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Dobson's Bar & Restaurant, San Diego, CA
Dobson's Bar & Restaurant, San Diego, CA
Dobson's Bar & Restaurant, San Diego, CA
Dobson's Bar & Restaurant, San Diego, CA
Dobson's Bar & Restaurant, San Diego, CA

Dobson's Bar & Restaurant

4.3
4.3
1340 Reviews
$30 and under
Californian
Dobson's Bar and Restaurant is a hidden treasure in the heart of Downtown San Diego/Gaslamp Quarter. For the last 37 years, this has been the hot spot for business lunches and frequented by many local and nationwide celebrities. Paul Dobson, the namesake for Dobson's bar and restaurant, is one of America's few professional Bullfighters. The food is California cuisine with a touch of Italian, French, Spanish and Asian cuisine. One thing that both local San Diegans and Zagat can agree on is that this is one of the top restaurants in San Diego. Due to the limited seating and popularity, reservations are highly recommended. Owner Paul Dobson "works a room better than Sinatra", which explains why this "local tradition" downtown remains, "after all these years", a "high-powered, hobnob spot"; the Cal kitchen "serves up delicious, innovative food, along with old standbys" ("have the mussel bisque and think of heaven").

Make a reservation

2 people

7:00 PM


Booked 7 times today

Order delivery or takeout

Private dining

Private dining

Book your next event with us

View details

Additional information

  • Dining style
    Casual Elegant
  • Price
    $30 and under
  • Cuisines
    Californian, French, Seafood
  • Hours of operation
    Lunch Mon–Fri 11:00 am–3:00 pm Dinner Mon–Sat 3:00 pm–9:00 pm Sat 4:00 pm–9:00 pm
  • Phone number
    (619) 231-6771
  • Payment options
    AMEX, Diners Club, Discover, Mastercard, Visa
  • Dress code
    Business Casual
  • Executive chef
    Martin San Roman
  • Catering
    We offer catering for private events. Please call the restaurant to inquire about details.
  • Private party facilities
    Dobson's proudly introduces our new Private Dining Planning Department! Your ideas and our expertise will create just the right menu. You can even rent the whole restaurant for your private event!!! For more information please contact us directly.
  • Private party contact
    Marcos Luciano: (619) 231-6771
  • Neighborhood
    Downtown
  • Cross street
    Broadway
  • Parking details
    Street Parking
  • Additional
    Bar/Lounge, Beer, BYO Wine, Cafe, Cocktails, Corkage Fee, Counter Seating, Delivery, Full Bar, Happy Hour, Late Night, Non-Smoking, Takeout, Wine

What 1,340 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
  • 4.3Food
  • 4.3Service
  • 4.3Ambience
  • 4.1Value

NoiseModerate

1,340 Reviews
  1. OpenTable Diner

    Los Angeles

    2 reviews

    5.0

    2 reviews

    Dined 2 days ago

    overall5food5service5ambience5
    My group of 5 made reservations for 12:15 on a work day. We didn’t need reservations as there were plenty of tables available inside (up a short flight of stairs) or outside. The salmon was cooked perfectly and was flavorful. The fish and chips were good and came out hot. The French dip and turkey sandwich were also good. The ambiance for a lunch with friends is really great. Looks like a fantastic place for a drink at the bar. The service was really attentive, accommodating to our requests and very personable. If you want a place to walk and eat during a conference or stop at the Downtown buildings, go here. Quick in and out. Would definitely go back.

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  2. RandallJ

    San Diego

    13 reviews

    vip
    5.0

    13 reviews

    Dined on November 19, 2023

    overall5food5service5ambience5
    Hands done one of the great hidden gems a in San Diego. Food is outstanding. Atmos is super and the service is off the charts fantastic.

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  3. OpenTable Diner

    Philadelphia

    2 reviews

    5.0

    2 reviews

    Dined on November 18, 2023

    overall5food5service5ambience5
    This place is a gem. Delicious food, excellent service, super fab overall. Will be back.

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  4. OpenTable Diner

    Orange County

    2 reviews

    vip
    5.0

    2 reviews

    Dined on November 18, 2023

    overall5food5service5ambience5
    Great live music! Food was delicious! Very nice staff.

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  5. leucadiadiner

    San Diego

    10 reviews

    2.0

    10 reviews

    Dined on November 11, 2023

    overall2food2service3ambience4
    Great ambiance of an old throw back bar & grill. Lots of history here, in a tiny but cozy place. Unfortunately the kitchen can't even do the basics right. Lamb chops were ordered medium-rare and came out extremely well-done. Steak frites with filet migon ordered med-rare as well and came out very well-done...not a trace of pink. We accepted the lamb chops not being cooked correctly but finally complained when the filet came over-cooked as well. The server promptly re-ordered the dish, kudos for that, but what we then got was steak tartare, not even cooked, and cold in the middle as well. The whole meal was a big disappointment because of the lack of basic cooking skills.

