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The Godfather Restaurant, San Diego, CA

The Godfather Restaurant

4.6 (1988)
$31 to $50
Italian
7878 Clrmt Msa Blvd, San Diego, CA 92111-1621

Make a reservation

2 people
10:30 PM
Booked 11 times today

About this restaurant

  • Good for special occasions
  • Neighborhood gem
  • Great for fine wines
The Godfather, a Balistreri restaurant, is an Italian monument in downtown San Diego providing authentic cuisine from the hills of Italy. Established in 1974, The Godfather is a sophisticated and classy establishment that centers around generational recipes from both Northern and Southern Italy. Over the years, the quality of food and standard of service has never declined and thus garnered The Godfather a national recognition as one of the top twenty-five Italian restaurants in the entire nation. The menu is filled with classic favorites based in steak, chicken and pasta. For an intimate evening for two, try the Sicilian kiss prix fixe meal that includes a bottle of champagne.

Additional information

  • Dining style
    Casual Dining
  • Price
    $31 to $50
  • Cuisines
    Italian, Seafood, Steak
  • Hours of operation
    Lunch Tue–Fri 11:00 am–2:30 pm Dinner Tue–Thu 5:00 pm–9:30 pm Fri 5:00 pm–10:00 pm Sat 4:00 pm–10:00 pm Sun 4:00 pm–9:00 pm
  • Phone number
  • Payment options
    AMEX, Discover, Mastercard, Visa
  • Dress code
    Smart Casual
  • Executive chef
    Isidoro Balistreri
  • Neighborhood
    Kearny Mesa
  • Cross street
    Convoy St.
  • Parking details
    Public Lot
  • Additional
    Banquet, Bar/Lounge, Beer, BYO Wine, Cocktails, Corkage Fee, Counter Seating, Delivery, Entertainment, Full Bar, Gluten-free Options, Non-Smoking, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Private Room, Takeout, Wheelchair Access, Wine

What 1,988 people are saying

The Godfather Restaurant 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

4.6
4.6 based on recent ratings
  • 4.6Food
  • 4.7Service
  • 4.7Ambience
  • 4.5Value

NoiseModerate

Review summary

AI-generated from verified diner reviews
The Godfather Restaurant offers an "old school vintage vibe" with exceptional service and "delicious" Italian cuisine. Guests praise the "impeccable" food and attentive staff, making it a "great place" for special occasions. While parking can be a challenge, the "impressive" wine selection and live piano music enhance the inviting atmosphere.
1,988 Reviews
  1. Jackson

    San Diego1 review

    5.0

    Dined 1 day ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    All good...great seat, good service, delicious food!

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  2. Gary

    San Diego4 reviews

    4.0

    Dined 2 days ago

    1. Overall 4
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 2
    4. Ambience 5
    Overall, it was a pleasant experience although not the same as when the Balastreris owned and ran it. Thank god the food is still excellent. I marked down in service as the bus boy was way too pushy about boxing leftovers. Two in our party were still eating. They should wait until it’s obvious all are finished. I miss the formality of the wait staff like before.

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  3. Derek

    San Diego1 review

    5.0

    Dined 2 days ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Reserved a table a week in advance, the restaurant did not disappoint, food was amazing as well as the service. Definitely plan on going here on a more regular basis.

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  4. Kristina

    San Diego25 reviews

    5.0

    Dined 4 days ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    It was a wonderful way to celebrate a special occasion. The food is delicious and the service is top notch. Love the atmosphere and enjoy everything about it.

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  5. Darren

    San Diego1 review

    5.0

    Dined 5 days ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    I have been have the Executive Chef of some of the finest private clubs in southern California. My wife and I tried The Godfather for the first time yesterday evening. Not only was the food outstanding, but our server Riccardo was a gem!!! One of the coolest things as a chef is when you can taste the love in the food!!! Thank you Godfather & thank you Riccardo!!!

