Highest-rated Restaurants in San Diego by Diners

Photo Illustration by Stacker // Canva

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 said they rarely, if ever, try a new restaurant they haven't been to before, and 5% say they never do, according to a survey of more than 2,600 diners from TouchBistro.

But those numbers look quite different when you focus on younger generations—56% of Gen Zers and 47% 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 online reviews, through sites like Yelp or Google or from social media. The TouchBistro survey found that 71% of Gen Zers and 72% of millennials have opted to try a new restaurant solely because of favorable reviews online.

Some of the best restaurants in your neck of the woods might be those established spots that customers have been visiting for decades, but some may be brand new. More than 10,000 new restaurants opened in 2023, up 5.7% from 2022, according to a report from BentoBox. The states that saw the most new restaurants open up in 2023 were Florida, Texas, California, North Carolina, and Pennsylvania, but new locales are popping up all over the U.S.

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 2024. Only restaurants with at least 20 reviews were considered. Read on to find some inspiration for the next time you dine out.

Note: The photos in this article are stock images and do not necessarily reflect each restaurant listed.

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#30. Fish Guts

- Rating: 5.0/5 (96 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 2222 Logan Ave. Ste 1 San Diego, California
- Categories: Seafood, Tacos, Cocktail Bars
- Read more on Yelp

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#29. Loving Hut Vegan Express City Heights/Talmadge

- Rating: 5.0/5 (29 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 4745 El Cajon Blvd. Unit 102 San Diego, California
- Categories: Vegan
- Read more on Yelp

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#28. Big Jims Roast Beef

- Rating: 5.0/5 (70 reviews)
- Address: 4508 Cass St. Ste B San Diego, California
- Categories: Sandwiches, Salad, Burgers
- Read more on Yelp

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#27. Taste Of Denmark

- Rating: 5.0/5 (158 reviews)
- Address: 142 University Ave. San Diego, California
- Categories: Scandinavian, Comfort Food, Sandwiches
- Read more on Yelp

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#26. Thanh Tinh Chay

- Rating: 5.0/5 (953 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 4591 El Cajon Blvd. San Diego, California
- Categories: Vietnamese, Vegan
- Read more on Yelp

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#25. Yum Zab

- Rating: 5.0/5 (41 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 1136 Garnet Ave. San Diego, California
- Categories: Asian Fusion, Thai, Chicken Shop
- Read more on Yelp

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#24. Ichifuji

- Rating: 5.0/5 (94 reviews)
- Price level: $$$$
- Address: 7530 Mesa College Drive Ste B San Diego, California
- Categories: Sushi Bars, Japanese
- Read more on Yelp

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#23. Fruteria La Costeñita

- Rating: 5.0/5 (22 reviews)
- Address: 2312 Morley St. San Diego, California
- Categories: Juice Bars & Smoothies, Mexican, Shaved Ice
- Read more on Yelp

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#22. LONGPLAY HiFi

- Rating: 5.0/5 (24 reviews)
- Address: 2547 Imperial Ave. San Diego, California
- Categories: Themed Cafes, Social Clubs, Wine Bars
- Read more on Yelp

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#21. Warung RieRie

- Rating: 5.0/5 (63 reviews)
- Address: San Diego, California
- Categories: Indonesian
- Read more on Yelp

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#20. Criscito Pizza

- Rating: 5.0/5 (41 reviews)
- Address: 10675 Calle Mar de Mariposa San Diego, California
- Categories: Pizza
- Read more on Yelp

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#19. Makai Sushi

- Rating: 5.0/5 (85 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 3968 5th Ave. San Diego, California
- Categories: Sushi Bars, Seafood, Poke
- Read more on Yelp

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#18. BoujieMana

- Rating: 5.0/5 (43 reviews)
- Address: 3545 Aero Court Ste B San Diego, California
- Categories: Mediterranean, Salad, Pizza
- Read more on Yelp

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#17. Key & Cleaver

- Rating: 5.0/5 (90 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 4727 University Ave. San Diego, California
- Categories: Burgers, Beer Bar
- Read more on Yelp

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#16. Hamitbach

- Rating: 5.0/5 (30 reviews)
- Address: 275 Island Ave. San Diego, California
- Categories: Wraps, Fish & Chips, Kosher
- Read more on Yelp

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#15. Rosemary And Thyme Cafe

- Rating: 5.0/5 (45 reviews)
- Address: 1469 University Ave. San Diego, California
- Categories: Breakfast & Brunch, Coffee & Tea
- Read more on Yelp

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#14. Hola Paris

- Rating: 5.0/5 (48 reviews)
- Address: 2548 Congress St. San Diego, California
- Categories: Bakeries, Creperies, Coffee & Tea
- Read more on Yelp

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#13. San Diego Pizza Company

- Rating: 5.0/5 (32 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: San Diego, California
- Categories: Food Trucks, Pizza, Caterers
- Read more on Yelp

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#12. Cali Craft Tacos

- Rating: 5.0/5 (82 reviews)
- Address: 9932 Mesa Rim Road Ste A San Diego, California
- Categories: Caterers, Food Delivery Services, Tacos
- Read more on Yelp

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#11. Gooseberries Kafe

- Rating: 5.0/5 (85 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 3776 4th Ave. San Diego, California
- Categories: Breakfast & Brunch, Sandwiches, Coffee & Tea
- Read more on Yelp

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#10. The Krispy Boyz

- Rating: 5.0/5 (21 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: San Diego, California
- Categories: Tacos, Food Trucks, Caterers
- Read more on Yelp

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#9. Lucy Ethiopian Restaurant

- Rating: 5.0/5 (95 reviews)
- Address: 4155 University Ave. San Diego, California
- Categories: Ethiopian, African, Vegetarian
- Read more on Yelp

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#8. Petite Paleo Bakery

- Rating: 5.0/5 (54 reviews)
- Address: San Diego, California
- Categories: Custom Cakes, Gluten-Free, Cupcakes
- Read more on Yelp

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#7. Kove Brewing

- Rating: 5.0/5 (102 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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#6. Caffeine & Green

- Rating: 5.0/5 (37 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 3072 El Cajon Blvd. San Diego, California
- Categories: Coffee Roasteries, Coffee & Tea, Cafes
- Read more on Yelp

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#5. Yummy Yummy Juice bar

- Rating: 5.0/5 (39 reviews)
- Address: 6784 El Cajon Blvd. Ste B San Diego, California
- Categories: Mexican, Juice Bars & Smoothies, Ice Cream & Frozen Yogurt
- Read more on Yelp

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#4. Jai Jus

- Rating: 5.0/5 (47 reviews)
- Address: 470 15th St. San Diego, California
- Categories: Juice Bars & Smoothies, Vegan, Acai Bowls
- Read more on Yelp