Diners' Choice: Neighborhood gem restaurants in San Diego

OpenTable

Updated May 05, 2025

Looking for the best restaurants that are the best neighborhood gems in San Diego? You’re in the right place. Each month, OpenTable analyzes nearly 2 million global diner reviews from the past four months. We sort the results by location and category to help you discover new favorite restaurants. It's a great partnership: you reserve, eat, and review. We listen...and deliver the results for all to benefit. Enjoy!

Little Victory Wine Bar

5.0

5 (8)

$30 and under

Wine Bar

Carlsbad

About the restaurant

Little Victory Wine Bar is a natural wine bar in Carlsbad, California. With indoor seating accommodating 24-28 guests and an outdoor patio offering 18 additional seats, Little Victory Wine Bar is intentionally scaled to foster intimate and meaningful interactions, cementing its role as a significant addition to Carlsbad Village’s growing culinary community.

Little Victory Wine Market is located at 505 Oak Avenue, Suite B, Carlsbad, California, 92008, and will operate Wednesday through Sunday from 4 - 10 p.m. Visit the website or follow along on Instagram at @littlevictorywinebar for future updates.

Top review

Phillip

Dined 5 days ago

Quiet happy with my time spent. It was quite busy when I went but didn’t stop my server from giving me a solid explanation of my bottle pick and remained attentive. Super clean space. Staff is happy to provide solid service. Wine list is definitely cool and adventurous.

La Bonne Table

4.9

4.9 (1464)

$30 and under

French

Hillcrest

About the restaurant

LA BONNE TABLE is a cozy and intimate restaurant in the heart of the bustling neighborhood of Hillcrest. We serve country french food in a bistro fashion. Our menu consists of classic french dishes, a modest but excellent selection that will change with the seasons. We offer a romantic atmosphere and elegant setting, full bar and french beer on tap. Reservations are recommended as seating is very limited in this exclusive restaurant. Bon Appetit!

Top review

bethesdaVIP

Dined 3 days ago

Fabulous waiter. Attentive and knowledgeable cute interior. Looked very country French

Parma Cucina Italiana

4.8

4.8 (131)

$30 and under

Italian

Hillcrest

About the restaurant

Known for the Best Lasagna in San Diego, Parma Cucina Italiana is a charming and cozy family run Italian restaurant in the heart of Historic Hillcrest.

Our traditional Italian cuisine is inspired by generations of home cooking, fresh ingredients, and simple presentations. Our specialties originate from Northern Italy. The must try lasagna is decadent layers of Bolognese and béchamel sauce. Or try our tortellini with cream and prosciutto, or our pappardelle pasta tossed with slow braised short rib and porcini mushrooms.

We have an extensive wine collection with wines from the best regions of Italy. And an Italian meal wouldn’t be complete without our homemade desserts. We suggest tiramisu and profiteroles alla nutella.

Top review

williamVIP

Dined 3 days ago

Perfect Friday night dinner. Food delicious, location fun, service outstanding. What more would you like on Friday night.

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Bazille - Nordstrom University Town Center

4.8

4.8 (193)

$30 and under

American

La Jolla

About the restaurant

Enjoy a delightful dining experience at Nordstrom restaurants, where you can savor chef inspired dishes, using locally sourced and sustainable ingredients. Come and try our signature handcrafted soups, entrees and desserts and pair it with a Nordstrom crafted cocktail, wine or beer. Call (858) 812-3582 to place your order or get delivery via DoorDash or Uber Eats. Offering Brunch until 3pm on Saturdays & Sundays.

Top review

AntoniaVIP

Dined on Apr 13, 2025

The service is always perfect. Friendliest people working at here.

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Experience

Wine Wednesdays

Experience

Weekend Brunch 11am-3pm

Experience

Happy Hour at the Bazille!

Fort Oak

4.8

4.8 (419)

$50 and over

Contemporary American

Mission Hills

About the restaurant

An ode to fire and sea, Fort Oak delivers the bold, wood-fired flavors that define Chef Brad Wise’s signature style. Centered around a live-fire hearth, the restaurant offers elevated yet approachable dishes alongside a refined seafood and raw bar. Smoke is the through line - simple, high-quality ingredients are transformed by flame into plates full of depth and character.

Dry-aged ribeyes, duck, and whole branzino showcase the hearth’s intensity, while freshly shucked oysters and seafood towers bring a raw, briny counterpoint. And while the meats and seafood command attention, the vegetables have earned a reputation of their own - charred, caramelized, and layered with surprising complexity. Some say they steal the show - but that’s up to you to decide.

