractive dish of shrimp and scallops, but it was not enough to eat. There were 2 beef dishes, but I don't really eat much beef and they had ice tea, which I like with dinner, but only with sugar in it, so I had to pass. It would have been nice to have a fruit plate for dessert. A key issue, frankly, was that the waitress had no training in the menu, and had to go to the kitchen several time to find the answer to questions like, "What is yuzu" which is mentioned as part of several dishes, and "What is Napa Salad." I probably will choose to eat elsewhere in the future.

    Is this helpful?

  9. JeffC

    San Diego

    3 reviews

    vip
    5.0

    3 reviews

    Dined on September 23, 2023

    overall5food5service5ambience5
    Spectacular pre-show meal. Anthea was our waitress, and she was wonderfully attentive and upbeat. Great place altogether

    Is this helpful?

  10. Susiep

    San Diego

    2 reviews

    4.0

    2 reviews

    Dined on September 21, 2023

    overall4food3service4ambience4
    The sea bass was good but my portion was extremely small. Other diners in our party had a slightly larger amount.

    Is this helpful?

  11. Bchip

    San Diego

    10 reviews

    vip
    2.0

    10 reviews

    Dined on September 15, 2023

    overall2food2service3ambience3
    I have been a regular subscriber to the La Jolla Playhouse for over 30 years. This is my first time here. Very convenient, atmosphere nice, quiet. Prices on the higher side, but likely convenience to theater. Disappointed with the sushi. Tried 3 different rolls. They were ok, nothing amazing, fish a bit on the skimpy side for $20-$22 a roll. Ordered garlic edamame. It was also ok, and $11 for a small bowl, which is alot and I wouldn't order it again. For myself and friend, had a one of their least expensive bottles of wine, 3 sushi rolls and 1 edamame and it was $150. Enjoyed being at the venue, relaxing, as opposed to coming before, eating dinner elsewhere. Certainly better places to eat, especially for the money, but the convenience is what you pay for. I saw many people come in for a drink, not dinner. I would say that is likely the better choice. Unfortunately we come straight from work so we need to do dinner. So if you are going to the playhouse and want to be on site, this is the only place you can go, and you just need to prepared to pay the price and not expect too much. That said, the Creme brûlée dessert looked good, and costs the same as the edamame, so if I returned, I would do that instead of the edamame. They used to have a happy hour I guess, so be careful, there is not one anymore yet it does say that on several restaurant sites. I can see people coming and expecting happy hour only to find very high prices.

    Is this helpful?

  12. OpenTable Diner

    1 review

    5.0

    1 review

    Dined on September 9, 2023

    overall5food5service4ambience5
    Quick service and beautiful setting Right across from the La Jolla playhouse, so convenient We shared everything and found the food to be delicious and prepared liked we wanted Great bread pudding dessert

    Is this helpful?

  13. redcar13

    Sacramento

    22 reviews

    3.0

    22 reviews

    Dined on September 6, 2023

    overall3food3service4ambience5
    Lovely place for pre-show fare. Serves mostly sushi, which unfortunately we weren’t in the mood to eat. We were disappointed in the entrees - shrimp&scallops, Chilean bass, identically plated - which looked and tasted like “conference food”

    Is this helpful?

  14. FredH

    San Diego

    6 reviews

    4.0

    6 reviews

    Dined on September 4, 2023

    overall4food4service5ambience4
    We all enjoyed our meal prior to our play at the Playhouse.

    Is this helpful?

  15. KFB1

    San Diego

    4 reviews

    5.0

    4 reviews

    Dined on September 4, 2023

    overall5food5service5ambience5
    James’ Place is the perfect place to meet before the theatre. Service was friendly and the food was delicious at a reasonable price.

    Is this helpful?

  16. JoeB

    1 review

    5.0

    1 review

    Dined on September 3, 2023

    overall5food5service5ambience5
    Great place to have dinner before a play at the La Jolla Playhouse. Easy walk to all venues.

    Is this helpful?

  17. OpenTable Diner

    Indiana

    2 reviews

    4.0

    2 reviews

    Dined on September 2, 2023

    overall4food4service4ambience4
    Two great dishes with different flavors and convenient to the theater

    Is this helpful?

  18. MarshallS

    San Diego

    2 reviews

    4.0

    2 reviews

    Dined on September 1, 2023

    overall4food4service5ambience4
    Menu focuses on Japanese themed dishes which are excellent and presented well. Menu somewhat more limited than expected but plenty of options. Outstanding wine selections.

    Is this helpful?

  19. Olinec

    Fort Lauderdale

    356 reviews

    vip
    4.0

    356 reviews

    Dined on August 30, 2023

    overall4food4service5ambience4
    Lovely restaurant with superior food and steps from La Jolla Playhouse. Expert service. We loved the scallops and shrimp and tuna. Artfully presented

    Is this helpful?

