Icon

Animae

$50 and over

Contemporary Asian

Make a reservation

2 people

Nov 27, 2024

7:00 PM

Booked 62 times today

Experiences are available.

Good for special occasions
Great for creative cocktails
Fancy

ANIMAE’s eclectic West Coast cuisine, layered with Asian influences, comes to life under Celebrated Chef Brian Malarkey. Applying a California cooking style to ANIMAE’S traditional coal-fired oven and grill, Chef Malarkey’s menu is as thoughtful as it is refined, elevating local produce and seasonal ingredients to create a lively and progressive culinary program.

Why they're an Icon

Executive chef: Brian Malarkey

MICHELIN Plate
2022

From the OpenTable editors: Filipino American chef Tara Monsod takes fusion food to the next level at this groovy Art Deco space. Expect opulent riffs on classics like crispy pig ears and kare kare—Monsod is one of the few chefs in the country putting Filipino food on the fine-dining stage. The approach earned her numerous awards, including a prestigious MICHELIN Plate.

Dining areas

Additional information

Dining style
Fine Dining
Price
$50 and over
Cuisines
Contemporary Asian, Californian, Steakhouse
Hours of operation
Dinner Mon–Thu, Sun 5:00 pm–9:00 pm Fri, Sat 5:00 pm–9:30 pm
Phone number
(619) 432-1225
Website
https://animaesd.com/
Payment options
AMEX, Discover, Mastercard, Visa
Dress code
Smart Casual
Private party facilities
The Great Gatsby-meets-Madmen-meets-The Matrix interior is a fantastical futurist’s journey, transporting diners to the Shikoku firefly forest in Japan, an event venue that’s both ethereal and theatrical. ANIMAE is the perfect space to host and celebrate your special events.

Location
969 Pacific HWY, San Diego, CA 92132
Award-winning
1. MICHELIN Plate 2022
Neighborhood
Downtown
Cross street
Pacific Highway and West Broadway
Parking details
Street Parking
Additional
Banquet, Bar/Lounge, Beer, Cocktails, Corkage Fee, Counter Seating, Full Bar, Non-Smoking, Private Room, View, Wheelchair Access, Wine

Experiences

Thanksgiving at ANIMAE
$123.27 per person
Nov 28, 2024 only
Celebrate thanksgiving with Chef Tara at ANIMAE! 4 course prix fixe menu to be released soon. $110 per adult, $42 per child You have reserved the table for 2 hours from the time of your booking. We kindly ask that your experience does not exceed this time in order to seat other reservations on time.
NYE at ANIMAE
$128.87 per person
Dec 31, 2024 only
Enjoy a glamorous New Year's Eve celebration at ANIMAE! $115, 4 course prix fixe menu to be released soon. Parties of 2 - 5 have reserved the table for 1 hour and 45 minutes. Parties of 6+ have reserved the table for 2 hours and 15 minutes. We kindly ask that you keep your experience within this time frame in order to honor later bookings. Thank you!
Kamayan Christmas at Animae
$123.27 per person
Dec 24, 2024 only
Join Chef Tara Monsod for an incredible Filipino tradition....a Kamayan feast! Every table will receive a beautiful spread of whole fish, pork tocino, grilled prawns, shortrib bistek and more, all served on banana leaves. We invite you to enjoy this one of a kind Christmas experience with Chef Tara at Animae. $110 per person. Please note the menu is fixed for this experience. Everyone will be receiving the same feast. Substitutions cannot be made. We hope to see you on Christmas Eve!

Popular dishes

Wonton
wagyu, chili garlic oil, soy vinaigrette
Taiwanese Chicken
schezuan peppercorn, hot honey, thai basil aioli
Sweet & Sour Cauliflower
strawberry, peppers, onion, sesame
Hunan Lamb Chops
cumin, szechuan peppercorn, cilantro cream
Crispy Pig Ear
sweet tamarind glaze, bean sprouts, tofu, peanuts
Mantou
chive steamed bun, soy glaze, sour cream butter

Cold Dishes

Hamachi
endive, radish, kimchi vinagrette, nori goma
Tuna Crispy Rice
charred chili ponzu, spicy aioli, turnip
A5 Wagyu Tartare
sesame cracker, wagyu aioli
Cucumbers
soy, fresno chili, sesame, cilantro
Ume Oysters
sour plum vinegar, strawberry, lemon
Beet Salad
asian pear, chicory, tofu "ricotta", yuzu kosho vinaigrette
Tuna Kinilaw
coconut, calamansi, cilantro oil

