Diners' Choice: American restaurants in San Diego

OpenTable

Updated October 05, 2024

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!

Lemon Grove Bistro

4.8

4.8 (74)

$30 and under

American

Lemon Grove

About the restaurant

In addition to offering comforting American favorites, our menu provides a selection of flavors inspired by our chef’s culinary experiences, ranging from classic Spanish fare to Italian favorites. Our menu changes seasonally to feature the freshest ingredients and provide an exciting dining experience throughout the year.

The Lemon Grove Bistro is in a historic mission-style building in the heart of Lemon Grove. Since 1912, it’s been a place where locals meet and build connections, whether they were picking up their mail at the Sonka General Store in 1944 or ordering custom cakes at the Grove Pastry Shop in 2012.

Come for the food. Stay to experience the inviting ambiance of the historic building and its new garden. Let’s build community--together.

Top review

Brian

Dined on Oct 6, 2024

Premium food and service with a neighborhood feel is why I will go back again.

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Experience

Weekday Happy Hour

Mission Avenue

4.8

4.8 (49)

$30 and under

American

Oceanside

About the restaurant

We opened our doors in August 2014 with a vision of greatness: great drinks, food, and atmosphere, with a chill, unassuming vibe. A come-as-you-are locale, where everyone — from local to the traveler — is welcomed. Insider or outsider, there’s a seat at the bar just for you.

Located just blocks from the Oceanside Pier, join us in our industrial-chic lounge with two large garage doors which make you feel like you're dining outside, or on our heated and dog-friendly patio, from lunch to late night. Be sure to check our daily happy hours, midweek lunch specials and weekend brunch. Come see us. Pull up a seat and make yourself at home.

Top review

Paula

Dined 7 days ago

Great food and attentive service. We were all very happy.

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Experience

Mezcal Monday

Experience

Industry Sunday Night

Nick’s on State

4.8

4.8 (1746)

$30 and under

American

Carlsbad

About the restaurant

Classic American comfort food, crave-able bar snacks, plus unique cocktails & an extensive wine list in an upscale yet casual environment. Our intimate restaurant features a chic island bar, walls of glass and a spacious covered patio, perfect for people watching. Our exhibition kitchen highlights the talents of our passionate culinary team.

Nick’s is dedicated to perfecting the dining experience through continuous innovation, offering the highest quality food and beverage, and executing impeccable standards of hospitality. The deeply instilled Nick’s culture is personified by its Ladies and Gentlemen – professionals who share a single focus and are inspired and committed to offering great service and creating positive, memorable experiences.

Top review

Jeffrey

Dined today

You can't go wrong at Nick's. Everything on the menu is delicious. From appetizers, salads, entrees, and desserts the food is excellent. Service is top notch as well. Nice ambiance to round out your experience. We'll definitely return to try other food items! Highly recommend!

Common Stock

4.8

4.8 (50)

$30 and under

American

Hillcrest

About the restaurant

Common Stock is a casually sophisticated neighborhood restaurant + cocktail bar, where approachable nostalgic plates are prepared from scratch with obsessively sourced ingredients.

Top review

Larry

Dined 2 days ago

As always, dining at Common Stock was a great experience.

Oak+Elixir

4.5

4.5 (7)

$31 to $50

American

Carlsbad

About the restaurant

Oak+Elixir is a popular full service restaurant and craft cocktail bar located in Carlsbad CA, known for its inviting atmosphere and contemporary dining experience. The restaurant offers a varied menu that includes seasonal and locally-sourced ingredients, featuring dishes like our boneless beef short rib with a port wine reduction sauce served over a garlic mashed potato, and our famous Cheese and Charcuterie Board. Customers rave about our extensive wine list from small production family estate wineries from all over the world. Our craft cocktails have fresh juices made daily and ingredients chosen with internationality. The fun atmosphere makes it a great spot for both casual meals and special occasions. The ambiance is often described as cozy, and stylish. We are able to take large table reservations and we also host private events such as rehearsal dinners, birthday parties, bridal showers, baby showers, and even wedding ceremonies.

Top review

Cristina

Dined on Sep 28, 2024

Best experience! Food and cocktails are amazing! Will be returning back. Great portions and service was excellent.

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Experience

Sip and Paint

Seasons 52 - San Diego - UTC

4.8

4.8 (4926)

$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-Thursday from 3-6PM.

Top review

Makovip

Dined 6 days ago

This is one of my best restaurants in the La Jolla and San Diego area.

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Ponyboy at The Pearl Hotel

4.8

4.8 (30)

$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

Howardvip

Dined on Oct 4, 2024

Ponyboy: you may have heard of it. It replaced the Charles & Dinorah restaurant a while back. The proprietors know what they're doing - they used to be at Addison in Del Mar. If you don't know Addison, look it up. Ponyboy is nothing short of EXCELLENT. The service is second to none. The ambience is quirky, that's for sure. Do you dine anywhere else with a swimming pool within ten or fifteen feet from your table? I didn't think so. But quirky is good! Let's talk about the food, though. Retro take on Beef Stroganoff? Yep! Shells and Cheese (with pickled peppers)! Specials daily, ranging from prime rib to fried chicken to fish and chips. The prime rib is FANTASTIC and very reasonably priced too - Thursday's special! Secret tip: Ponyboy's gazpacho is the best on the planet. Earth, that is. And no, nobody from Ponyboy asked me to write that. But ya gotta trust me, it's amazing. A full bar with fancy wines is there, but you owe it to yourself to try a couple of Ponyboy"s cocktails. Pretty darn tasty. I'm ready to go back again! You should go too!

The Pony Room

4.8

4.8 (1443)

$50 and over

American

Rancho Santa Fe

About the restaurant

The Pony Room is a favorite among locals and resort guests alike. In addition to an extensive selection of all expressions of agave spirits, it is also home to one of Southern California's most impressive wine and hand-crafted, seasonally inspired signature cocktail lists. The Pony Room serves exceptional, American inspired comfort classics with daily specials.

Live Music 7 nights a week

Join us every Saturday and Sunday for Brunch on our beautiful hacienda inspired terraces from 11am to 2pm.

Top review

Leslievip

Dined 1 day ago

We had a great time sitting out on the back patio overlooking the fire pits. My husband and I split a wedge salad- very good. I had lobster tacos and they were delicious.

Great Maple San Diego

4.8

4.8 (4334)

$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

OpenTable Diner

Dined 2 days ago

Went in on our anniversary breakfast and I got to say it was one of the best breakfasts I’ve ever been to. The portions are huge and the taste is incredible. Staff was fast and efficient, and the ambiance was so good and comfortable.

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Popular dish

Maple Bacon Doughnuts

Popular dish

Great Maple French Toast Logs

Popular dish

Key Lime Pie

Gravity Heights Mission Valley

4.8

4.8 (167)

$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

Aprilvip

Dined 4 days ago

I had the fried chicken sandwich and I ate it all. It was so good. Yummy! My friend had the strawberry salad and that was really delicious, too!

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