Diners' Choice: Lively restaurants in North San Diego

OpenTable

Updated June 05, 2025

Looking for restaurants that have the most vibrant bar scenes in North 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!

Tommy V's Carlsbad

4.8

4.8 (174)

$30 and under

Italian

Carlsbad

About the restaurant

Tommy V's Urban Kitchen located in Carlsbad offers an eclectic menu showcasing Californian, New American, and Contemporary Italian dishes. From Stone Fired Gourmet Pizzas, handcrafted burgers, house-made pastas, to tantalizing seafood, Tommy V's Urban Kitchen has something for everyone.

Top review

Rahm

Dined on Jun 27, 2025

Food was amazing. Meat balls and Crab cakes are the best tasting appetizers and the wine paired with our entrees made it a perfect spot for dinner. Service was excellent and would recommend this place to anyone who wants a fine dining experience in Carlsbad.

Lilian's Restaurant

4.8

4.8 (262)

$30 and under

Unspecified

Rancho Santa Fe

About the restaurant

Welcome to the Lilian's Blog - a culinary diary and a rendezvous with history. Here, we chronicle our adventures in gastronomy, share behind-the-scenes glimpses, and delve deeper into the legacy of Lilian Rice. Whether you're a food aficionado, a history enthusiast, or someone seeking to uncover the stories behind Rancho Santa Fe's best new restaurant, you're in the right place. Dive into our articles and let Lilian's spirit guide your journey through taste and time.

Top review

FionaVIP

Dined on Jun 10, 2025

Excellent lunch Mateo was the best waiter giving us great recommendations and attention. Patio was perfect Was thanked for coming in I’ll be back !

Harney Sushi Poway

4.8

4.8 (67)

$30 and under

Sushi

Poway / Rancho Bernardo

About the restaurant

Experience the taste of high quality sushi with a trendy Neo-Asian inspired décor. Harney stands as the top sushi bar and dining destination in San Diego. It's as fresh and innovative as you desire. Here, the spirit of experimentation mingles with joyful revelry, where top-notch dining expertise meets vibrant charm and flair. Our establishment features a private VIP area and an array of over 30 specialty rolls crafted and named by devoted fans. It's a symphony for your taste buds, nourishment for your soul. Since 2001, we take pride in presenting our award-winning, sustainable sushi cuisine rooted in Southern California.

Top review

meka

Dined 7 days ago

Food was great, BUT the service was amazing! Thanks Cindy for being an attentive and professional server!!

The Space Pad

4.8

4.8 (71)

$30 and under

Speakeasy

Oceanside

About the restaurant

At The Space Pad expect to find cocktails with flavored smoke bubbles floating on top of your drink, cocktails that look like a lava lamp in your hand, change color as you drink, fruit suspensions, and spherified cocktails that you actually eat rather than drink, similar to giant boba pods each individually filled with cocktail ingredients that bursts with flavor and booze when you bite into it.

Reservations offer a 90-minute experience. WALK-INS WELCOME - Reservations not available? We always set aside space to accommodate walk-ins, first come, first served. And before or after your experience at The Space Pad you're welcome to join us at Kilowatt Brewing for our award winning craft beers, hard seltzers, adult slushies, and a bite to eat!

Top review

BarbaraVIP

Dined on Jun 25, 2025

Amazing experience! Excellent cocktails and superb wait staff. Since we were there mid-week, it was comfortable and quiet and could see all of the visual details. Alex even played the light show for us - fun!

Kai Ola Sushi Carlsbad

4.8

4.8 (22)

$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

EddieVIP

Dined on May 24, 2025

Once again Kai Ola was absolutely delicious. We like to order appetizers yummy, then Nigiri yummy then a couple of rolls yummy then full. They have a House Blonde Beer that is out of this world. The Service Rocks!

Mission Avenue

4.7

4.7 (67)

$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

David

Dined 6 days ago

The food and service never disappoint. Staff is helpful and nice!

