Highest-rated restaurants in San Diego by diners

Humans are creatures of habit. We tend to stick to our morning routines, rewatch movies we've seen time and time again, and hit up the same tried-and-true restaurants when going out for a meal. In fact, 35% of Americans say they rarely or never try a new restaurant they haven't been to before, according to a 2024 survey of more than 1,500 diners from TouchBistro.

But those numbers look quite different when you focus on younger generations—67% of Gen Zers and 40% of millennials in the U.S. say they visit new restaurants once a month or more. When it comes to deciding which new restaurant to try, younger generations are also more likely to rely on social media or online restaurant reviews, through sites like Yelp or Google. The TouchBistro survey found that 52% of Gen Zers have opted to try a new restaurant due to positive feedback on social media, and 67% of millennials have gone to a new dining spot solely because of favorable reviews online.

New restaurants in particular tend to garner a lot of online attention. About 50,000 new restaurants open each year in the U.S., and that number continues to rise. An analysis by Yelp published in June 2024 found that new restaurant openings were up 6% from May 2023 to April 2024. But some of the best restaurants in your neck of the woods might be those established eateries that customers have been visiting for decades.

To help you determine which spots—both new and long-standing—to try out, Stacker compiled a list of the highest-rated restaurants in San Diego, according to Yelp reviews from diners as of January 2025. Only restaurants with at least 20 reviews and a 3.0 rating were considered. Read on to find some inspiration for the next time you dine out.

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#30. Chefs Cafe & Catering

- Rating: 4.9/5 (27 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 10901 North Torrey Pines Road Bldg 5 San Diego, California
- Categories: Breakfast & Brunch, Sandwiches, Burgers
- Read more on Yelp

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#29. Lucy Ethiopian Restaurant

- Rating: 4.9/5 (127 reviews)
- Address: 4155 University Ave. San Diego, California
- Categories: Ethiopian, African, Vegetarian
- Read more on Yelp

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#28. Java Garden

- Rating: 4.9/5 (93 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 2699 Mission Village Drive San Diego, California
- Categories: Coffee & Tea, Breakfast & Brunch
- Read more on Yelp

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#27. Majorette

- Rating: 4.9/5 (28 reviews)
- Address: 6344 El Cajon Blvd. San Diego, California
- Categories: Sports Bars, Wine Bars, Gastropubs
- Read more on Yelp

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#26. MAKE Cafe

- Rating: 4.9/5 (114 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 2920 University Ave. San Diego, California
- Categories: Cafes, Breakfast & Brunch, Tapas/Small Plates
- Read more on Yelp

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#25. The Jazz Lounge

- Rating: 4.9/5 (29 reviews)
- Address: 6818 El Cajon Blvd. San Diego, California
- Categories: Music Venues, Dinner Theater, Jazz & Blues
- Read more on Yelp

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#24. Makai Sushi

- Rating: 4.9/5 (226 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 3968 5th Ave. San Diego, California
- Categories: Sushi Bars, Seafood, Poke
- Read more on Yelp

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#23. Chani's Donuts

- Rating: 4.9/5 (91 reviews)
- Address: 5250 Murphy Canyon Road Ste 118 San Diego, California
- Categories: Donuts, Vegan, Gluten-Free
- Read more on Yelp

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#22. Torque Coffee

- Rating: 4.9/5 (41 reviews)
- Address: 3459 El Cajon Blvd. San Diego, California
- Categories: Coffee Roasteries, Coffee & Tea, Breakfast & Brunch
- Read more on Yelp

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#21. Fortuna Ristorante Italiano

- Rating: 4.9/5 (62 reviews)
- Address: 4207 Park Blvd. San Diego, California
- Categories: Italian, Wine Bars
- Read more on Yelp

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#20. Thanh Tinh Chay

- Rating: 4.9/5 (1189 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 4591 El Cajon Blvd. San Diego, California
- Categories: Vietnamese, Vegan
- Read more on Yelp

