Diners' Choice: Innovative restaurants in San Diego

OpenTable

Updated 05 April 2025

Looking for the best restaurants that are fit for foodies in San Diego? You’re in the right place. Each month, OpenTable analyses nearly 2 million global diner reviews from the past four months. We sort the results by location and category to help you discover new favourite restaurants. It's a great partnership: you book, eat, and review. We listen...and deliver the results for all to benefit. Enjoy!

Wrench and Rodent Seabasstropub

4.8

4.8 (1436)

$30 and under

Sushi

Oceanside

About the restaurant

Please call for reservations of 7+ (760) 453-2738

Founded in 2013 by Davin and Jessica Waite, Wrench & Rodent is a space for culinary exploration and collaboration. This cozy, eclectic restaurant quickly became a destination for those who appreciated Chef Davin’s creative approach to celebrating local and responsibly sourced fish and produce.

In addition to a set sushi menu, Wrench offers an omakase as well as a list of specials that change daily. The team is committed to reducing waste and enhancing flavor by elevating all cuts of fish and veggies, as well as featuring a diverse range of species. Many menu items are simple, fresh and creative, with a lesser-known fish species complimented by ingredients from the backyard garden. Byproduct utilization drives the menu as well, and recent explorations with aging techniques have led to a dry aged fish program. Plant-forward preparations are also celebrated, and a vegan omakase is available upon request.

Top review

Norman

Dined 6 days ago

We love to go to Wrench, been going for years on our special occasions and just because- it's always amazing! great service, great food!!

ARTIFACT at Mingei

4.8

4.8 (900)

$31 to $50

International

Downtown

About the restaurant

ARTIFACT is a full-service restaurant featuring craft cooking inspired by ancient methods, spices and botanicals located inside the beautiful Mingei Museum at Balboa Park . Offering indoor, outdoor courtyard, and bar seating for lunch Tuesday-Saturday + dinner Friday evenings..

Crafted by Tim Kolanko, Executive Chef, Urban Kitchen Group, and Tony Coito, ARTIFACT’s Chef de Cuisine, will be a nod to Mingei’s changing international exhibitions in an environment filled with functional, innovative art and design by Jennifer Luce, Founder and Principal of LUCE et studio, who led the design and renovation project.

An Urban Kitchen Group Concept. CUCINA urbana, enoteca, sorella, UKG Catering, Urban Kitchen at The Ready Shell at Jacobs Park Connect with us @Dine.Mingei

Guests dining with ARTIFACT at Mingei for dinner services receive 50% off regular admission to our Exhibitions Level. Show your receipt or reservation confirmation at the admissions desk to receive this offer.

Top review

SusanVIP

Dined 3 days ago

Really interesting food--beet salad is outstanding!

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Experience

Culinary Experience NICE

Choi's San Diego

4.8

4.8 (107)

$31 to $50

Contemporary Asian

Downtown

About the restaurant

A Story of bringing the East to the West, written by Chef Jiwoo Choi.
Choi's is a Contemporary Asian restaurant founded by Choi, who was at the time, 23 years old. Voted as the best Korean restaurant by San Diego Magazine, Choi's brings creativity and intensity by carrying their classic menu as well as a rotating Weekly Menu. Choi's Happy Hour highlights $1.50 Fresh Oysters, $5 Bao Tacos, $7 Specialty Cocktails, $5 Beers, to name a few. With their two hour complimentary parking garage validation in the heart of Downtown, even during Padres Game Days, it is the perfect place for your comforting yet exciting evenings. Please refer our website for our parking validation information.

Top review

Karla

Dined 5 days ago

The service and the food was amazing! This is my second time coming here and both times were such a great experience and vibe.

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Experience

A Dinner Written by You & Chef Choi

The Space Pad

4.8

4.8 (64)

$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

Laura

Dined 6 days ago

My friends and I had a great time at this speakeasy. Both food and drinks were great and service was on point. It was a rad vibe with elements that were silly and awesome. A great time with friends!

