Diners' Choice: American restaurants in San Diego

OpenTable

Updated June 05, 2025

Looking for restaurants with the best overall American cuisine in San Diego? You’re in the right place. Each month OpenTable analyzes more than 400,000 new diner reviews. We sort the results by category to help you discover new favorites. It's a great partnership: you reserve, eat, and review. We listen...and deliver the results for all to benefit. Enjoy!

Great Maple San Diego

4.8

4.8 (4561)

$30 and under

American

Hillcrest

About the restaurant

We Serve Dinner, Lunch, Brunch and Weekday Breakfast. We are a modern American eatery featuring seasonal fare, fresh house made pies, and local produce cocktails. We have a full bar and a social wine list. Open for Outdoor dining!

Top review

CARINAVIP

Dined 1 day ago

Food and drinks are always great. Tried the vegan hash for the first time and it was incredibly flavorful and a beautiful dish. The guys had the brisket hash and French toast logs. Always a hearty, delicious choice! Parking can always be a challenge so give yourselves an extra ten minutes to find street parking. And highly recommend a reservation to avoid wait times for a table.

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Popular dish

Maple Bacon Doughnuts

Popular dish

Great Maple French Toast Logs

Popular dish

Key Lime Pie

Farmer's Bottega Restaurant

4.8

4.8 (1683)

$30 and under

American

Mission Hills

About the restaurant

Farm-to-table restaurant located in the heart of Mission Hills. Farmer's Bottega serves farm fresh breakfast, brunch, lunch, and dinner along with a unique selection of craft local beer and wine.

Top review

Andrew

Dined 4 days ago

Had a relaxing lunch with my niece at Farmers Bottega on a beautiful summer afternoon. The ambience at the courtyard patio was lovely, as were the food and drink!

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4.8

4.8 (2823)

$30 and under

American

Coronado

About the restaurant

Welcome to the greatest neighborhood restaurant, a place where you can always count on a warm welcome from baristas, servers and bartenders who know your order by heart. A fusion of industrial and classical influences, our open dining spaces are bursting with charm and energy. Come and go with ease for your morning coffee, enjoy lunch with a colleague, gather the family together for dinner, or treat yourself to a post-work drink at the bar. For craveable eats and downright delicious cocktails, look no further than a place where you'll always be among friends, a place that feels like home: The Henry.

Top review

MarkVIP

Dined 1 day ago

Excellent service. Food was delicious and cooked to perfection.

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Popular dish

Molten Butter Cake

Popular dish

Cinnamon Sugar French Toast

Popular dish

Korean Prime Skirt Steak

Noble Experiment

4.9

4.9 (352)

$30 and under

American

Downtown

About the restaurant

Noble Experiment is a small, intimate cocktail bar located behind a secret door inside of Neighborhood restaurant at 777 G St. San Diego, CA 92101. Reservations for 4 or less are accepted as early as two weeks in advance. Large party reservations can be made through our reservations team at info@nobleexperimentsd.com. Walk-ins are welcome based upon availability.

Top review

Sara

Dined on Jun 25, 2025

Our bartender was exceptional. She made us fabulous drinks with a wonderful attitude.

Ponyboy at The Pearl Hotel

4.8

4.8 (94)

$31 to $50

American

Point Loma

About the restaurant

Nearly 70 years after its arrival onto the San Diego boutique hotel landscape, Point Loma’s iconic mid-century modern Pearl Hotel has unveiled the latest chapter in its storied history with an ambitiously reimagined restaurant and bar: Ponyboy. The inspiration behind Ponyboy extends beyond its décor and menu. Named after the protagonist of S.E. Hinton’s The Outsiders, the restaurant conveys the spirit of individuality and rebellion in a time when hope and resilience were pivotal to navigating the challenges of a changing world. Guests will sense the nod to cultural iconography as they step into a space that feels familiar and refreshingly new. The ambiance is designed to harken back to a bygone era when traditional American comfort foods and elaborate dinner parties were both fashionable and fun. We look forward to seeing you soon, drink in hand, soaking in the sun pool-side. Stay gold, San Diego.

Top review

JanetVIP

Dined 5 days ago

Phenomenal food service wine list staff the whole vibe was great loved it can’t wait to go back!!!

Gravity Heights Mission Valley

4.8

4.8 (305)

$30 and under

American

Mission Valley

About the restaurant

We’re not out to take the San Diego beer scene by storm or reinvent the wheel because the truth is, there’s no shortage of good breweries in San Diego. Instead, our aim is to pair that good beer with the same delicious food, exceptional service and genuine hospitality we’re known for so you never have to compromise one for the other again. Situated in Mission Valley, our 9,000 square foot brewpub includes a full service restaurant, an expansive and lush outdoor beer garden, and a pretty stellar team to make sure you always have good food in your mouth and a solid beer in your hand.

Top review

pPaul

Dined 1 day ago

Service was really good. Appreciated the attention we got. Food was excellent. Try the Tiki Masal pot pie for something different and delicious.

Gravity Heights Sorrento Valley

4.8

4.8 (1242)

$30 and under

American

Sorrento Mesa

About the restaurant

We’re not out to take the San Diego beer scene by storm or reinvent the wheel because the truth is, there’s no shortage of good breweries in San Diego. Instead, our aim is to pair that good beer with the same delicious food, exceptional service and genuine hospitality we’re known for so you never have to compromise one for the other again. Tucked away in Sorrento mesa, our 12,000 square foot brewpub includes a full service restaurant, an event space, an expansive and lush outdoor beer garden and a pretty stellar team to make sure you always have good food in your mouth and a solid beer in your hand.

Top review

Sanjiv

Dined on Jun 25, 2025

Excellent service and great food👍! The waiter was very courteous and paid attention to details 👍!

OB Surf Lodge

4.7

4.7 (22)

$30 and under

American

Ocean Beach

About the restaurant

OB Surf Lodge celebrates the vibrant spirit of 1960s SoCal surf culture, paying tribute to the iconic roots of Ocean Beach and the surf lifestyle that defined the area. Our coastal-inspired brunch, served with breathtaking views of the Pacific Ocean, offers a fresh and exciting experience for every guest. We take pride in preparing our menu from scratch daily and cooking everything to order.

Top review

Jennifer

Dined on Jun 22, 2025

Enjoyed some family time for brunch and we had a great view.

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Experience

Coastal Hour

Pacific Beach Hideaway

4.7

4.7 (29)

$30 and under

American

Pacific Beach

About the restaurant

Hideaway is a beach-town casual kitchen and bar located in Pacific Beach, California. The concept honors the local community, incorporating vintage artifacts, furnishings and artwork that reflect its laidback surf, music and beach culture and history.

Top review

Basti

Dined 2 days ago

Delicious and great service. Location is very convenient near the beach :)

Seasons 52 - San Diego - UTC

4.7

4.7 (5149)

$31 to $50

American

University City/Golden Triangle

About the restaurant

Seasons 52 is a Fresh Grill and Wine Bar offering a seasonal menu that is naturally lighter and always flavorful. Our seasonal menus feature ingredients at their peak of freshness, oak-fire grilled or brick oven roasted (without a fryer in sight) to be naturally lighter and more flavorful. We also offer an extensive list of wines by the glass and bottle. Here, you'll always feel free to enjoy every bite, every sip, every moment. Lunch and dinner daily with happy hour Monday-Friday from 3-6PM.

Top review

Carolyn

Dined 2 days ago

Happy Hour prices are great deal - tasty flatbread + sips for $14. Good service, nice ambiance and they validate parking.

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