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The Godfather Restaurant, San Diego, CA

The Godfather Restaurant

4.6 (1980)
$31 to $50
Italian
7878 Clrmt Msa Blvd, San Diego, CA 92111-1621

Make a reservation

2 people
8:00 PM
Booked 24 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

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What 1,980 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 enchants with its "impeccable service" and "delicious food." Guests rave about the "old-school Italian ambiance," complete with live piano music. The menu features standout dishes like lasagna and calamari. Despite some noise concerns and parking issues, the overall experience remains "excellent," making it a beloved spot for special occasions.
1,980 Reviews
  1. Vicky

    San Diego1 review

    5.0

    Dined 2 days ago

    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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  2. Nikki

    Unspecified3 reviews

    4.0

    Dined 3 days ago

    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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  3. Anita

    San Diego6 reviews

    3.0

    Dined 5 days ago

    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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  4. Anna

    San Diego4 reviews

    5.0

    Dined 5 days ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Celebrated my husbands birthday. This is my second visit to the restaurant. Great food, prompt attentive service.Restaurant provides 4$ valet parking. Will come back

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  5. Marie

    San Diego2 reviews

    5.0

    Dined 6 days ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Food is always so delicious, and the service is outstanding. One of our favorite restaurants

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  6. Patrick

    San Diego1 review

    5.0

    Dined 7 days ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 4
    Great food, great service! I will definitely visit again.

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  7. Amanda

    Chicago / Illinois4 reviews

    5.0

    Dined on June 8, 2025

    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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  8. 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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  9. 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.

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  10. 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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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 1980 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
8:00 PM
Booked 24 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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