Best Historic Restaurants in Downtown

26 restaurants available nearby

A photo of Saint James French Diner restaurant

1. Saint James French Diner

4.6

Exceptional(242)

Price: Expensive

• French American • Downtown

Booked 18 times today

This American diner meets elegant French bistro is open Monday–Friday for Breakfast and Lunch, every day for Dinner and Happy Hour, and on the weekends for Brunch. With a full bar and an approachable menu, locals and travelers can indulge in a variety of French-inspired classics, from shared mussels to ratatouille and burgers.

2. Grant Grill

4.7

Exceptional(1629)

Price: Expensive

• Californian • Downtown

Booked 10 times today

A remarkable epicurean experience awaits you at Grant Grill and Lounge. From the iconic, chic setting to our fresh California cuisine and innovative libations, Grant Grill and Lounge carries a tradition of excellence rich in history (since 1951) and history-in-the-making. Breakfast, lunch and dinner menus highlight the best ingredients of the season with a fresh approach to classics. From the bar, proprietary beverage creations are offered alongside an impressive menu of wine, beer and cocktails.

A photo of The Melting Pot - Gaslamp Quarter restaurant

3. The Melting Pot - Gaslamp Quarter

4.6

Exceptional(2583)

Price: Very Expensive

• Fondue • Downtown

Booked 38 times today

Welcome to The Melting Pot San Diego Gaslamp. Located on 5th Ave & E St in the historic Gaslamp Plaza Suites, the San Diego - Gaslamp Melting Pot Restaurant brings a truly unique, romantic and interactive four-course fondue dining experience to San Diego's vibrant downtown dining scene!

4. Downtown Sushi

4.6

Exceptional(71)

Price: Moderate

• Sushi • Downtown

Booked 4 times today

Welcome to Downtown Sushi, nestled in downtown San Diego, just steps from the historic Balboa Theatre. Chef Andy creates a symphony of flavors, with our Omakase Premium Sashimi as the star, featuring the finest fresh, sustainably sourced seafood. Don’t miss our happy hour specials with delicious appetizers and drinks. Signature rolls like the Love Roll, Fire Roll, Downtown Roll, and Tower Roll highlight Chef Andy’s creativity, while the Salmon Flame appetizer bursts with irresistible flavor. For a main course, savor our Ribeye Steak, grilled to perfection with a Japanese twist. We welcome walk-ins and reservations alike. For a truly elevated experience, our VIP space is perfect for exclusive events or intimate celebrations, combining exceptional cuisine with unparalleled service. To make your visit even more convenient, we accept various forms of payment, including credit cards, cash, and Apple Pay.

5. Tapas & Beers

4.9

Exceptional(497)

Price: Moderate

• French • Downtown

Booked 7 times today

Located in Downtown San Diego's historic Spreckels building, Tapas & Beers is a French and Spanish Restaurant.We offer a large selection of Tapas plates to share between friends & familybut also normal size dishes if you don't want to share !Our beers on tap selection highlights breweries from San Diego County and our wine selection from all around the world will make any wine lover happy too !Everything you will eat at Tapas & Beers will be made from scratch to order with fresh and mostly organic ingredients ! Discover why our place isso highly rated !Cheers!

6. Lou & Mickey's

4.7

Exceptional(4153)

Price: Expensive

• Steakhouse • Downtown

Booked 74 times today

Located at the gates to the historic Gaslamp Quarter in San Diego, Lou & Mickey’s is a timeless American steakhouse serving prime steaks, including in-house, dry-aged steaks, plus choice seafood, classic cocktails and an award-winning wine list, in a relaxing and inviting environment. Private dining capabilities also available.

A photo of Ironside Fish & Oyster restaurant

7. Ironside Fish & Oyster

4.5

Awesome(4571)

Price: Moderate

• Seafood • Little Italy

Booked 113 times today

Little Italy was built by the fishing industry. Ironside attempts to continue that narrative. It's our contemporary interpretation of the classic fish house and oyster bar. Located in a historic auction house on India St we did a full comprehensive restoration of the building, with three open-air culinary hubs featuring an expansive raw bar, chefs table, and bakery. We tried to be mindful of the past while looking towards the future. A 4% surcharge will be added to all guest checks.Ironside is now taking reservations for patio and dining room seating. We are now offering Happy Hour MONDAY THROUGH FRIDAY FROM 3:00PM - 5:00PM.