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Industry Sunday Night

Harlow's Lounge

4.6

4.6 (270)

$50 and over

Contemporary American

Bonsall

About the restaurant

Harlow's Cocktail Lounge is a unique restaurant focused on traditional classics with modern reinvention. Through the use of specialized ingredients and techniques, international influence and attention to detail, Harlow's offers adventurous creations rooted in comforting familiarity. Our shareable menu and bar selections are crafted for our guests enjoy on any occasion or outing. Come enjoy the lounge, bar, restaurant and private dining areas with friends and family. Harlow's stage features weekly live music showcasing local talent. Call or visit harlowslounge.com for more details

Top review

KERRY

Dined on Jun 21, 2025

I love a restaurant/bar with a theme, and this one delivers. Food and service were also great. Will be back!

Jalisco Cantina - Carlsbad

4.6

4.6 (43)

$31 to $50

Mexican

Oceanside

About the restaurant

¡Bienvenido a Jalisco Cantina!

Inspired by the rich culture of Jalisco, Mexico—a region famous for its stunning landscapes, vibrant culture, and birthplace of the world’s finest tequilas—we bring this spirit to every dish and drink we serve.
Our scratch kitchen uses the freshest ingredients to craft flavorful, authentic dishes like birria tacos, carnitas, and made-to-order guacamole.

Pair your meal with our extensive selection of premium tequilas and handcrafted cocktails, carefully curated to reflect the essence of Jalisco. Join us at Jalisco Cantina for a dining experience that’s as vibrant and welcoming as the Mexican sun. ¡Salud!

Top review

SamVIP

Dined on Jun 20, 2025

The restaurant has a great atmosphere and ambiance. The food and drinks were very good. The chicken flautas on the seasonal menu were so light and tasty, hope they add to the menu permanently. Would definitely recommend!

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Experience

Taco Tuesdays

Miguel's Cocina - Carlsbad

4.5

4.5 (54)

$30 and under

Mexican

Carlsbad

About the restaurant

Miguel's Cocina is a Mexican restaurant and cantina. One of the primary tenets of this eatery is authenticity. If it can't be ordered south of the border, it's not on Miguel's menu. The restaurant itself opened in 1982 with a few classic recipes and has been consistently growing and expanding ever since. The kitchen staff at Miguel's cocina make almost everything in the restaurant by hand from scratch, including tortillas, salsas and colorful corn chips.Popular starters, or antijidos as the are known on the menu, include the ahi tuna ceviche, carinta flautas and crispy fried calamari with a house jalapaño white sauce. Entrées are straightforward traditional dishes made with premium ingredients. Diners will find dishes like pork belly quesadillas, steak burritos and even gorditas made with griddled masa and filled with chorizos, potatoes, cilantro, onion, cotija cheese, cabbage and lime crema.

Top review

Scott

Dined on Jun 5, 2025

Miguel’s is always good, any location. The best Mexican sit down restaurants serve chips and salsa when you’re seated. Miguel’s serves every patron chips, salsa and QUESO DIP!

Masters Kitchen and Cocktail

4.4

4.4 (467)

$30 and under

Californian

Oceanside

About the restaurant

Masters Kitchen and Cocktail is located blocks from the beach in the heart of Oceanside, CA. An industrial space with classic history, Masters was once a well remembered drag car shop. The revamped restaurant keeps its authentic character, and offers a warm and inviting dining experience for a lovely escape from the sun and sand. A separate bar with communal seating serves traditional craft cocktails that sip and smell of the 1920s.

Top review

GiseleVIP

Dined on Jun 19, 2025

See my review from June 14. Went back because liked it so much. This time had crab stuffed shrimp with mushroom risotto- excellent. My friend had lobster tail - again excellent. Only issue remain poor wine list and loud noises from loud motorcycles and cars - restuarant is open air which adds to ambiance but suffers from road noise.

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