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Dobson's Bar & Restaurant, San Diego, CA

Dobson's Bar & Restaurant

4.5 (1477)
$30 and under
Californian
956 Broadway Circle, San Diego, CA 92101

Make a reservation

2 people
7:00 PM
Booked 4 times today
Experiences are available.

About this restaurant

  • Charming
  • Good for special occasions
  • Neighborhood gem
Dobson's Bar and Restaurant is a hidden treasure in the heart of Downtown San Diego/Gaslamp Quarter. For the last 40 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").

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
  • 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

Experiences

  • Filet & Lobster Mondays at Dobson's!

    $59.95 per person

    Multiple dates available
    Join us every Monday night 4 to 9 pm. 8 oz Filet Migñon and 4 oz Wild Lobster Tail Au Gratin Mashed Potatoes Fresh Vegetables Bordelaise Sauce Butter and the Choice of Dobsons Famous Mussel Bisque or Caesar Salad for only $ 59.95 plus tax
    Filet & Lobster Mondays at Dobson's! Photo

Private dining

What 1,477 people are saying

Dobson's Bar & Restaurant reviews from people who’ve dined at this restaurant. Based on recent rating.

Overall ratings and reviews

Reviews can only be made by diners who have eaten at this restaurant

4.5
4.5 based on recent ratings
  • 4.5Food
  • 4.5Service
  • 4.5Ambience
  • 4.2Value

NoiseModerate

Review summary

AI-generated from verified diner reviews
Dobson's Bar & Restaurant is a charming European-style eatery known for its "fabulous French onion soup" and "delicious sea bass and stroganoff." Guests appreciate its historic ambiance and proximity to major theaters, making it an ideal pre-show dining spot. Service is often praised as "kind and attentive," ensuring a delightful experience.
1,477 Reviews
  1. Michael VIP

    Los Angeles2 reviews

    1.0

    Dined 2 days ago

    1. Overall 1
    2. Food 1
    3. Service 2
    4. Ambience 2
    Won’t be back - took forever for service and drinks, which were made wrong, gin instead of vodka. Appetizer was not cooked through, when we said it was cold, they took it back and burned it, and served us the burned dish. Shrimp were not cleaned still had veins and ruined the dish, chicken overcooked. “Famous” sourdough was burned….. not a single thing went well. Loud inside - Not worth it at all….

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  2. Dru VIP

    San Diego45 reviews

    5.0

    Dined on June 12, 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    French onion soup was fabulous. Felt like we were in Paris. Se a bass and stroganoff were delicious. Our waiter was informative and charming. Feels like you are in a European pub! Close to all the major theaters. Lots of parking available!

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  3. Eustratia

    San Diego3 reviews

    5.0

    Dined on June 11, 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Perfect pre show place for dinner. Must do bread service. Highly recommend mussels and burger. Get you out in time for walk to theater

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  4. Paula VIP

    San Diego5 reviews

    5.0

    Dined on June 1, 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Excellent service and very tasty food, reasonably priced wine by the glass. We enjoy the really lovely and historic ambiance at Dobsons.

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  5. Harry VIP

    San Diego47 reviews

    4.0

    Dined on June 1, 2025

    1. Overall 4
    2. Food 4
    3. Service 3
    4. Ambience 3
    It had for a long time been one our favorites when going to event at Civic Theater or Balboa Theater; however, do to the few times a year we do not seemed to be preferred clientele. Move us in minimal service and move us out for net setting. True shame use to be so good!

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  6. Lori

    Los Angeles1 review

    5.0

    Dined on May 30, 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Our experience was exceptional. We were treated with great care and kindness, and we were even given the VIP room to accommodate a change in our original reservation. I cannot say enough about the lovely people who work here, the exquisite food, and the wonderful dining experience we had. This is a new favorite for us in San Diego. Thank you.

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  7. carmen

    Las Vegas5 reviews

    5.0

    Dined on May 29, 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    We were in a time crunch before a show & we weren't sure we'd make it but we got a nice table upstairs and made it to the show with 5 mins to spare. The host and Jose, our waiter, were terrific. The food was outstanding, as always, and served quickly. Next time we will know to make our reservation earlier.

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  8. Linda VIP

    San Diego33 reviews

    3.0

    Dined on May 28, 2025

    1. Overall 3
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    We had a reservation and called to let the restaurant know we were on our way. When we arrived, there was not a table available. We have been here many times and have never had this happen. It was opening night for a Broadway show which is why they were so busy, but we were surprised they couldn’t honor our reservation. That being said, we were lucky to find seats at the bar and the food and service were excellent.

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  9. Ann

    San Francisco Bay Area15 reviews

    5.0

    Dined on May 28, 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Another delightful pre-show dinner at Dobson’s! They were on their toes with a full house, getting everyone out for the Civic Theatre. Scallops were good but I prefer a bit more sear. French onion soup was so rich and delicious. Wait staff is very kind and helpful. We are already looking forward to our next visit!

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  10. Helle

    San Diego1 review

    3.0

    Dined on May 28, 2025

    1. Overall 3
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 2
    4. Ambience 4
    Food was great. Service was not up to the standard we are used to at your restaurant.

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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 4.5 stars by 1477 OpenTable diners.

Yes, you can generally book this restaurant by choosing the date, time and party size on OpenTable.

  1. Home
  2. United States
  3. San Diego
  4. San Diego
  5. Downtown

Make a reservation

2 people
7:00 PM
Booked 4 times today
Experiences are available.
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
  • 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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