  20. JoshuaL

    San Diego

    3 reviews

    5.0

    3 reviews

    Dined on August 3, 2023

    overall5food5service5ambience5
    We visited for dinner before a show at the Playhouse and had a great experience. Our server was fantastic and the food was delicious.

    Is this helpful?

  21. LeAnnW

    San Diego

    18 reviews

    vip
    5.0

    18 reviews

    Dined on July 30, 2023

    overall5food5service5ambience5
    Excellent Sushi rolls. Service was wonderful. Such a great place to dine before a play at the LJPH.

    Is this helpful?

  22. Hungrylass

    San Diego

    8 reviews

    5.0

    8 reviews

    Dined on July 30, 2023

    overall5food4service5ambience5
    Ordered Kobe burger rare it came out well done. Waitress reordered it and second time very good and rare. Service great! Roll and appetizer was delicious. Came before the 7 show.

    Is this helpful?

  23. AngelA

    San Diego

    6 reviews

    5.0

    6 reviews

    Dined on July 29, 2023

    overall5food4service4ambience4
    This was an overall nice experience. The food was very good and the service was excellent. We were attending the La Jolla Playhouse and this was very convenient.

    Is this helpful?

  24. HappyDiner2

    San Diego

    6 reviews

    vip
    5.0

    6 reviews

    Dined on July 29, 2023

    overall5food5service5ambience5
    Wonderful service and great food! Sushi and Kobe Burger and mini Ahi Tacos were a hit.

    Is this helpful?

  25. EnnPee

    San Francisco

    4 reviews

    vip
    5.0

    4 reviews

    Dined on July 28, 2023

    overall5food5service5ambience5
    Great food and amazing service. They let us take our time as we were seeing a show at the on campus theater.

    Is this helpful?

  26. Sheri

    San Diego

    102 reviews

    vip
    5.0

    102 reviews

    Dined on July 22, 2023

    overall5food5service5ambience5
    Kindly opened for us even though Open Table let us reserve before they would normally have opened. Food was superb and service outstanding. Recommend highly@

    Is this helpful?

  27. MariaA

    San Diego

    3 reviews

    5.0

    3 reviews

    Dined on July 22, 2023

    overall5food5service5ambience5
    The staff was friendly and the sushi was delicious!

    Is this helpful?

  28. EdmondDergen

    San Diego

    8 reviews

    4.0

    8 reviews

    Dined on July 21, 2023

    overall4food5service5ambience4
    We understand that there are time constraints on James Place operations that effect the logistics. But they still get four forks. The management appears to be good at training the band of probably mostly student servers. The Chefs know their stuff. I liked what they are doing with the rice. From a personal standpoint, it would be nice if they could do the following: Add some form of bread to the service; bread sticks?, Red Lobster style buttery roles?, Something to nibble on while waiting for the food to arrive. Add a sweet white wine; Moscato, Risling, (by the glass). Understanding the need to comply with CA law, never the less, sea food can become tough from overcooking by even a minute. My little lobster tail wasn't really as tender as it should have been. One thought: frozen Sword fish can be thawed out by microwaving on low for a couple minutes and then it cooks on the grill in a very few minutes. You just need a good sauce to put on it while it's cooking.

    Is this helpful?

  29. LindaG

    San Diego

    6 reviews

    5.0

    6 reviews

    Dined on July 20, 2023

    overall5food5service5ambience5
    We always opt to eat there before a play. Food and service are consistently outstanding.

    Is this helpful?

  30. gails

    San Diego

    11 reviews

    vip
    5.0

    11 reviews

    Dined on July 19, 2023

    overall5food5service5ambience4
    James Place in La Jolla is the perfect restaurant to dine at before attending a show at the La Jolla Playhouse. I recommend arriving early, as many patrons are heading to the theater. We ordered the Kobe burgers and truffle fries, which were simply divine. The juicy Kobe beef patties with the right amount of cheese, fresh veggies, and flavorful truffle fries made for a delightful meal. The staff was friendly and attentive, ensuring a memorable dining experience. If you're in La Jolla, especially for a theater night, James Place is a must-visit spot to enjoy great food and excellent service.

    Is this helpful?

  31. Marlene

    San Diego

    75 reviews

    vip
    4.0

    75 reviews

    Dined on July 15, 2023

    overall4food4service5ambience4
    I dine at James’ Place before LJ Playhouse productions. I enjoy the convenience and friendly staff. However, the menu never changes and gets boring.

    Is this helpful?

  32. eaterjan

    Toronto

    4 reviews

    2.0

    4 reviews

    Dined on July 13, 2023

    overall2food1service2ambience2
    Poor value but conveniently located near the La Jolla Playhouse.

    Is this helpful?

  33. DebraM

    San Diego

    5 reviews

    5.0

    5 reviews

    Dined on July 12, 2023

    overall5food5service5ambience5
    Great light menu prior to the theater. I had very yummy Steak Bites appetizer, Miso Soup and a side of garlic fried rice that was just perfect for my picky palate. My husband very much enjoyed the bunless Wagyu Burger. Kind service and they get you out the door in time for the play.