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  6. Cinderella

    San Diego

    25 reviews

    2.0

    25 reviews

    Dined on November 10, 2023

    overall2food2service3ambience4
    Food just ok. Too much dressing. “Tempura” oysters oily, not tempura batter. Salad soggy. Steak without good sear. Visited for pre-theater dinner, Wont be revisiting. Much

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  7. MarcW

    San Diego

    36 reviews

    vip
    5.0

    36 reviews

    Dined on November 9, 2023

    overall5food5service5ambience5
    Great spot to go before a show at the civic theater. High class. Great drinks. Great food!

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  8. Klc56

    Chicago

    2 reviews

    5.0

    2 reviews

    Dined on November 9, 2023

    overall5food5service5ambience5
    The mushroom ravioli was delicious as was the shrimp pasta dish. The shrimp were large, and plentiful. The chocolate mouse cake was delicious. Great wine options. Perfect place to have dinner before or after the theater. Intimate old school charm, wood bar abd leather stools, cozy.

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  9. Geralyn

    Nashville

    17 reviews

    vip
    3.0

    17 reviews

    Dined on November 8, 2023

    overall3food2service5ambience5
    Lino and his partner were very good servers. The decor is lovely and we have learned we will just stick with appetizers and beverages. My daughters ordered the Chateaubriand and it looked lovely but the vegetables were room temperature. My other daughter order the seabass, it was just ok. Myself and my other daughter both ordered the Filet mignon with "truffle fries" NOT the filet was tender, but nothing great. The fries were right out of the freezer I am sure...there was nothing special about them. So choose wisely!

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  10. ColombeM

    1 review

    4.0

    1 review

    Dined on October 29, 2023

    overall4food5service5ambience4
    Food and service were great and good value for money. Only drawback was very loud and not very good live music and rowdt croud at the bar. Avoid Saturday night and should be great otherwise.

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  11. NicoleG

    1 review

    5.0

    1 review

    Dined on October 29, 2023

    overall5food5service5ambience5
    This place is amazing. Cozy atmosphere, excellent service, nice wine list, and the food is amazing!! We had the bread, salads, and salmon and mushroom ravioli. So good. A local recommended this restaurant to us and we will be back next time we are in San Diego.

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  12. OpenTable Diner

    1 review

    5.0

    1 review

    Dined on October 28, 2023

    overall5food5service5ambience5
    We 4 women had an event to attend and our server was awesome with keeping us on track ! The food was delicious, atmosphere quite cozy. Will happily return for a date night with my man 🤩

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  13. OpenTable Diner

    San Diego

    6 reviews

    5.0

    6 reviews

    Dined on October 28, 2023

    overall5food5service5ambience5
    Excellent dining experience! Service and food - amazing!

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  14. sam2868

    Memphis/West TN

    3 reviews

    5.0

    3 reviews

    Dined on October 25, 2023

    overall5food4service5ambience4
    The restaurant, staff and entertainment were all awesome. It was a little stuffy upstairs, even tho the front door was open. Most of the food was very well received. Duck, filet, apps all great. I got the Chicken Marsala and was disappointed by the dryness of the meat, lack of Marsala sauce and having to look very hard for any mushrooms.

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  15. OpenTable Diner

    San Diego

    1 review

    vip
    1.0

    1 review

    Dined on October 17, 2023

    overall1food2service1ambience3
    Every interaction with staff left us feeling like a great inconvenience. Tables that were seated moments before and after us were brought water, bread, and cocktails long before anyone stopped to offer us water. We sat for almost 15 minutes before anyone came to help us and then it was another 10-15 before they actually brought us water. We were never offered bread. We had 3 different servers and somehow it took almost an hour to get our cocktails and our food order taken. When we informed the waitstaff at the beginning that we had tickets to a show, we were met with “must be nice”. This is a downtown restaurant in walking distance to multiple theaters. I’ve been wanting to try this place for years, specifically because it’s so close to the theaters! In the 30+ years I’ve been dining before a show in this town, I’ve never been met with such hostility. My wild mushroom ravioli with a white wine cream sauce tasted like ragu Alfredo over old, frozen ravioli. The chicken Marsala and the duck were ok, but not worth the steakhouse price. When we finally got our cocktails, they were sugar water and no discernible alcohol. The over priced cocktails at the theater were more worth the price. Overall this was a hugely disappointing experience.

