Highest-rated fine dining restaurants in San Diego by diners
Highest-rated fine dining restaurants in San Diego by diners
Fine dining in the U.S. isn't what it used to be. Many customers are no longer interested in classic white tablecloths and 16-ounce New York strips; instead, it's about cutting-edge culinary experiences.
Although steakhouses have defined fine dining in America since the 19th century, that started to change in the mid-1990s. Elite chefs like Thomas Keller at the French Laundry unearthed a whole different kind of tasting experience (with 40 courses), and a new age of fine dining was born. Soon, prix fixe meals—a French style of serving with a set menu—became the norm for fine dining in the U.S.
Between the rise of chef's tasting menus and consumers' continued desire to have diverse culinary experiences, the restaurants that grace the pages of top-tier restaurant reviewers like Zagat or the Michelin Guide look very different today than they did 30 years ago. Restaurant goers aren't just looking for high-quality food. They want the type of menu that will tell a story. They want creative ingredients they've never tried before. They want to be transported into a whole new world.
With so many innovative menus and restaurant experiences popping up across America to choose from, it can be challenging to choose where to go for a special evening. Stacker compiled a list of the highest-rated fine dining restaurants in San Diego using data from Yelp. Businesses were selected using Yelp's ranking system, which calculates an adjusted rating value that takes into account the number of ratings as well as the rating score itself.
Only businesses with at least five reviews and at least level 2 pricing (i.e., $$ to $$$$) were considered. Also, in an effort to highlight independent businesses and local chains, those with five or more locations nationally (based on Yelp data) were not included. Restaurants in certain lower-cost categories (like "diners," "buffets," and "food trucks") were excluded. Data is as of Aug. 19, 2024.
Read on to find a potential restaurant for your next special meal out!
#29. Barbusa
- Rating: 4.2/5 (3380 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 1917 India St. San Diego, California
- Categories: Sicilian, Seafood, Pizza
- Read more on Yelp
#28. Greystone Prime Steakhouse & Seafood
- Rating: 4.2/5 (3468 reviews)
- Price level: $$$
- Address: 658 5th Ave. San Diego, California
- Categories: Steakhouses, Seafood, New American
- Read more on Yelp
#27. Rare Society
- Rating: 4.2/5 (494 reviews)
- Price level: $$$
- Address: 4130 Park Blvd. San Diego, California
- Categories: Steakhouses
- Read more on Yelp
#26. Huntress
- Rating: 4.2/5 (827 reviews)
- Price level: $$$
- Address: 376 Fifth Ave. San Diego, California
- Categories: Steakhouses, Cocktail Bars, Seafood
- Read more on Yelp
#25. Ironside Fish & Oyster
- Rating: 4.3/5 (5629 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 1654 India St. San Diego, California
- Categories: Seafood, Live/Raw Food
- Read more on Yelp
#24. Vin De Syrah
- Rating: 4.3/5 (1823 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 901 5th Ave. San Diego, California
- Categories: New American, Wine Bars
- Read more on Yelp
#23. Addison
- Rating: 4.3/5 (688 reviews)
- Price level: $$$$
- Address: 5200 Grand Del Mar Way San Diego, California
- Categories: New American
- Read more on Yelp
#22. C Level
- Rating: 4.3/5 (4878 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 880 Hbr Is Drive San Diego, California
- Categories: New American, Seafood, Steakhouses
- Read more on Yelp
#21. Island Prime
- Rating: 4.3/5 (2726 reviews)
- Price level: $$$
- Address: 880 Harbor Island Drive San Diego, California
- Categories: Seafood, Steakhouses, American
- Read more on Yelp