    Is this helpful?

  34. Carryll

    Phoenix

    71 reviews

    vip
    4.0

    71 reviews

    Dined on July 3, 2023

    overall4food5service4ambience4
    Excellent food! I had the bunless Kobe burger on a portobello mushroom and veggies which was delicious. My husband had the lobster and shrimp fried rice which was outstanding. Great place to eat before the show at La Jolla Playhouse.

    Is this helpful?

  35. DebraD

    1 review

    4.0

    1 review

    Dined on June 30, 2023

    overall4food4service5ambience4
    Food was good, somewhat expensive, but you're paying for the convenience of being right next to the theatre. Service was good and we timely made our 8pm Showtime.

    Is this helpful?

  36. dbroper

    San Diego

    17 reviews

    vip
    2.0

    17 reviews

    Dined on June 29, 2023

    overall2food3service4ambience3
    Convenient location near La Jolla Playhouse. Food was ok but expensive. The martinis ($20 each) were watery and served in cosmopolitan glasses. Ugh!

    Is this helpful?

  37. AlfredM

    San Diego

    11 reviews

    vip
    5.0

    11 reviews

    Dined on June 26, 2023

    overall5food5service5ambience4
    Consistently excellent food. Service this time was excellent but can vary. Recommend reservation at least 90 minutes before the theater.

    Is this helpful?

  38. Birthday46

    San Diego

    23 reviews

    vip
    5.0

    23 reviews

    Dined on June 24, 2023

    overall5food5service5ambience5
    We always enjoy the convince of dining close to La Jolla Playhouse. Food was very good this evening. We especially liked our server, Anthia. She did an excellent job in assuring that our meals were exactly right and was very knowledgeable regarding our choices. She had a great attitude showing she enjoyed her job.

    Is this helpful?

  39. 1happybelly

    San Diego

    159 reviews

    vip
    5.0

    159 reviews

    Dined on June 23, 2023

    overall5food5service5ambience5
    I always seem to gravitate to the bar instead of occupying a table for one. I enjoy visiting with folks. Tonight the excellent bartender and server was Michael and he took care of all my hydration needs, lol. I had my most favorite item on the menu "crispy rice" always a hit with me and my family when they are in town. It was outstanding, never a disappointment.

    Is this helpful?

  40. Reviewer

    San Diego

    135 reviews

    vip
    5.0

    135 reviews

    Dined on June 22, 2023

    overall5food5service5ambience5
    Great food and service. Perfect for pre-theater crowd. The server really did a good job and kept us on time.

    Is this helpful?

FAQs

James' Place is rated 4.3 stars by 896 OpenTable diners.

Yes, you can generally book this restaurant by choosing the date, time and party size on OpenTable.

Make a reservation

2 people

7:00 PM


Booked 26 times today
Google Map for James' Place

2910 La Jolla Village Dr., San Diego, CA 92093

Additional information

  • Cross street
    Gilman Dr.
  • Neighborhood
    La Jolla
  • Hours of operation
    Dinner Tue–Fri 5:00 pm–8:00 pm Sat, Sun 4:00 pm–8:00 pm
  • Cuisines
    Contemporary Asian, Unspecified, Contemporary American
  • Dining style
    Casual Dining
  • Dress code
    Casual Dress
  • Parking details
    Free on Weekends $2 on weekdays after 4:30pm.
  • Payment options
    AMEX, Discover, Mastercard, Visa
  • Executive chef
    James Holder
  • Additional
    Banquet, Bar/Lounge, Beer, BYO Wine, Cocktails, Corkage Fee, Counter Seating, Entertainment, Full Bar, Non-Smoking, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Private Room, View, Wheelchair Access, Wine
  • Phone number
    (858) 638-7778
  • Catering
    James' Place Prime and Seafood offers on site and off site catering
  • Private party facilities
    We offer a Private screened in dining area that can fit up to 18 people, or the out side patio can be reserved for up 32 people for sit down dining, you can also reserve the entire restaurant.
  • Private party contact
    Anthony Doll anthonydoll@jamesplacesd.com: (619) 638-7778
OpenTable
  • About Us
  • Blog
  • Careers
  • Press
More
Businesses
  • Restaurant reservation software
  • Industry insights
  • Hospitality resources
  • Marketing resources
  • Operation resources
  • How to open a restaurant
  • For restaurants
  • For restaurant groups
Join us on
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of Use
  • Cookies and Interest-Based Ads
  • Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information
  • Cookie Preferences
Copyright © 2023 OpenTable, Inc. 1 Montgomery St Ste 500, San Francisco CA 94104 - All rights reserved.
OpenTable is part of Booking Holdings, the world leader in online travel and related services.
Booking Logo
Priceline Logo
KAYAK Logo
Agoda Logo
Rentalcars Logo
OpenTable Logo