9 Best Restaurants in Pacific Beach

Pacific Beach’s energetic boardwalk culture has spawned some of San Diego’s finest beach restaurants. From no-frills restaurants on the water to refined culinary experiences on the boardwalk, we detail all the restaurants in Pacific Beach you’ll want to sample during your stay. These local hotspots and San Diego classics are our picks for the 9 best restaurants in Pacific Beach.
 

JRDN

• Hours:
  • Fri – Sat 9:00 am – 10:00 pm
  • Sun – Thu 9:00 am – 9:00 pm
• Address: 723 Felspar St, San Diego, CA 92109
• Contact: 858-270-2323 | t23hotel.com/jrdn

Upscale surf n’ turf with a view, JRDN offers you Alaskan king crab or lamb blade steaks against the backdrop of the jaw-dropping sunset. Dine al fresco on the patio, separated from the boardwalk by a mere pane of glass.

Take in the delicate pleasures of a flight of raw oysters or a platter of choice sashimi, follow it up with some scintillating conversation, and garnish with signature cocktails for unforgettable fine dining.

Image/ JRDN
 

Kono’s Cafe

• Hours: Daily 7:00 am – 3:00 pm
• Contact: 858-483-1669 | konoscafe.com
• Address: 704 Garnet Ave, San Diego, CA 92109

You’re living your best beach life. Nobody tells you when to eat breakfast! Kono’s serves up some of the best AM flavors in San Diego, and they do it all day. Even better, they do it without breaking the bank.

Get your coffee and breakfast burrito for a tenner and enjoy it out on Crystal Pier, which is right across the street. It isn’t all bacon and french toast, though. During lunch hours, Kono’s serves a mean mexiburger and BLT.

Image/ Kono’s Cafe
 

Pacific Beach Fish Shop

• Hours: Daily 11:00 am – 10:00 pm
• Address: 1775 Garnet Ave, San Diego, CA 92109
• Contact: 858-483-4746 | thefishshops.com

The TKO fish taco speaks for itself: seasoned, grilled Mahi Mahi on a bed of cabbage, cheeses, and tropical salsa, all wrapped in a fresh tortilla. If that doesn’t grab you, take a look at their 1-2-3 fish menu to craft a bespoke seafood feast or inhale an order of their addictive coconut shrimp.

Maybe you just want to chase some oysters with a quick beer-that’s cool, too. They have just about everything that can be pulled out of California’s glistening waters.

Image/ Pacific Beach Fish Shop
 

Iron Pig Alehouse

• Hours:
  • Mon – Tue 4:00 pm – 9:00 pm
  • Wed – Thu 11:30 am – 9:00 pm
  • Fri 11:30 am – 10:00 pm
  • Sat 10:00 am – 10:00 pm
  • Sun 10:00 am – 9:00 pm
• Address: 1520 Garnet Ave, San Diego, CA 92109
• Contact: 858-412-4299 | ironpigalehouse.com

They’re a long way from the barbecue pits of Texas, but the Iron Pig serves it up low and slow every day. You can take your pick of meat and cut, from chicken breast to pulled pork to sliced brisket to rib tips.

The sides are no slouch, either. The beans, in particular, get the same tender treatment as the meats. If you want to skip the carnivorous delights, try a dolled-up portobello instead.

Happy hour, whether week-day or late night, is a must for $5 favorites. Even four-legged patrons are invited, thanks to a pup-friendly menu.

Image/ Iron Pig Alehouse
 

Oscar’s Mexican Seafood

• Hours:
  • Sun  – Thu 8:00 am – 8:00 pm
  • Fri – Sat 8:00 am – 9:00 pm
• Address: 746 Emerald St, San Diego, CA 92109
• Contact: 858-412-4009 | oscarsmexicanseafood.com

There are a couple of things you need to know about Oscar’s. First, you need to bring cash-no cards. Second, there will be a line. Third, the food is entirely worth the effort.

From the unassuming plastic cups full of ceviche to the taco especial with smoked fish, scallops, and shrimp, this is the best hole-in-the-wall spot in Pacific Beach. Bar none. There’s no room for pretense here, just damn fine seafood.

Image/ Oscars Mexican Seafood
 

The Baked Bear

• Hours:
  • Mon – Fri 12:00 pm – 12:00 am
  • Sat – Sun 11:00 am – 12:00 am
• Address: 4516 Mission Blvd, San Diego, CA 92109
• Contact: thebakedbear.com

Okay, so it’s not a restaurant, per se. But every day on the boardwalk needs a good treat. And, if you’re going to treat, you may as well go big.

And it doesn’t get much bigger than these giant ice-cream sandwiches. Cooked up by San Diego natives, the Baked Bear serves a mix-and-match selection of freshly baked cookies stuck on either side of a slab of premium ice cream, drowned in your choice of toppings.

It’s simple, it’s decadent, and it’s just what your day on the beach needed (but your waistline probably didn’t).

Image/ The Baked Bear
 

PB Shore Club

• Hours:
  • Mon 11:00 am – 10:00 pm
  • Tue 11:00 am – 12: am
  • Wed – Fri 11:00 am – 2:00 am
  • Sat 10:00 am – 2:00 am
  • Sun 10:00 am – 12:00 am
• Address: 4343 Ocean Blvd, San Diego, CA 92109
• Contact: 858-272-7873 | pbshoreclub.com

The ultimate San Diego beach bar, this buzzy bungalow has some of the best beach views in town. To make matters better, they recently opened a new rooftop patio that expands the open-air drinking experience.

Plentiful plates of pub fare pair well with your libations, including classics like mushroom burgers, wings, and one heck of a queso dip. The rowdy crowd is out till late, including after-dark amusements like goldfish racing.

Image/ PB Shore Club
 

The Fishery

• Hours:
  • Wed – Fri 11:00 am – 10:00 pm
  • Sat – Sun 10:00 am – 10:00 pm
• Address: 5040 Cass St, San Diego, CA 92109
• Contact: 858-272-9985 | thefishery.com

Out back, it’s a fish-flinging seafood market supplying the good stuff to all corners of San Diego. On the front end, it’s a delicious restaurant.

This is the freshest seafood you can get in Pacific Beach. The market is just on the other side of the wall, after all. The atmosphere is laid back, casual, and fresh. Dishes are prepared with an expert hand reflected in the fine balance of flavors and the exceptional quality of the ingredients.

Image/ The Fishery

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