Kingfisher is one of the buzziest places in town that you’ll definitely need a reservation for. Located in Golden Hill, one of San Diego’s lesser-touristed and underrated neighborhoods, you’ll find beautifully-plated food that incorporates flavors from all over Southeast Asia. Go for some mussels in coconut and Thai basil broth, wild mushroom congee laced with crispy garlic, and smoked dry-aged duck with rice noodles, crunchy lettuce wraps, and nuoc cham chimichurri.

Getting a reservation at Mabel’s Gone Fishing is like trying to squeeze into a hot yoga class around here at peak hours—it’s basically impossible, even if you’re just trying to get a seat at the bar. The menu leans heavily on Iberian Peninsula-inspired seafood dishes and snacks, which are great for sharing a few bites or a full meal. You could pair your Spanish gin and tonic with a platter of Baja oysters and a side of chorizo and bread and add a whole, delicately fried fish.

If you’re looking to hit one of the hottest restaurants near Downtown, book a reservation at Wolf in the Woods. This tiny spot has tons of intimate little nooks with Southwestern touches, like dried chiles hanging from the ceiling and Indigenous-printed textiles, plus a sidewalk dining area outside that feels very European. They have a tightly edited menu of tapas and lighter dishes with a New Mexican twist, like a sweet corn soup with hatch chile and crushed pine nuts.

Marisi is an Italian spot where servers refold your napkin every time you get up and you don’t have to flag someone down when you’re ready for another drink. So yes, it’s good if you’re going to dinner with people who either said out loud or had the thought, “I want to be wined and dined,” but also works just as well for any standard group dinner. Start with some warm homemade focaccia before digging into any number of pasta dishes, like duck ragu pappardelle or tagliatelle with crab.

City Tacos is one of the best and most reliable places for a round of tacos in the city. While they have multiple locations, the North Park spot is nice and central with a ton of bars and shops around to check out afterward. You can choose from fish, meat, and a ton of vegetarian options, or go for the packed steak and shrimp surf and turf taco. At some locations you’ll find regional specials like achiote-inflected cochinita pibil or a veracruzana fish taco.

Fort Oak is where to go for expertly charred seafood dishes cooked over a Santa Maria-style wood-fired grill. The space used to be a Ford dealership, but now there’s a horseshoe-shaped bar and a chef’s table inside instead of a bunch of American-made vehicles. All of those details really make the place work for almost anything, from a solo round of cocktails and $1 oysters at Happy Hour, or a date night in the indoor-outdoor dining room, to ordering a giant seafood tower with a group.

The oceanfront Marine Room has been a fine dining French restaurant since 1941, but in 2021, a new chef took over and really made this place a destination for sustainable seafood. The updated menu is full of finely executed surf and turf with unexpected elements that probably require some tweezer action, like caviar-topped salmon tartare in mini cones, hamachi crudo in coconut aguachile, and wagyu with onion ash and sweet drop peppers. It’s the place to go for a romantic sunset dinner.

Maybe you had a big night out at nearby Petco Park, or overdid it at the clubs and lounges in the neighboring Gaslamp Quarter and need a reliable breakfast. This preserved corner building from the 1870s serves morning staples like french toast made with housemade cinnamon bread, plus some of SoCal go-to's, like breakfast burritos and chilaquiles. It also has a full coffee bar with great drip and specialty drinks—order the hammerhead, which combines espresso and drip for a more aggressive jolt.

The Waverly in Cardiff is a bit of a drive from Downtown, but it’s within walking distance of a great longboarding beach—not to mention a popular camping spot. The restaurant’s pastel tones, natural fiber accents, and airy setting is a perfect choice for dishes like soft shell crab sandwiches with chipotle aioli, funfetti pancakes, and Turkish poached eggs with Aleppo pepper and cooling yogurt and mint. It gets pretty busy on weekends, so if you’re coming with a group make a reservation.

Oscars Mexican Seafood in Pacific Beach should be your first stop in town for some really good batter-fried or grilled fish tacos. The place is pretty casual, there’s usually a line, and the tacos come with the classic toppings: shredded cabbage, onion, tomato, cilantro, and avocado. Depending on what’s available that day, you can order fresh yellowtail or snapper in a burrito, torta, or plate, but there’s also some great ceviche and shrimp, chorizo, and veggie tacos too.