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#19. LONGPLAY HiFi

- Rating: 4.9/5 (43 reviews)
- Address: 2547 Imperial Ave. San Diego, California
- Categories: Themed Cafes, Social Clubs, Wine Bars
- Read more on Yelp

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#18. The Shed

- Rating: 4.9/5 (22 reviews)
- Address: 1312 Morena Blvd. San Diego, California
- Categories: Tacos, Burgers, American
- Read more on Yelp

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#17. Stella's Pizza Pie

- Rating: 4.9/5 (56 reviews)
- Address: San Diego, California
- Categories: Pizza, Caterers, Food Trucks
- Read more on Yelp

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#16. Taste Of Denmark

- Rating: 4.9/5 (192 reviews)
- Address: 142 University Ave. San Diego, California
- Categories: Scandinavian, Comfort Food, Sandwiches
- Read more on Yelp

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#15. Mission Baja Tacos

- Rating: 4.9/5 (48 reviews)
- Address: 3819 Mission Blvd. San Diego, California
- Categories: Tacos
- Read more on Yelp

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#14. Fruteria La Costeñita

- Rating: 4.9/5 (26 reviews)
- Address: 2312 Morley St. San Diego, California
- Categories: Juice Bars & Smoothies, Mexican, Shaved Ice
- Read more on Yelp

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#13. Sushi MARU

- Rating: 4.9/5 (43 reviews)
- Address: 1345 Third Ave. San Diego, California
- Categories: Japanese, Sushi Bars
- Read more on Yelp

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#12. Hamitbach

- Rating: 4.9/5 (32 reviews)
- Address: 275 Island Ave. San Diego, California
- Categories: Wraps, Fish & Chips, Kosher
- Read more on Yelp

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#11. Cali Craft Tacos

- Rating: 4.9/5 (97 reviews)
- Address: 2707 Boston Ave. San Diego, California
- Categories: Caterers, Food Delivery Services, Tacos
- Read more on Yelp

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#10. Pazzos Italian Ocean Beach

- Rating: 5.0/5 (20 reviews)
- Address: 2163 Abbott St. San Diego, California
- Categories: Italian
- Read more on Yelp

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#9. Carnitas La Bendición

- Rating: 5.0/5 (22 reviews)
- Address: 1956 54th St. San Diego, California
- Categories: Food Trucks, Tacos
- Read more on Yelp

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#8. Rise And Grind Coffee

- Rating: 5.0/5 (22 reviews)
- Address: San Diego, California
- Categories: Food Trucks, Coffee & Tea, Breakfast & Brunch
- Read more on Yelp

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#7. Petite Paleo Bakery

- Rating: 5.0/5 (58 reviews)
- Address: San Diego, California
- Categories: Custom Cakes, Gluten-Free, Cupcakes
- Read more on Yelp

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#6. Wet Tacos

- Rating: 5.0/5 (35 reviews)
- Address: 2995 Commercial St. San Diego, California
- Categories: Tacos, Food Trucks, Halal
- Read more on Yelp

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#5. Mama Green's

- Rating: 5.0/5 (37 reviews)
- Address: San Diego, California
- Categories: Southern, Comfort Food, Pop-Up Restaurants
- Read more on Yelp

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#4. Kove Brewing

- Rating: 5.0/5 (115 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 9030 Kenamar Drive Ste 309 San Diego, California
- Categories: Breweries, Beer Bar, Gluten-Free
- Read more on Yelp

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#3. Vegan Mirai

- Rating: 5.0/5 (27 reviews)
- Address: 3960 Normal St. San Diego, California
- Categories: Vegan, Food Stands, Gluten-Free
- Read more on Yelp

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#2. Rafikiz Foodz

- Rating: 5.0/5 (21 reviews)
- Address: San Diego, California
- Categories: Street Vendors, African
- Read more on Yelp

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#1. Big Willie's Pizza

- Rating: 5.0/5 (29 reviews)
- Address: San Diego, California
- Categories: Pizza, Food Stands, Caterers
- Read more on Yelp

This story features data reporting by Wade Zhou, writing by Jaimie Etkin, and is part of a series utilizing data automation across 318 metros.