#20. The Red Door
- Rating: 4.3/5 (1627 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 741 West Washington St. San Diego, California
- Categories: Cocktail Bars, Italian, Modern European
- Read more on Yelp
#19. Costa Brava
- Rating: 4.4/5 (2534 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 1653 Garnet Ave. San Diego, California
- Categories: Tapas Bars, Spanish, Basque
- Read more on Yelp
#18. Komatsuya
- Rating: 4.4/5 (58 reviews)
- Price level: $$$$
- Address: 4015 Goldfinch St. San Diego, California
- Categories: Japanese, Sushi Bars, Wine Bars
- Read more on Yelp
#17. CUCINA urbana
- Rating: 4.4/5 (4743 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 505 Laurel St. San Diego, California
- Categories: Italian, Pizza, Wine Bars
- Read more on Yelp
#16. Kindred
- Rating: 4.4/5 (1774 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 1503 30th St. San Diego, California
- Categories: Cocktail Bars, Vegan, American
- Read more on Yelp
#15. Animae
- Rating: 4.4/5 (1166 reviews)
- Price level: $$$
- Address: 969 Pacific Hwy San Diego, California
- Categories: Asian Fusion, Cocktail Bars
- Read more on Yelp
#14. Water Grill - San Diego
- Rating: 4.4/5 (3471 reviews)
- Price level: $$$
- Address: 615 J St. San Diego, California
- Categories: Seafood
- Read more on Yelp
#13. Tanuki
- Rating: 4.4/5 (442 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 4191 Adams Ave. San Diego, California
- Categories: Sushi Bars, Tapas/Small Plates, Soup
- Read more on Yelp
#12. The Desmond
- Rating: 4.4/5 (129 reviews)
- Price level: $$$$
- Address: 1047 5th Ave. San Diego, California
- Categories: Seafood
- Read more on Yelp
#11. STK Steakhouse
- Rating: 4.5/5 (3616 reviews)
- Price level: $$$$
- Address: 600 F St. San Diego, California
- Categories: New American, Steakhouses, Lounges
- Read more on Yelp
#10. Wormwood
- Rating: 4.5/5 (346 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 4677 30th St. San Diego, California
- Categories: French, Cocktail Bars
- Read more on Yelp
#9. 31THIRTYONE
- Rating: 4.5/5 (8 reviews)
- Price level: $$$$
- Address: 3131 University Ave. San Diego, California
- Categories: New American, Bars, Seafood
- Read more on Yelp
#8. Ambrogio by Acquerello
- Rating: 4.5/5 (87 reviews)
- Price level: $$$$
- Address: 7556 Fay Ave. San Diego, California
- Categories: Modern European, Italian
- Read more on Yelp
#7. Cow By Bear
- Rating: 4.5/5 (131 reviews)
- Price level: $$$$
- Address: San Diego, California
- Categories: Steakhouses, New American
- Read more on Yelp
#6. Et Voilà French Bistro
- Rating: 4.6/5 (833 reviews)
- Price level: $$$
- Address: 3015 Adams Ave. San Diego, California
- Categories: Bars, French
- Read more on Yelp
#5. Choi's
- Rating: 4.7/5 (235 reviews)
- Price level: $$$
- Address: 100 Park Plz Ste 161 San Diego, California
- Categories: Korean, Cocktail Bars, Asian Fusion
- Read more on Yelp
#4. Cesarina
- Rating: 4.7/5 (2774 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 4161 Voltaire St. Ste B San Diego, California
- Categories: Italian, Cocktail Bars
- Read more on Yelp
#3. Harmony Cuisine 2B1
- Rating: 4.8/5 (249 reviews)
- Price level: $$$
- Address: 3904 Convoy St. Ste 117 San Diego, California
- Categories: Japanese, Sushi Bars, Asian Fusion
- Read more on Yelp
#2. BoujieMana
- Rating: 4.9/5 (110 reviews)
- Price level: $$$
- Address: 3545 Aero Court Ste B San Diego, California
- Categories: Mediterranean, Salad, Pizza
- Read more on Yelp
#1. Kinme Omakase
- Rating: 4.9/5 (103 reviews)
- Price level: $$$$
- Address: 2505 Fifth Ave. San Diego, California
- Categories: Sushi Bars, Japanese
- Read more on Yelp
This story features data reporting by Karim Noorani, writing by Kiersten Hickman, and is part of a series utilizing data automation across 299 metros.
