Books + Records

Name: Books + Records
Address: 2202 Fourth Ave, San Diego, CA, United States, 92101
Telephone: (619) 795-1000
Price range: $31 to $50
Rating: 4.7

4.7 (488)

$31 to $50

American

2202 Fourth Ave, San Diego, CA 92101

Make a reservation

2 people

Jun 30, 2025

9:30 PM

Booked 11 times today

About this restaurant

Great for creative cocktails
Neighborhood gem
Great for live music

Global inspired American cuisine, craft cocktails, and weekend brunch in an upbeat atmosphere, with live music.

Chef Ryan Stickel is serving up San Diego's freshest food takes in an art deco meets mid-century mod warehouse space. With a tenured run on both Eater's Heat Map and list of San Diego's Hottest Cocktail Bars, the food and drinks are both guaranteed to delight your senses.

Additional information

Dining style
Casual Elegant
Price
$31 to $50
Cuisines
American, Cocktail Bar, Californian
Hours of operation
Dinner Wed, Thu, Sun 5:00 pm–9:00 pm Fri, Sat 5:00 pm–10:00 pm
Phone number
(619) 795-1000
Website
http://booksandrecordsbar.com/
Payment options
AMEX, Mastercard, Visa
Dress code
Business Casual
Executive chef
Sam Deckman
Catering
For information regarding PRIVATE EVENTS & CATERING visit BooksAndRecordsBar.com and select the "Private Dining" Tab.
Private party facilities
For information regarding PRIVATE EVENTS & CATERING visit BooksAndRecordsBar.com and select the "Private Dining" Tab.

Location
2202 Fourth Ave, San Diego, CA 92101
Neighborhood
Banker's Hill
Cross street
Ivy St & Fourth Ave in Bankers Hill
Parking details
Street Parking
Additional
Banquet, Bar/Lounge, Beer, Cocktails, Dog Friendly, Entertainment, Full Bar, Gender Neutral Restroom, Gluten-free Options, Late Night, Non-Smoking, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Vegan, Wheelchair Access, Wine

What 488 people are saying

Books + Records reviews from people who’ve dined at this restaurant. Based on recent rating.

Overall ratings and reviews

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

4.7

4.7 based on recent ratings

4.6Food
4.6Service
4.7Ambience
4.4Value

Noise • Moderate

Loved For

San Diego
Hot spot

Review summary

AI-generated from verified diner reviews

Books + Records offers a vibrant dining experience with "excellent drinks, food, and service." Guests rave about the cozy ambiance, live music, and innovative menu featuring eclectic dishes. Happy hour is a highlight, with strong cocktails and delicious small plates. The attentive staff and upbeat atmosphere make it a top spot in San Diego.