Top review

Nevada

Dined 7 days ago

I booked a table for 10 on the evening of Monday 4/28. Right from being greeted at the entrance to the end of our meal, we experienced nothing but outstanding service and even better food and cocktails. We had an amazing time and shout out to our server, Jeff, who accommodated our every need and was simply exceptional at his job. We shared a variety of food and we enjoyed every single one. Our table became quiet when food was brought out because it was that delicious! Standout dishes were the petite tower, the roasted carrots, branzino, pork chop and the 40 day dry aged rib eye. Oh and we highly recommend the Camaro Cocktail. Can’t wait to come back!

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Experience

Chef’s Counter Tasting Menu May 29th - July 5th

Rare Society - Solana Beach

4.8

4.8 (12)

$50 and over

Steakhouse

Solana Beach

About the restaurant

Sink your teeth into Rare Society - a modern homage to the golden age of the American steakhouse. Chef and owner Brad Wise reimagines vintage upscale dining with a bold, contemporary edge: a wood-fired grill fueled by red oak, an in-house dry-aging program, sustainably sourced seafood, and a progressive cocktail menu that nods to the classics while pushing boundaries. The space hums with energy - smoke curling from the grill, the scent of fire and flavor wafting through the air. It’s easy to picture a Rat Pack-era dinner party in full swing: elegant, indulgent, just a little unruly. Rare Society doesn’t just pay tribute to steakhouse tradition - it revives it, reinvents it, and serves it with just a little bit of swagger.

Top review

MichaelVIP

Dined 1 day ago

From the moment we stepped through the door until we left, the team at RareSociety was thoughtful, concerned, and helpful whether it was reviewing the menu, the wine list or choices of the sides. Great staff. The food was excellent. The meat was sublime. It was tender, flavorful, and served exactly as ordered. The sides were excellent. The unexpected hits of the evening were the parker rolls, the butter cake and the miso glazed carrots. The mashed potatos were excellent as was the mac and cheese. Overall fantastic dinner.

Kai Ola Sushi Carlsbad

4.8

4.8 (17)

$50 and over

Sushi

Oceanside

About the restaurant

California’s best sushi in a laid back, casual atmosphere with Hawaiian vibes.

You will get the freshest, finest, and the best quality sushi at Kai Ola. We serve fresh, unique (as well as traditional) sushi and we take pride in how it tastes. Our chefs prepare top quality creations and we take pride in our work.

Kai Ola is not about the scene. While locals and visitors alike love to dine with us, this is not a fine dining experience. This is about the fish. Sandals, board shorts, and bathing suits are welcome.

Kai Ola has the true Aloha! spirit in everything we do. Please come join us for the best fish and sushi creations you have yet to taste.

Top review

Dennis

Dined on Apr 6, 2025

Great service from Chelsea. All the food was fresh and excellently prepared. Relaxed and casual vibe, clean and modern. Great service from all staff. Attentive without being intrusive. 10/10 recommend!

Monzu Fresh Pasta

4.7

4.7 (664)

$31 to $50

Italian

Downtown

About the restaurant

We are Monzu Fresh Pasta, serving Italian and contemporary flavors made from scratch in the heart of San Diego’s East Village since 2018. In drawing upon our European heritage and passion for hand-crafted meals, we take pride in transporting you to Italy via our home country’s most beloved staple: fresh pasta.

Top review

Jean

Dined 3 days ago

Monzu is like a little place you would find on a side street in Rome. There are only a few tables, the menu is pasta. It was delicious, and Antonio took wonderful care of us. Arancini with marinara is a must try app to split. We had the short rib ravioli and the bolognese. Both delicious. Glad we chose Monzu. It’s in the gas lamp…easy walk from convention center hotels.

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Mafalde alla Bolognese

Ketch Grill & Taps - Portside Pier

4.7

4.7 (154)

$30 and under

American

Downtown

About the restaurant

Ketch Tasting Deck offers a full-service dining experience on the 2nd floor at Portside Pier with stunning views overlooking San Diego Bay!
Brought to you by the Brigantine Family of Restaurants. For generations our family has created unforgettable experiences true to the San Diego lifestyle at our Brigantine & Miguel’s restaurants. We’ve hosted countless celebrations and poured many a round for the happiest of hours.
WE KNOW EXACTLY WHAT MAKES FOR THE BEST MEMORIES AND THE BEERS THAT CAPTURE THE FEELING. IT WAS ONLY A MATTER OF TIME BEFORE WE CRAFTED OUR OWN AND PUT THEM ON TAP.
From beer aficionados to casual drinkers, we’ve got everyone covered with our easy-to-love (and drink) brews made for making memories!

Top review

Richard

Dined on Apr 20, 2025

Good food, great location, service was sub-par. Overall, a nice day night location.

Lemon Grove Bistro

4.7

4.7 (106)

$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

Lori

Dined 3 days ago

We have been coming here since they opened a few years ago. Everything on the menu is so delicious. We love the menu as it changes with the seasons. We hardly ever have the same item twice, however, we do have our favorites!

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Experience

Weekday Happy Hour

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