Sides

Coal Roasted Cabbage
brown butter miso, charred lime
Broccolini
gai lan, garlic chili oil, peanuts
Wagyu Fried Rice
maitake, trumpet mushrooms, garlic, egg
Crispy Potatoes
A5 fat, chinese sausage jam, koji sour cream
Crab Fried Rice
chino farms egg, lemon, old bay masago crisp
Mushroom Sisig
egg yolk, mustard seed, chili, pickled onion

Japanese A5

Miyazaki Strip Loin
Miyazaki Tenderloin

American Steaks

8 Oz Prime Filet
16 Oz Prime New York
38 Oz Dry Aged Ribeye

Other Plates

Grilled Half Chicken
lemongrass, nam jim jaew sauce, thai pickles
Short Rib Kare Kare
long beans, eggplant, bagoong peanut oil
Sambal Balado Clams
bacon, rice cakes, lime leaf, ginger
Dinuguan
braised beef cheek, coconut rice bread, shishito peppers
Pork Tomahawk Tocino
sweet beet glaze, mango sawsawan
Szechuan Spicy Seabass
cabbage, garlic chive, spicy broth, mala oil

Delectable Desserts

animae serves globally-inspired delectable desserts created with popular eastern flavors and ingredients

Sweets

Apple Yuzu Sorbet
sorrel cream, coconut crumble, green apple, yuzu meringue
Buko Pandan
young coconut mousse, pandan anglaise, pandan gelee
Chocolate Cremeux
miso sesame cream, chocolate crumble, korean chili cashew
Sakura Panna Cotta
feuilletine, fresh strawberry
Ube Profiteroles
ube pastry cream, coconut, cheese tuile

What 3,186 people are saying

Overall ratings and reviews

Reviews can only be made by diners who have eaten at this restaurant

4.8

4.8 based on recent ratings

4.7Food
4.8Service
4.8Ambience
4.4Value

Noise • Moderate

Review summary

AI-generated from verified diner reviews

Animae in San Diego offers an extraordinary dining experience, blending Filipino and Asian influences with Art Deco flair. Guests rave about "amazingly creative flavor combinations" and "exceptional service." Highlights include wagyu beef and Taiwanese chicken. Although some find it pricey, "it's a must-visit for anyone seeking top-notch dining" in the city.

3,186 Reviews

E
Edwin
Sacramento
4 reviews
5.0
4 reviews
Dined 1 day ago
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Food (kare kare, tocino, tuna crispy rice, wagyu rice, cesar salad, ube dessert) and drink (the malarky) was all great. Service (Lelani?) was excellent. And really, i expected it to be all great for the prices they charge. And they really delivered.
Is this helpful?
S
Shaun
San Francisco
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined 1 day ago
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Mmmm. Great variety. Great place. And the staff and service is as great as the food!
Is this helpful?
R
Robert
Atlantic Canada
2 reviews
5.0
2 reviews
Dined 3 days ago
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Expertly crafted Asian Fusion in downtown San Diego. Stands out from the crowd with a different looking menu and cleverly constructed dishes. Trendy setting and a relaxed atmosphere. Reservations recommended.
Is this helpful?
J
John
Los Angeles
1 review
3.0
1 review
Dined 3 days ago
1. Overall 3
2. Food 3
3. Service 4
4. Ambience 3
1 out of the 8 dishes we got was out of this world. The rest were mostly good, some left a salty aftertaste. Get the pork tomahawk.
Is this helpful?
T
Thiago
Denver
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined 4 days ago
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 4
The food and service was amazing.
Is this helpful?
A
Ara
San Diego
1 review
3.0
1 review
Dined 4 days ago
1. Overall 3
2. Food 2
3. Service 4
4. Ambience 2
When have been several times. This time the food as pricey as ever did not stand up to the historical quality. The volume of music ( poor club music) made it hard to hear the waiter and hard to have a conversation with out leaning in and speaking loudly across the table.
Is this helpful?
S
Sara
Coastal Georgia
7 reviews
vip
5.0
7 reviews
Dined 4 days ago
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
The restaurant itself is gorgeous- the olive velvet banquets are super elegant. My waiter was Austin and he provided excellent service. I ordered the beet salad, the steamed buns and the duck. All the dishes were plated beautifully and they were delicious. The steamed buns were rich and comforting and the duck was fork tender and melted in my mouth. For dessert I tried the chocolate cremeaux- it was so decadent! I would highly recommend having dinner at Animae.
Is this helpful?
d
dara
San Diego
2 reviews
1.0
2 reviews
Dined 5 days ago
1. Overall 1
2. Food 1
3. Service 1
4. Ambience 1
hated it!! sooo bad nasty ash food and the service HORRIBLE
Is this helpful?
E
Emily
Las Vegas
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined 5 days ago
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Amazing food and staff. It was so cool to see elevated Filipino food, and it was my girlfriend’s first time trying A5 Wagyu, she said “it was the best thing I’ve ever put in my mouth”. Will be back in 6 months for my birthday!
Is this helpful?
a
agnes
San Diego
5 reviews
4.0
5 reviews
Dined 5 days ago
1. Overall 4
2. Food 4
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 4
We got the Hunan Lamb Chops, Taiwanese Chicken, Pig Ears, Crispy Potatoes, Wagyu Fried Rice, Tuna Kinilaw, Duck entree, Sea Bass, and Short Ribs Kare Kare. Most of the dishes were flavorful, garnished well, and pretty!! I would go back for the lamb chops, pig ears, sea bass and short ribs kare kare.
Is this helpful?