A photo of The Prado at Balboa Park restaurant

8. The Prado at Balboa Park

4.6

Exceptional(7931)

Price: Moderate

• Californian • Downtown

Booked 54 times today

Located in San Diego's Balboa Park, in the Historic House of Hospitality, The Prado offers historic charm and California cuisine.

9. Seréa

4.6

Exceptional(2278)

Price: Expensive

• Mediterranean • Coronado

Booked 47 times today

Serẽa is proud to bring an exquisite sea-to-table dining experience to San Diego in a comfortable yet sophisticated setting.Located just steps from the beach in the legendary Hotel del Coronado, the restaurant's key focus is the bounty of the sea. The menu focuses on sustainable seafood, with a coastal cuisine menu that spotlights the best of the region's oceans, farms and fields, ranging from the California Coast down to the Baja Peninsula.Creative cuisine with a global flair is prepared by San Diego's own Chef Jojo Ruiz, who creates elegant, fresh dishes with just a hint of Mediterranean flair.*Serea & The Hotel Del Coronado are currently undergoing a once in a century transformation, after 100 years, we felt a facelift was in order!We wish you to be aware there will be evolving changes to the way we are able to serve you during this period as Serea and The Hotel Del Coronado are reimagined for generations to come.*

A photo of Mimmo's Italian Village restaurant

10. Mimmo's Italian Village

4.5

Awesome(635)

Price: Expensive

• Italian • Little Italy

Booked 22 times today

Mimmos Italian Village is one of the 3 original restaurants left in San Diego's historic Little Italy district. Established in 1973 in the heart of Little Italy you will find Mimmos is 3rd generation family owned and operated . Enjoy our amazing food all homemade from scratch daily, using quality ingredients and fresh local produce . Our popular dishes include, campanelle sausage, spicy shrimp linguine, and chicken parmesan. You can enjoy these dishes alongside a nice glass of wine or signature homemade sangria. Mimmo's Italian Village was started by Vincenzo Mimmo Gaglio, originally from Montelepre, Sicily. Before arriving in San Diego, Gaglio sharpened his cooking skills in Tunisia, New York City, Ontario, California, and finally, San Diego.Mimmo's seating areas consist of a charming indoor village, alfresco front and back patio seating.

See what locals rave about

From verified diners like you

J
Jenn
Chicago / Illinois •2 reviews
5.0
Dined 3 days ago
Such a great discovery…highly recommend the French Onion soup and Parisienne Burger. Great Happy hours and fun and friendly service!
More info
Saint James French DinerPrice: Expensive• French American• Downtown
•
4.6
T
Todd
Hawaii •12 reviews
5.0
Dined 6 days ago
We had a wonderful date at The Melting Pot. It was our last night in SD and we wanted something special. We were seated in a private booth and our server Vanesa was very helpful in making our decisions on all the choices and was friendly. It was a very niece experience and the food was very good. Especially the Chocolate Explosion desert. Would recommend
More info
The Melting Pot - Gaslamp QuarterPrice: Very Expensive• Fondue• Downtown
•
4.6
J
Jun
San Diego •4 reviews
5.0
Dined 6 days ago
Very friendly and good food and drinks. Good selection of beer and wine as well.
More info
Tapas & BeersPrice: Moderate• French• Downtown
•
4.9
B
BrookeVIP
Seattle / Eastern Washington •3 reviews
5.0
Dined on Dec 25, 2024
We had the pleasure of dining here on Christmas Eve. It was a beautiful 4-course menu including an amuse Bouche, a choice between two salads, four entrees and two desserts. The service was absolutely on point! Great attention to detail and the server assistants were fabulous too. The food runner was lovely and explained each course. The food was absolutely delicious. By far our best meal in San Diego. Thank you all!
More info
Grant GrillPrice: Expensive• Californian• Downtown
•
4.7
M
michaelVIP
Philadelphia County •42 reviews
5.0
Dined on Dec 10, 2024
Fabulous meal, delectable food Sweet service Definitely will be back
More info
Downtown SushiPrice: Moderate• Sushi• Downtown
•
4.6

Best Historic Restaurants in Downtown

Price

Cuisine

Regions

Neighborhoods

Top Rated

Dining Options

Seating Options

Award-winning

Accessibility

26 restaurants available nearby

1. Saint James French Diner

2. Grant Grill

3. The Melting Pot - Gaslamp Quarter

4. Downtown Sushi

5. Tapas & Beers

6. Lou & Mickey's

7. Ironside Fish & Oyster

8. The Prado at Balboa Park

9. Seréa

10. Mimmo's Italian Village

See what locals rave about

Explore OpenTable