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  16. Denise

    San Diego

    13 reviews

    4.0

    13 reviews

    Dined on October 15, 2023

    overall4food3service4ambience5
    Went with my daughter after a show at the civic theater. We shared the mussel bisque and steamed mussels, both were good. For entrees I had the mushroom ravioli and she had the sea bass. Both were just ok, nothing to rave about. I think Dobson’s is a good place to go for cocktails and apps before or after a show but I wouldn’t get dinner there again.

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  17. Bailey

    San Francisco

    16 reviews

    vip
    5.0

    16 reviews

    Dined on October 15, 2023

    overall5food5service4ambience5
    Very much enjoyed this place. Adorable with delicious food! I will definitely be coming back here as I can't wait to try some other dishes.

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  18. SHINKENBD

    Phoenix

    38 reviews

    vip
    4.0

    38 reviews

    Dined on October 15, 2023

    overall4food3service2ambience2
    Our first time there. Decided to try based on reviews. The Old Fashioned was very good as was the sourdough bread, although they charge $1.50 per person for the bread. My bone-in ribeye Porkchop was very good but one of our steaks, ordered Medium, came out fully rare. They didn't check on us after it was deemed too rare but when told they did take it off the bill. I did not like that the young man cleared our table while some of us were still eating. Also very tight seating. I would try it again though.

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  19. MaryLouC

    San Diego

    5 reviews

    vip
    5.0

    5 reviews

    Dined on October 13, 2023

    overall5food5service5ambience5
    Love the atmosphere, the bar is beautiful and the food is top notch! Can't wait to go back again. It's perfect when it's theater night, just a couple of blocks away.

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  20. OzzieB

    San Diego

    14 reviews

    vip
    5.0

    14 reviews

    Dined on October 12, 2023

    overall5food4service4ambience4
    Perfect place to eat before seeing a show at the SD civic theatre!! Walking distance and wonderful food/ ambience.

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  21. BobT

    San Diego

    79 reviews

    vip
    4.0

    79 reviews

    Dined on October 8, 2023

    overall4food5service5ambience3
    The food and service was very good but the upstairs area was uncomfortably warm. We asked our server to up the AC but he said he couldn't do anything about the heat. This really took away from our dining experience.

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  22. LeslieE

    San Diego

    11 reviews

    vip
    5.0

    11 reviews

    Dined on October 8, 2023

    overall5food5service5ambience4
    Food is good! Love the bisque. Honestly, the sourdough bread is the highlight though! Request outside or upstairs for best experiences.

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  23. OpenTable Diner

    San Diego

    4 reviews

    2.0

    4 reviews

    Dined on October 1, 2023

    overall2food2service2ambience2
    After years of going to this restaurant I’ve got to say I was disappointed. They had a live singer who was talented but too loud to enjoy a nice meal. If they had turned her volume down a bit it would have been enjoyable. I ordered my usual mussel bisque, outstanding as always. It was restaurant week and I decided on the filet mignon. Everything took a very long time and when the food finally arrived the potatoes and broccoli were cold. The gravy tasted like something out of a jar. Chocolate mousse cake was also very average although my friend’s cheesecake was very good. I will probably not return.

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  24. Silvia3

    San Diego

    4 reviews

    3.0

    4 reviews

    Dined on October 1, 2023

    overall3food4service2ambience2
    The hostess was a bit rude and not helpful. Our friends were looking for parking and I asked her about the parking and she was dismissive and like whatever. She just said when we seat you it was going to be a 90 min window to eat. So from there her attitude did not make me feel welcome and more like we were a bother. Place was too small and tight. Not comfortable to eat. The drinks were really good and the food was delicious. The waiter was rude as well, not attentive, again felt like we were in his way. Just looked annoyed. We did feel rushed with hurry up and eat and get out. Will not be going back,

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  25. MichaelJ

    Las Vegas

    2 reviews

    2.0

    2 reviews

    Dined on October 1, 2023

    overall2food5service1ambience1
    First you need to know that this place is sneaky and charges an additional 4% surcharge, so their overall prices are misleading. The wife and I enjoy Restaurant Week and use it to try new places. If we have a good experience, we will definitely be back again. Last Saturday, our reservation was at 5pm. We were on time and once we notified the host that we wanted the Restaurant Week menu, the tone changed. She sat us at the Bar. The table was small and uncomfortable for two, and we definitely would have been in the way of the traffic of those entering the real dining area. We asked if we could move to the dining area and she said no because it was going to get crowded and people had reservations. I could see that the dining area was at least 90% empty and told her we also had reservations and I insisted. She said okay, but we had to be done within 90 minutes. Once we were upstairs, the waiter was great and the food was great. We would have ordered a bottle of wine or two, but since we were treated as lowly Restaurant Week coupon guests limited to 90 minutes, were didn't want to be rushed if we were enjoying our wine. Before we were hurried out of there, we gave our excellent waiter a nice tip and left, never to return again.