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  6. Leigh

    San Diego8 reviews

    4.0

    Dined 5 days ago

    1. Overall 4
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 3
    Book dinner for a business dinner and it was pretty loud. Several people celebrating birthdays, so wasn’t the best atmosphere for a business discussion

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  7. BRYAN VIP

    San Diego2 reviews

    5.0

    Dined on June 22, 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 3
    The Godfather is one of San Diego’s best kept secrets. It’s got old school vintage vibes and can be noisy (get a booth) but their service and food is always impeccable. Old school charm and class and delicious.

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  8. Vicky

    San Diego1 review

    5.0

    Dined on June 19, 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    The Godfather restaurant has been, all always be a great place to go. The food is always excellent, the service is great. Just a great place

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  9. Nikki

    Unspecified5 reviews

    4.0

    Dined on June 18, 2025

    1. Overall 4
    2. Food 4
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    We had a lovely late weekday dinner at The Godfather to celebrate a friend's birthday. We were greeted warmly, and the birthday girl even got a special wish – a nice touch! Seating was prompt, and we absolutely loved the restaurant's vibe. The wine selection is impressive. We particularly enjoyed the eggplant appetizer, and both the pasta and salmon dishes were fantastic. The chicken, however, wasn't a highlight. Parking was a bit tough even on a weekday; we only found one open spot. We didn't see any valet, so that might be a weekend-only service. Despite the minor parking issue and the chicken not quite hitting the mark, we had a memorable birthday celebration. Highly recommend for the ambiance, wine, and delicious food!

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  10. Anita

    San Diego6 reviews

    3.0

    Dined on June 16, 2025

    1. Overall 3
    2. Food 2
    3. Service 4
    4. Ambience 2
    I took my husband out to dinner for Father’s Day. We were seated relatively quickly, and the service staff were friendly and attentive, which we truly appreciated—especially compared to last year’s visit when we waited nearly 30 minutes despite having a reservation. That said, this year’s experience had a few drawbacks. The food was a bit underwhelming, and the ambiance was disrupted by a couple of unfortunate incidents. First, there were gnats swarming around our table, which we had to constantly swat away as we ate. Second, a disgruntled gentleman entered the women’s restroom because the men’s stalls were occupied, and when confronted, he reacted abrasively—an incident that definitely dampened the mood. As for the meal, I ordered the chicken Marsala, which turned out to be much sweeter than expected and just didn’t taste quite right. I shared my feedback with our server, who was understanding, and the dish was kindly removed from our bill. Despite these setbacks, our appetizers were excellent, my husband’s steak was perfectly cooked and flavorful, and the attentiveness of the wait staff did not go unnoticed. Their professionalism helped salvage what could have otherwise been a disappointing evening.

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FAQs

The Godfather Restaurant offers takeout which you can order by calling the restaurant at (858) 560-1747.

The Godfather Restaurant is rated 4.6 stars by 1988 OpenTable diners.

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

  1. Home
  2. United States
  3. San Diego
  4. San Diego
  5. Kearny Mesa

Make a reservation

2 people
10:30 PM
Booked 11 times today
Google Map for The Godfather Restaurant

7878 Clrmt Msa Blvd, San Diego, CA 92111-1621

Additional information

  • Cross street
    Convoy St.
  • Neighborhood
    Kearny Mesa
  • Hours of operation
    Lunch Tue–Fri 11:00 am–2:30 pm Dinner Tue–Thu 5:00 pm–9:30 pm Fri 5:00 pm–10:00 pm Sat 4:00 pm–10:00 pm Sun 4:00 pm–9:00 pm
  • Price
    $31 to $50
  • Cuisines
    Italian, Seafood, Steak
  • Dining style
    Casual Dining
  • Dress code
    Smart Casual
  • Parking details
    Public Lot
  • Payment options
    AMEX, Discover, Mastercard, Visa
  • Executive chef
    Isidoro Balistreri
  • Additional
    Banquet, Bar/Lounge, Beer, BYO Wine, Cocktails, Corkage Fee, Counter Seating, Delivery, Entertainment, Full Bar, Gluten-free Options, Non-Smoking, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Private Room, Takeout, Wheelchair Access, Wine
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