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The Godfather Restaurant, San Diego, CA

The Godfather Restaurant

4.7

4.7

1883 Reviews

$31 to $50

Italian

Make a reservation

2 people

Dec 30, 2024

7:00 PM

Booked 20 times today

Good for special occasions
Charming
Romantic

The Godfather, a Balistreri restaurant, is an Italian monument in downtown San Diego providing authentic cuisine from the hills of Italy. Established in 1974, The Godfather is a sophisticated and classy establishment that centers around generational recipes from both Northern and Southern Italy. Over the years, the quality of food and standard of service has never declined and thus garnered The Godfather a national recognition as one of the top twenty-five Italian restaurants in the entire nation. The menu is filled with classic favorites based in steak, chicken and pasta. For an intimate evening for two, try the Sicilian kiss prix fixe meal that includes a bottle of champagne.

Order delivery or takeout

Dining areas

Additional information

Dining style
Casual Dining
Price
$31 to $50
Cuisines
Italian, Seafood, Steak
Hours of operation
Lunch Tue–Fri 11:00 am–2:30 pm Dinner Tue–Thu 5:00 pm–9:30 pm Fri 5:00 pm–10:00 pm Sat 4:00 pm–10:00 pm Sun 4:00 pm–9:00 pm
Phone number
(858) 560-1747
Website
http://www.godfatherrestaurant.com/
Payment options
AMEX, Discover, Mastercard, Visa
Dress code
Smart Casual
Executive chef
Isidoro Balistreri

Location
7878 Clrmt Msa Blvd, San Diego, CA 92111-1621
Neighborhood
Kearny Mesa
Parking details
Public Lot
Additional
Banquet, Bar/Lounge, Beer, BYO Wine, Cocktails, Corkage Fee, Counter Seating, Delivery, Entertainment, Full Bar, Gluten-free Options, Non-Smoking, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Private Room, Takeout, Wheelchair Access, Wine

Popular dishes

Menu

Hours: M-F 11:00am-2:30pm

Antipasti

Mozzarella en Carozza$10.95
Mozzarella cheese, seasoned, fried & baked in marinara sauce
Caprese$13.95
Fior di latte mozzarella, tomato, Sicilian olives, basil, red onion, oregano, capers & extra virgin olive oil
Cuori di Carciofi$12.95
Artichoke hearts, seasoned & fried. Baked in lemon, garlic, capers & parmesan cheese
Fegatini di Pollo$11.95
Tender chicken livers, sauteed in white wine, fresh mushrooms & peas
Antipasto della Casa$16.95
Roasted, marinated vegetables, prosciutto, salami, mordatella, olives, pepperoncini, basil, & extra-virgin olive oil
Calamari Fritti$12.95
Tender calamari, lightly breaded & fried
Caesar$6.00
Fresh crisp Romaine, tossed with our special recipe Caesar dressing & anchovy filet

Paste

Served with your choice of soup of the day or house salad

Penne All' Arrabbiata e Salcicce$16.95
Penne pasta & sausage in tomato sauce, seasoned spicy hot with Italian peppers
Spaghetti alla Bolognese$15.95
Chef Isidoro's special recipe of spaghetti & meat sauce. Suggested wine: Sartori Bardolino
Penne al Pomodoro$15.95
Penne pasta with fresh tomato, garlic, oregano & basil. Suggested wine: Sangiovese
Lasagne al Forno$16.95
Baked lasagne in the old Sicilian style with bolognese sauce, ricotta, mozzarella & parmesan cheeses. Suggested wine: Gattinara
Spaghetti alla Carbonara$16.95
Spaghetti in light imported parmesan cheese sauce with prosciutto. Suggested wine: Pinot Grigio
Linguine al Pesto$15.95
Linguine tossed with basil, parmesan cheese, extra virgin olive oil, garlic & pine nuts. Suggested wine: Pinot Gringo
Fettucine Alfredo$16.95
Fettuccine pasta tossed with a rich cream sauce
Ravioli alla Godfather$15.95
Traditional meat ravioli in Chef Isidoro's Bolognese sauce. Suggested wine: Chianti
Ravioli ai Funghi Portobello$17.95
Portobello mushroom ravioli, served in a light cream & tomato Rossini sauce. Suggested wine: Mondavi Barbera
Tortellini al Verde$17.95
Spinach & ricotta tortellini served in Alfredo sauce. Suggested wine: Ruffino Libaio
Linguine al Vongole$17.95
Linguine with clams sauteed in wine, extra virgin olive oil, garlic & parsley, served with your choice of red or white sauce. Suggested wine: Orvieto or Chianti
Penne alla Puttanesca$16.95
Penne in a fresh tomato sauce with olives, capers, basil, olive oil, parmesan cheese & oregano. Suggested wine: Italian Merlot
Cannelloni Fatti en Casa$17.95
Italian crepes with chicken, meat & cheeses, garlic, fresh mushrooms, baked with besciamella sauce. Suggested wine: Barbera D' Asti
Eggplant alla Parmigiana$17.95
Baked eggplant with mushrooms, ricotta & mozzarella cheese in marinara sauce. Suggested wine: Dolcetto D' Alba
Linguine ai Frutti di Mare$24.95
A king Neptune feast of pastas! Lobster, shrimp, clams, mussels, calamari & fish sauteed in wine, garlic & mushrooms, served in red or white sauce. Suggested wine: Gavi "Principessa"