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  26. OpenTable Diner

    Seattle

    1 review

    4.0

    1 review

    Dined on October 1, 2023

    overall4food5service3ambience4
    Perfect spot for a pre-show meal before you make maybe a 3-4 minute walk over to the civic center. The food and wine was amazing, surprisingly fairly priced. For starters the table had the mussel bisque, I didn't personally try it but my friend wasn't greatly impressed, however, she raved and helped me devour the yellow curry mussels. Pro tip: ask for a slice of the sourdough bread to dip into the sauce. So freaking good. I'd go back just for that. Dishes ordered were the salmon, the sea bass and the ravioli. All dishes were terrific Only negative was our server. Not very welcoming at all, any questions we asked about the menu seemed like it was an inconvenience to him. Regardless, still plan on returning!

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  27. RosaR

    San Diego

    2 reviews

    vip
    3.0

    2 reviews

    Dined on September 30, 2023

    overall3food5service5ambience5
    Overall is good and I enjoef good and music. Mussel bisque is a must. I think a restaurant with its reputation and trayectoria could acordó bathroom repairs. Very disappointed. I would give a 5 star, but I want to bring management attention since it seems to be not a new or recent problem.

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  28. PakiZ

    San Diego

    2 reviews

    4.0

    2 reviews

    Dined on September 28, 2023

    overall4food5service4ambience5
    The food was amazing and probably one of the best whiskey sours I’ve had because it was done properly. The only issue was not having a decent table even though we had reservations. The options were this tiny table by the entry, which my husband could not fit into or outside. Outside is fine but their heater has not been working for a year! I had to borrow my husband’s jacket and he was cold the whole time. If I go back, it will only be if they have a decent table and not at the bar on the cold patio.

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  29. DanRog06

    San Diego

    14 reviews

    5.0

    14 reviews

    Dined on September 24, 2023

    overall5food5service5ambience5
    This is our new home run spot for pre-show dinners. The food is outstanding. The mussel soup is not overrated and is a must try if you haven't had it yet. That alone brings us back. Duck was amazing, as was the truffle ravioli. Gotta get the sourdough, too!

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  30. AllenG

    San Diego

    46 reviews

    vip
    4.0

    46 reviews

    Dined on September 15, 2023

    overall4food5service4ambience3
    It has been quite a few years since we ate here and the food was excellent. I was quite pleased with my meal and the service. Surprised that they had live music. We will be back again soon

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  31. Cambrizz

    1 review

    2.0

    1 review

    Dined on September 9, 2023

    overall2food2service1ambience1
    We came to Dobson's because it was one of the top-rated restaurants in San Diego. NEVER.COMING.BACK. When we were first sat down we were put in a back nook of a corner in the upstairs seating (not a big deal at first but turns out this corner had the worst air flow). The thermostat was right next to our table and it read 83 degrees!!! We were greeted with water and the ice melted within the first 10 minutes. We contemplated leaving but because it was so highly rated and would be difficult to get another dinner reservation elsewhere, we stayed. It was a hot miserable experience. We passed on appetizers and salads and skipped straight to entrees due to the uncomfortable temp. I would have thought we would have been given some sort of shareable item like bread or something, but we didn't. All I could concentrate on was trying to not pass out and I'm always the cold girl who brings a sweater everywhere I go... The $40 duck wasn't anything to rave about and we ended up getting pizza at the hotel after.

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  32. ClassyFood

    San Diego

    8 reviews

    vip
    5.0

    8 reviews

    Dined on September 9, 2023

    overall5food5service5ambience5
    Great location to Civic Theater. Waiter made sure we left on time to make performance.

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  33. CandaceM

    1 review

    5.0

    1 review

    Dined on September 8, 2023

    overall5food5service5ambience5
    Dobson’s has never disappointed! The Mussel Bisque, a signature dish of theirs, is my favorite! The service is always excellent and very friendly!!! The drinks are top notch!!! Great people meeting at the bar! This is always a great place to reserve and go to before a show downtown!!! Thank you, Dobson’s!!!