P.F. Chang's - Chula Vista

4.7

4.7 (232)

$30 and under

Chinese

Chula Vista / Bonita

About the restaurant

We are an Asian & Chinese restaurant offering dine-in, takeout, to-go, delivery, and catering. Make a reservation online to dine in. Order Asian and Chinese food delivery, takeout, and catering online or through the P.F. Chang's mobile app. Let us cater the perfect feast for you - corporate office catering menus are also available. P.F. Chang's offers a variety of signature Asian, Thai, Korean, Japanese, Mongolian, and Chinese food dishes including Chicken Lettuce Wraps, Chicken Pad Thai, Signature Lo Mein, Fried Rice, Mongolian Beef, Chang's Spicy Chicken, and Pork and Shrimp Dumplings. Order online for sushi delivery and takeout. Many gluten-free and vegetarian menu items are available. Try our seasonal cocktails and seasonal menu items.

Top review

DavidVIP

Dined on 6 Apr 2025

Service was good and the food was ok. Teriyaki chicken was a bunch of tiny bits of deep fried chicken. Only 2 real chunks of chicken. Almost like we got the left overs at the bottom of the bag. It was like popcorn chicken and all batter.

The Plot

4.7

4.7 (837)

$30 and under

Farm-to-table

Oceanside

About the restaurant

The Plot is a haven for culinary enthusiasts, where creative chefs transform locally sourced ingredients into stunningly plant-forward dishes. Indulge in a full-service dining experience in the evenings and for brunch, or opt for a casual lunch on weekdays. Enjoy our beautiful dining room or immerse yourself amongst the plants in our bountiful patio gardens. The Plot team is led by Jessica and Davin Waite, who have been at the forefront of San Diego's culinary scene for over a decade, gaining a loyal following for their inventive and sustainable approach to seafood and plant-based dishes, gaining the attention of critics and culinary innovators far and wide.

Top review

BeckyVIP

Dined 1 day ago

The Plot is a fantastic place to go if you are plant based. The Plot is also a fantastic place to go if you aren’t! Every item on the me at is creatively packed with flavor, and even my meat-eating friends have enjoyed it. Service was fast and friendly, the mood was casual yet nice, and the food is very fresh, not heavily processed vegan meat substitutes. Thank you - we keep coming back for a reason!

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Experience

Plantscape! a boundary bending dinner series

MOTHERSHIP

4.7

4.7 (438)

$30 and under

Tapas / Small Plates

North Park

About the restaurant

Tropical space adventure in South Park! Exotic cocktails. Interplanetary fusion small plates. Named Best Bars In America by Esquire Magazine.

Reservations offer 90-minute experience like no other, venturing towards the outer limits of the tropical flavor galaxy!

WALK INS WELCOME - Walk-in tables are available daily. Early arrival is encouraged and there is a paging system in the event of a waitlist.

Top review

Carleigh

Dined 4 days ago

Such a fun experience at mothership! Excellent drinks, delicious soft serve ice cream and outstanding service! :)

Cutwater Spirits Tasting Room & Kitchen

4.6

4.6 (22)

$30 and under

Distillery

Miramar

About the restaurant

Cutwater Spirits Tasting Room and Kitchen has been serving perfectly mixed canned and specialty crafted cocktails since opening in May 2017. Located in San Diego's Miramar district, we feature our award-winning spirits—Rum, Vodka, Gin, Whiskey, Tequila, and Mezcal —used to create our iconic cocktails. Join us for lunch, dinner, and brunch options, plus weekday lunch specials and happy hour specials. Additionally, stop by or visit our website to learn about guided tours, private bookings, and upcoming events.

Top review

Megan

Dined on 7 Apr 2025

My go-to spot! Cutwater is great for a family dinner, drink after work, or trivia night!

Glass Box Asian Coastal Inspired Kitchen + Bar

4.6

4.6 (265)

$30 and under

Sushi

Carmel Valley

About the restaurant

A transparent authentic cultural experience of Asian infused cuisine, continuously redefining “fresh”.

Top review

amyVIP

Dined on 9 Apr 2025

Everything was so good! Great food, service, cool ambiance. Would definitely recommend!

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4.4

4.4 (55)

$31 to $50

Chinese

Oceanside

About the restaurant

Come enjoy a dining experience where the long traditions of Chinese cuisine seamlessly integrate with the vibrant, farm-fresh ingredients of Southern California. At 24 Suns, we pay homage to the subtleties of nature, capturing the essence of each micro-season in our ever-evolving menus.

Join us in Oceanside for fine Chinese cuisine, thoughtful craft cocktails, natural wine, and warm neighborhood hospitality. It’s more than a meal—it’s a tribute to the dynamic rhythms of land and season. Cheers!

Top review

ValerieVIP

Dined 7 days ago

The food was amazing! It is definitely worth the drive into the Oceanside Valley for this experience.

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