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The Godfather Restaurant, San Diego, CA

The Godfather Restaurant

4.6 (1974)
$31 to $50
Italian
7878 Clrmt Msa Blvd, San Diego, CA 92111-1621

Make a reservation

2 people
7:00 PM
Booked 21 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.

Dining areas

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 1,974 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 enchanting "old school" Italian dining experience with "excellent service" and "delicious food." Guests rave about the "impeccable" service, extensive Italian wine selection, and "wonderful atmosphere." The restaurant is perfect for special occasions, with live piano music adding a touch of "classy, nostalgic" charm.
1,974 Reviews
  1. Amanda

    Chicago / Illinois4 reviews

    5.0

    Dined 6 days ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Great good and service. Wonderful evening. Waiter was amazing!

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  2. Donald VIP

    San Diego54 reviews

    5.0

    Dined on June 6, 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    The starters and entrées at the Godfather were excellent. The wine list is extensive with a nice selection of Italian wines at reasonable prices. The service was excellent.

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  3. Steven

    San Diego8 reviews

    5.0

    Dined on June 5, 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    I've been here twice now, after the first time I decided to have my birthday dinner here with family. Food and service were excellent. Everyone in our little group was very pleased with diner. Three of us had the filet mignon and lobster and really liked it. My wife had the New York steak and was very pleased. We will definitely be returning in the future.

    Is this helpful?

  4. Steve VIP

    San Diego133 reviews

    5.0

    Dined on June 4, 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Always a joy to come back to the Godfather, where I've been dining since the 70s. Service, food, atmosphere - all impeccable!

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  5. Rachel

    San Diego13 reviews

    5.0

    Dined on May 31, 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    The food and service was excellent. Julian P the server was excellent.

    Is this helpful?

  6. Brittney

    San Diego1 review

    5.0

    Dined on May 31, 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Excellent service and quality food for my New Marine

    Is this helpful?

  7. Mike

    California Central Coast3 reviews

    5.0

    Dined on May 29, 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    We went later in the evening just before close after my daughter's graduation. The staff was so gracious to us and we never felt rushed even though we kept them there later than they probably wanted to be. The food was amazing and the ambiance perfect. Our son asked if we could come back for his graduation on the way out. It was a hit with everyone!

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  8. ashley

    San Diego1 review

    5.0

    Dined on May 28, 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Great service, food was delicious! Super accommodating

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  9. Frank VIP

    San Diego2 reviews

    5.0

    Dined on May 26, 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Great food and a great team…old school Italian place. Highly recommend

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  10. Jordan VIP

    San Diego4 reviews

    5.0

    Dined on May 24, 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Food is always great and the service is phenomenal.

    Is this helpful?

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 1974 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
7:00 PM
Booked 21 times today
Google Map for The Godfather Restaurant

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

Dining areas

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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