Piatti Combinazioni

Served with pasta & your choice of soup of the day or house salad

Cannelloni con Scaloppine al Marsala$24.95
Cannelloni & veal medallions in Sicilian marsalla wine & fresh mushrooms. Suggested wine: Mezza Corona Pinot Grigio
Cannelloni con Fegatini$23.95
Cannelloni & fresh chicken livers sauteed with fresh mushrooms, onions & peas. Suggested wine: Orvieto
Cannelloni con Pollo Alla Parmigiana$23.95
Cannelloni & baked chicken breast with mozzarella, marinara, fresh mushrooms & parmesan cheese. Suggested wine: Quercetto Chianti

Pollo

Served with pasta & your choice of soup of the day or house salad

Pollo alla Marsala$18.99
Chicken sauteed in Sicilian marsala wine with fresh mushrooms. Suggested wine: Pinot Grigio "La Famiglia"
Pollo alla Cacciatori$18.99
Chicken in marinara sauce with white wine, garlic, oregano, fresh mushrooms, bell peppers, onions & fine Italian herbs. Suggested wine: Sartori Soave
Pollo alla Parmigiana$18.99
Baked chicken breast with mozzarella cheese, marinara sauce & fresh mushrooms. Suggested wine: Querceto
Saltimbocca di Pollo$18.99
Chicken breasts sauteed in a light tomato sauce with wine, prosciutto, mozzarella & sage. Suggested wine: Gattinara
Pollo alla Fiorentina$18.99
Chicken medallions lightly battered & sauteed in white wine, fresh lemon, butter & capers. Suggested wine: Orvieto
Fegatini di Pollo$18.99
Chicken livers tenderly sauteed in white wine with fresh mushrooms & peas. Suggested wine: Ferrari-Carano Fume Blanc

Pesce

Served with pasta & your choice of soup of the day or house salad

Pesce del Giorno$20.99
Prepared to perfection with white wine, lemon & butter
Cioppino$24.95
A fisherman's wharf seafood medley of lobster, mussels, calamari, shrimp, clams & fresh fish in marinara soup. Suggested wine: Gavi "Principessa"
Scampi alla Godfather$23.99
Shrimp baked in wine with fresh mushrooms, garlic, oregano & balsamic vinegar. Suggested wine: Frascati
Scampi Fra Diavolo$21.99
Shrimp in a spicy marinara sauce with garlic & Italian herbs. Suggested wine: Petite Syrah
Zuppa di Cozze$18.99
Mussels in wine, garlic, extra virgin olive oil & light marinara sauce. Suggested wine: Caymus Sauvignon Blanc
Linguine ai Frutti di Mare$24.95
A king Neptune feast of pastas! Lobster, shrimp, clams, mussels, calamari & fish sauteed in wine, garlic & mushrooms, served in your choice of red or white sauce. Suggested wine: Gavi "Principessa"
Salmone alla Griglia$19.99
Salmon seared in a Sicilian style sauce of diced tomatoes, capers, olives, onions, bell peppers & olive oil. Suggested wine: Ferrari-Carano Fume Blanc
Calamari alla Marinara$17.99
Calamari sauteed in a spicy light marinara sauce with white wine, fresh garlic & oregano. Suggested wine: Fazi Battaglia Verdicchio

Vitello

Served with pasta & your choice of soup of the day or house salad

Scaloppine al Marsala$19.99
Veal medallions sauteed in Sicilian Marsala wine with fresh mushrooms. Suggested wine: Pinot Grigio "La Famiglia"
Piccata di Scaloppine$19.99
Veal medallions sauteed in white wine, lemon & butter with fresh mushrooms & capers. Suggested wine: Verdicchio
Vitello alla Fiorentina$19.99
Lightly battered veal medallions sauteed in white wine, lemon, butter & capers. Suggested wine: Gavi
Saltimbocca di Vitello$19.99
Veal sauteed in wine & baked in light tomato sauce with prosciutto, mozzarella & sage. Suggested wine: Ferrari-Carano Merlot
Bocconcini alla Godfather$19.99
Seasoned & breaded veal stuffed with prosciutto, provolone, parmesan & Italian seasoning, salami & mortadella, broiled with bell peppers & onion. Suggested wine: Chianti, Ruffino
Vitello alla Parmigiana$19.99
Baked veal with mozzarella cheese, bolognese sauce & fresh mushrooms. Suggested wine: Quercetto Chianti
Speciale dello Chef Isidoro$19.99
Chef Isidoro's original seasoned & breaded veal stuffed with prosciutto, mozzarella, tomatoes & onions sauteed & baked in wine & marinara. Suggested wine: Barolo