FAQs

Animae is rated 4.8 stars by 3186 OpenTable diners.

Yes, you can generally book this restaurant by choosing the date, time and party size on OpenTable.

Make a reservation

2 people

Nov 27, 2024

7:00 PM

Booked 62 times today

Experiences are available.

969 Pacific HWY, San Diego, CA 92132

Dining areas

Additional information

Award-winning
1. MICHELIN Plate 2022
Cross street
Pacific Highway and West Broadway
Neighborhood
Downtown
Hours of operation
Dinner Mon–Thu, Sun 5:00 pm–9:00 pm Fri, Sat 5:00 pm–9:30 pm
Price
$50 and over
Cuisines
Contemporary Asian, Californian, Steakhouse
Dining style
Fine Dining
Dress code
Smart Casual
Parking details
Street Parking
Payment options
AMEX, Discover, Mastercard, Visa
Additional
Banquet, Bar/Lounge, Beer, Cocktails, Corkage Fee, Counter Seating, Full Bar, Non-Smoking, Private Room, View, Wheelchair Access, Wine

Website
https://animaesd.com/
Phone number
(619) 432-1225
Private party facilities
The Great Gatsby-meets-Madmen-meets-The Matrix interior is a fantastical futurist’s journey, transporting diners to the Shikoku firefly forest in Japan, an event venue that’s both ethereal and theatrical. ANIMAE is the perfect space to host and celebrate your special events.

Animae

Make a reservation

Why they're an Icon

MICHELIN Plate

Dining areas

Additional information

Thanksgiving at ANIMAE

NYE at ANIMAE

Kamayan Christmas at Animae

Short Rib Kare Kare

Taiwanese Chicken

Grilled Half Chicken

Hot Dishes

Wonton

Taiwanese Chicken

Sweet & Sour Cauliflower

Hunan Lamb Chops

Crispy Pig Ear

Mantou

Cold Dishes

Hamachi

Tuna Crispy Rice

A5 Wagyu Tartare

Cucumbers

Ume Oysters

Beet Salad

Tuna Kinilaw

Sides

Coal Roasted Cabbage

Broccolini

Wagyu Fried Rice

Crispy Potatoes

Crab Fried Rice

Mushroom Sisig

Japanese A5

Miyazaki Strip Loin

Miyazaki Tenderloin

American Steaks

8 Oz Prime Filet

16 Oz Prime New York

38 Oz Dry Aged Ribeye

Other Plates

Grilled Half Chicken

Short Rib Kare Kare

Sambal Balado Clams

Dinuguan

Pork Tomahawk Tocino

Szechuan Spicy Seabass

Delectable Desserts

Sweets

Apple Yuzu Sorbet

Buko Pandan

Chocolate Cremeux

Sakura Panna Cotta

Ube Profiteroles

Overall ratings and reviews

Review summary

FAQs

How is Animae restaurant rated?

Is Animae currently accepting reservations?

Make a reservation

Dining areas

Additional information