488 Reviews

C
Casey
Greater Boston2 reviews
5.0
Dined 2 days ago
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Came here for my boyfriends birthday, and it was such a lovely spot! Great food, and our server Bri was amazing!
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M
Michael
Los Angeles1 review
3.0
Dined 2 days ago
1. Overall 3
2. Food 5
3. Service 1
4. Ambience 4
Server was rude and would ignore the table when requested for certain items. Brought the bill when we were still working on our dish. Never asked or brought to go boxes. Services as horrible. However, food and ambient of the restaurant is amazing.
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S
Shreyas VIP
San Diego9 reviews
5.0
Dined 2 days ago
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Went here for our anniversary dinner and I was so surprised by the experience. Everyone was so sweet and courteous. They gave us a card and a complimentary rose! The cocktails were very classy and tasted amazing. We ordered the brussel sprouts, flatiron steak and buccatini. The brussel sprouts were too good. Never tasted anything like that before! And the portion sizes were more than sufficient. They also had live jazz music which was perfect. Definitely going back again for any special celebration!
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B
Benjamin
Philadelphia County1 review
5.0
Dined 3 days ago
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Our waiter was wonderful! Even gave us out-of-towners solid sightseeing tips!
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OT
OpenTable Diner VIP
San Francisco Bay Area2 reviews
5.0
Dined 3 days ago
1. Overall 5
2. Food 4
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Great food and drinks! Happy hour was is amazing!
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w
wendy VIP
San Diego118 reviews
5.0
Dined on June 23, 2025
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
The Brussels Sprouts were great! so is the cabbage. Service was excellent. Was not noisy because we were there at 5 PM and enjoyed their happy hour.
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T
Tania
San Diego1 review
5.0
Dined on June 21, 2025
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
The drinks, food, service, and vibes were all excellent!!
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V
Van
New York City3 reviews
4.0
Dined on June 21, 2025
1. Overall 4
2. Food 4
3. Service 3
4. Ambience 5
Loved the ambiance, decor, and music. We enjoyed the happy hour menu which was a pretty good value. The drinks were pretty and strong. The food was good too. Our server was nice enough but wasn’t very friendly, she even seemed annoyed at times. The minimal interaction we had with the other staff was warmer.
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M
Matthew VIP
San Diego15 reviews
5.0
Dined on June 19, 2025
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
This was my second time coming on a Wednesday for their all-day happy hour, and it didn’t disappoint. My friends and I enjoyed everything, from the bao buns and tuna to the mac and cheese. The drinks were all amazing, especially the classic and spicy margaritas. Our server, Dalton, with the friendly smile and cool tattoos, was awesome, attentive, welcoming, and made the experience even better. Definitely one of my new favorite spots!
Books + RecordsResponded 6 days ago
Hi Matthew, Thank you so much for the awesome shoutout! I'm thrilled to hear you are enjoying our Wednesday happy hour. Sounds like you and your friends made all the right menu picks and I'm so glad they all hit the mark. I’ll be sure to pass the love along to Dalton — he truly is an incredible asset to our team. Can’t wait to see you back again soon! Best, Curtis Jackson Senior Reservationist
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M
Mikayla VIP
Phoenix / Arizona1 review
5.0
Dined on June 14, 2025
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Absolutely the best experience tonight! We mentioned our reservation was to celebrate a birthday and the staff went above & beyond for it. We were greeted with a signed card from the restaurant & the waiter surprised the birthday boy with a fun drink! The food is always 10/10 - everything on the menu is spectacular but tonight was really special. Truly one of the best spots in San Diego!
Books + RecordsResponded 6 days ago
Hi Mikayla! We love making each and every guest experience genuine and personal and I'm so glad to hear we were successful in making the birthday celebration extra special! It means a lot to know the food continues to impress and that your evening felt memorable from start to finish. It's an honor to be one of your favorite spots in San Diego, and we can't wait to welcome you back soon. Warm regards, Curtis Jackson Senior Reservationist
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FAQs

Books + Records is rated 4.7 stars by 488 OpenTable diners.

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

Make a reservation

2 people

Jun 30, 2025

9:30 PM

Booked 11 times today

2202 Fourth Ave, San Diego, CA 92101

Additional information

Cross street
Ivy St & Fourth Ave in Bankers Hill
Neighborhood
Banker's Hill
Hours of operation
Dinner Wed, Thu, Sun 5:00 pm–9:00 pm Fri, Sat 5:00 pm–10:00 pm
Price
$31 to $50
Cuisines
American, Cocktail Bar, Californian
Dining style
Casual Elegant
Dress code
Business Casual
Parking details
Street Parking
Payment options
AMEX, Mastercard, Visa
Executive chef
Sam Deckman
Additional
Banquet, Bar/Lounge, Beer, Cocktails, Dog Friendly, Entertainment, Full Bar, Gender Neutral Restroom, Gluten-free Options, Late Night, Non-Smoking, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Vegan, Wheelchair Access, Wine

Website
http://booksandrecordsbar.com/
Phone number
(619) 795-1000
Catering
For information regarding PRIVATE EVENTS & CATERING visit BooksAndRecordsBar.com and select the "Private Dining" Tab.
Private party facilities
For information regarding PRIVATE EVENTS & CATERING visit BooksAndRecordsBar.com and select the "Private Dining" Tab.

Books + Records

Make a reservation

About this restaurant

Additional information

Menu

What 488 people are saying

Overall ratings and reviews

Loved For

Review summary

FAQs

How is Books + Records restaurant rated?

Is Books + Records currently accepting reservations?

Make a reservation

Additional information