Steaks & Filet

Served with pasta & your choice of soup of the day or house salad

New York alla Sinatra$28.95
New York strip sauteed in Barolo wine & marinara, fresh mushrooms, bell peppers, onions, garlic & oregano. Suggested wine: Super-Tuscan
New York$27.95
New York strip, prepared as you wish. Suggested wine: Pierano Cabernet
Filet Mignon$31.95
Godfather cut filet mignon, prepared as you wish. Suggested wine: Ferrari-Carano Siena

Panini Imbotiti

Prosciutto$16.95
Italian artisan with prosciutto, arugula, fresh mozzarella, tomato, red onion, virgin olive oil & balsamico
Salsicce$14.95
Chef Isidoro's family made sausages in bolognese sauce, with bell peppers & mozzarella
Torpedo$14.95
Italian cold cuts, lettuce, tomatoes, Mozzarella cheese, onions, olive oil & spices
Meatball$14.95
Chef Isidoro's Sicilian meatballs in bolognese sauce with bell peppers & mozzarella cheese

Insalate

Caesar$14.95
Fresh crisp Romaine, tossed with our special recipe Caesar dressing. Served with your choice of chicken, shrimp or salmon
Insalata alla Godfather$16.95
A Godfather assortment of Italian cold cuts, peperoncini, olives, tomatoes, Gorgonzola & Provolone cheese
Blackened Salmon Salad$17.95
Salmon over mixed greens, avocado, black olives & balsamic vinaigrette
Seared Ahi Salad$16.95
Seared ahi tuna, red onions, toy box tomatoes, spring mix greens, olives with soy balsamic dressing
Grilled Calamari Salad$16.95
Grilled whole calamari, roasted bell pepper, olives, toy box tomatoes, capers over spring mixed greens lemon zest vinaigrette

What 1,883 people are saying

Overall ratings and reviews

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

4.7

4.7 based on recent ratings

4.6Food
4.6Service
4.7Ambience
4.4Value

Noise • Moderate

5
4
3
2
1

Loved For

San Diego
Great for fine wines

Review summary

AI-generated from verified diner reviews

The Godfather Restaurant offers a nostalgic dining experience with "excellent service and amazing food." Guests rave about the generous portions and traditional Italian dishes. The ambiance, complete with live piano music, enhances the old-school charm. It's a favored spot for special occasions, with "delicious fried zucchini" and "authentic Italian flavors" that keep patrons coming back.