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  34. PatriciaD

    San Diego

    22 reviews

    vip
    5.0

    22 reviews

    Dined on September 5, 2023

    overall5food5service5ambience5
    Not your typical Southern California hangout. Felt like a NYC restaurant in the heart of downtown San Diego. Lovely!

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  35. ThomasP

    San Diego

    4 reviews

    vip
    1.0

    4 reviews

    Dined on September 3, 2023

    overall1food1service3ambience4
    Poor quality food and mediocre service. The lamb had no flavor and seemed like it had just been put under the broiler and tasted like liver. The potatoes and veggies were soggy. The rib eye was just bland served with cold mashed potatoes. Asked for bread service but never showed up. The mushrooms and shrimp were tasty but was in more like a gravy I steady of a sauce.

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  36. BrendaS

    Sacramento

    1 review

    5.0

    1 review

    Dined on August 29, 2023

    overall5food5service5ambience5
    I would recommend this place for excellent atmosphere and food, exemplary staff

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  37. Carryll

    Phoenix

    74 reviews

    vip
    5.0

    74 reviews

    Dined on August 27, 2023

    overall5food5service5ambience5
    We have been summer visitors from AZ for years, but only heard of this gem a few weeks ago and we truly loved it. We were greeted at the door by Lino who seated us and was our server. My chocolate martini was delicious, as was our dinner (filet with escargot and filet with lobster). We ate downstairs in the bar where the atmosphere was warm and decorated with memorabilia. This was a different San Diego experience, but so memorable. We will definitely return next year.

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  38. PamL

    San Diego

    7 reviews

    4.0

    7 reviews

    Dined on August 26, 2023

    overall4food4service4ambience3
    The mussel bisque for which they are known for was delicious and lived up to our expectations! The freshly baked and warm sourdough bread was also excellent. I had the salmon entree and my husband had the duck a l'orange for dinner. The salmon was very good, had a crispy top, and the flavor of the added sauce was excellent. The duck was mediocre. The duck meat was cooked well and tender, however the accompanying orange sauce was bland and flavorless. The restaurant itself is extremely tiny with one row of tables (3-4) directly across from the bar on the first floor and some more tables on the second floor (which overlook the first floor area). Unluckily, we were seated on the first floor and tucked into a table immediately behind the hostess stand. It was rather uncomfortable. There is hardly any room between the tables and the barstools at the bar so I sat against the wall and my husband sat adjacent to me so as not to block the walkway between the bar and the table. I hear the upstairs section is nicer. I would definitely come back here for the mussel bisque and bread but ask to be seated upstairs!

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  39. TracyW

    San Francisco

    9 reviews

    vip
    4.0

    9 reviews

    Dined on August 22, 2023

    overall4food4service5ambience4
    An old school place with great steak.

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  40. BobT

    San Diego

    79 reviews

    vip
    4.0

    79 reviews

    Dined on August 20, 2023

    overall4food4service5ambience5
    Unlike our last visit the food was much better. We ordered the Filet rather than the chicken. My wife had the Lamb Chops, which were undercooked. When the server brought it back, the kitchen had cooked it to perfection and included another chop. Good way to correct the problem.

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FAQs

Dobson's Bar & Restaurant offers takeout which you can order by calling the restaurant at (619) 231-6771.

Dobson's Bar & Restaurant is rated 4.3 stars by 1340 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 7 times today

Order delivery or takeout

Google Map for Dobson's Bar & Restaurant

956 Broadway Circle, San Diego, CA 92101

Additional information

  • Cross street
    Broadway
  • Neighborhood
    Downtown
  • Hours of operation
    Lunch Mon–Fri 11:00 am–3:00 pm Dinner Mon–Sat 3:00 pm–9:00 pm Sat 4:00 pm–9:00 pm
  • Price
    $30 and under
  • Cuisines
    Californian, French, Seafood
  • Dining style
    Casual Elegant
  • Dress code
    Business Casual
  • Parking details
    Street Parking
  • Payment options
    AMEX, Diners Club, Discover, Mastercard, Visa
  • Executive chef
    Martin San Roman
  • Additional
    Bar/Lounge, Beer, BYO Wine, Cafe, Cocktails, Corkage Fee, Counter Seating, Delivery, Full Bar, Happy Hour, Late Night, Non-Smoking, Takeout, Wine
  • Phone number
    (619) 231-6771
  • Catering
    We offer catering for private events. Please call the restaurant to inquire about details.
  • Private party facilities
    Dobson's proudly introduces our new Private Dining Planning Department! Your ideas and our expertise will create just the right menu. You can even rent the whole restaurant for your private event!!! For more information please contact us directly.
  • Private party contact
    Marcos Luciano: (619) 231-6771
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