1,883 Reviews

M
Marty
VIP
San Diego
56 reviews
4.0
56 reviews
Dined 1 day ago
1. Overall 4
2. Food 4
3. Service 3
4. Ambience 4
First time eating here that I didn't give 5 stars across the board. There is a large sign indicating that Valet parking is $4, and yet the attendant informed us of that before we got out of the car-was he afraid of not getting paid? Husband had Frutti Di Mare which he said was excellent. I had Fettuccine Bolognese which was a disappointment. The fettuccine was either overcooked or undercooked-sticky and some clumped together, and the bolognese was not that flavorful. Our waiter was pleasant enough but clearly rushed. It took longer than usual to give our food order, and each encounter with our waiter felt very rushed. PROS: my husband's food was excellent, we were given complimentary tiramisu for our celebration, and it was wonderful; prices were reasonable, and we always enjoy the music provided by the piano player. CONS: my food was not that good, service seemed more impersonal and rushed than on previous visits. Not giving up yet on what has always been our favorite restaurant, but miss the personal and welcoming feeling that we always received before the restaurant was sold.
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C
Catherine
VIP
San Diego
17 reviews
5.0
17 reviews
Dined 1 day ago
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Fabulous food ! Very friendly waiters! So professional!
Is this helpful?
OT
OpenTable Diner
San Diego
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined 3 days ago
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 4
4. Ambience 5
All meals were excellent, chicken Parmesan, steak sinatra and raviolis
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K
Kimberly
San Diego
5 reviews
1.0
5 reviews
Dined 5 days ago
1. Overall 1
2. Food 2
3. Service 1
4. Ambience 2
Worst dinner of my life. It absolutely ruined our Christmas Eve. We made a reservation for 8 o’clock in the main dining hall. We weren’t seated until after 8:30 and they put us in the bar by the garbage can where we had a choice of watching a horror movie or football on Christmas Eve. Then they paid us no mind. It took 20 minutes just to get water. I’ll never go back again.
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r
robin
San Diego
6 reviews
1.0
6 reviews
Dined 5 days ago
1. Overall 1
2. Food 1
3. Service 1
4. Ambience 1
The golden age of the godfather is gone. They failed on every level from start to finish. First they massively over booked the restaurant on Christmas Eve . Our waiter appeared 20 minutes in telling us he was busy with an 8 top basically letting us know our service would be garbage . And he did not disappoint. It took 90 minutes to get our entrees but first I had to call another waiter over and say we would be leaving . We weren’t even finished with our extremely over priced horrible ( leaving all the favorites off the menu) set menu for the evening . And the busboy was clearing our plates as we were still eating. We were served one beverage and never asked if we’d like more water or another drink . No desert no after diner coffee . Because they had clearly misplaced our ticket and we didn’t get our food until they were closing up. I really feel like they owe me the 400 I spent on this horrible experience . You’re not allowed to charge 5 star prices and give Olive Garden service and food quality . Everything we were served was pre frozen product nothing was fresh - I swear the sauce came from a jar and the mozzarella was deli sliced . For the first time in my whole eating out experience I emailed the restaurant. This experience ruined our evening and by looks of the super young I have no idea how to run a restaurant maître D we were not the only ones . If you’re thinking about new years or any event that has Merritt avoid this establishment . One of the wait staff said it had just been acquired by new owners. This tells me they are trying to kill it so they can do something else.
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SB
SharonB
San Diego
6 reviews
5.0
6 reviews
Dined 7 days ago
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Couldn’t have been better. The service was excellent. The food was spectacular and the price for the dinners was surprising very reasonable. Will definitely be returning.
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D
David
San Diego
16 reviews
5.0
16 reviews
Dined on December 22, 2024
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 3
4. Ambience 5
The waiter was kind of rude with his response on how we did not like our Cadillac margaritas. He made us feel like we were a problem for him. This was the first time we ever had a negative experience at the Godfathers.
1 person found this helpful
V
Valerie
VIP
San Diego
3 reviews
3.0
3 reviews
Dined on December 21, 2024
1. Overall 3
2. Food 4
3. Service 1
4. Ambience 5
The waiter was barely and our table and when he was there, it was for a very abbreviated period of time. He couldn’t be found anytime we needed something like a new drink order.
1 person found this helpful
C
Carlos
VIP
Palm Springs
24 reviews
5.0
24 reviews
Dined on December 21, 2024
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
One of our go to restaurants for cocktails, exceptional Italian food and good wine list. All at reasonable prices. The atmosphere and decor are old world charming with servers in suits. The service is excellent. Thank you Shawn.
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G
Greg
San Diego
9 reviews
5.0
9 reviews
Dined on December 20, 2024
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
The food as usual was wonderful. The pork tenderloin wrapped in bacon was awesome along with the homemade pea soup. Our waiter, Eric was always there to check on us, he even surprised us with a cannoli for my mom's 98 birthday. I took my mom here last year for her birthday as well.
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FAQs

The Godfather Restaurant offers takeout which you can order by calling the restaurant at (858) 560-1747.

The Godfather Restaurant is rated 4.7 stars by 1883 OpenTable diners.

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

Make a reservation

2 people

Dec 30, 2024

7:00 PM

Booked 20 times today

Order delivery or takeout

Google Map for The Godfather Restaurant

7878 Clrmt Msa Blvd, San Diego, CA 92111-1621

Dining areas

Additional information

Neighborhood
Kearny Mesa
Hours of operation
Lunch Tue–Fri 11:00 am–2:30 pm Dinner Tue–Thu 5:00 pm–9:30 pm Fri 5:00 pm–10:00 pm Sat 4:00 pm–10:00 pm Sun 4:00 pm–9:00 pm
Price
$31 to $50
Cuisines
Italian, Seafood, Steak
Dining style
Casual Dining
Dress code
Smart Casual
Parking details
Public Lot
Payment options
AMEX, Discover, Mastercard, Visa
Executive chef
Isidoro Balistreri
Additional
Banquet, Bar/Lounge, Beer, BYO Wine, Cocktails, Corkage Fee, Counter Seating, Delivery, Entertainment, Full Bar, Gluten-free Options, Non-Smoking, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Private Room, Takeout, Wheelchair Access, Wine

Website
http://www.godfatherrestaurant.com/
Phone number
(858) 560-1747

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